Pangasinan language
The
Pangasinan language belongs to the
Malayo-Polynesian languages branch of the
Austronesian languages family. Pangasinan is spoken by more than two million people in the province of
Pangasinan, in other Pangasinan communities in the
Philippines, and by a significant number of Pangasinan immigrants in the
United States. Pangasinan is the primary language in the province of
Pangasinan, located on the west central area of the island of
Luzon along the
Lingayen Gulf. It is the dominant language in central
Pangasinan.
The Pangasinan language is one of the twelve major languages in the
Philippines. The total population of the province of Pangasinan is 2,434,086 (National Statistics Office: 2000 Census). The estimated population of the indigenous speakers of the Pangasinan language in Pangasinan is 1.5 million.
The Pangasinan language is also called:
*
Pangasinense, the hispanicized name of Pangasinan.
*
Pangalatok, a slang term of Pangasinan of doubtful etymology mistakenly used by non-Pangasinans to refer to the Pangasinan language or its native speakers.
Etymology of Pangasinan*
Pangasinan, means "land of salt" or "place of salt-making"; it is derived from the root word
asin, the word for "salt" in the Pangasinan language.
*
pangasinan means "container of salt or salted-products"; it refers to the ceramic jar for storage of salt or salted-products or its contents.
Austronesian LanguagesThe indigenous speakers of the
Austronesian languages settled in the area of island
Southeast Asia, South
China, and
Taiwan during
prehistoric times, perhaps more than 5,000 years ago. The indigenous speakers of the Pangasinan language are descended from these prehistoric settlers, who were probably part of the prehistoric
human migration that is widely believed to have originated from
Africa about 100 to 200 thousand years ago.
Ancient Pangasinan ScriptPangasinan had a writing system before the
Spanish conquest in 1571. The ancient Pangasinan script is related to the
Tagalog Baybayin script and the
Javanese Kavi script of Indonesia; it was probably influenced by the
Brahmi script and
Tamil script of ancient
India.
Introduction of Latin AlphabetThe
Latin alphabet was introduced during the
Spanish colonial period. Pangasinan
literature, using the Pangasinan script and the Latin alphabet, continued to flourish during the Spanish and
American colonial period. Pangasinan acquired many
Spanish and
English words, and some indigenous words were hispanicized or anglicized. However, the use of the Pangasinan script has declined, and not many of the literature written in the ancient Pangasinan script has survived.
Pangasinan LiteratureOnly a few Pangasinan journalists, newspaper columnists, authors, and poets continue to write or publish their works in Pangasinan. Many of the older books about Pangasinan or written in Pangasinan are now out-of-print or of limited availability. Today, not many new books, newspapers or magazines are being published in Pangasinan. However, many Christian publications in Pangasinan are widely available.
Most Pangasinans are now multilingual. Many Pangasinans have become proficient in
Tagalog, the national language of the Philippines;
English, a global language; and
Ilokano, a neighboring language. However, the spread and influence of the other languages is contributing to the decline of the Pangasinan language. Some Pangasinans are organizing to encourage the use of Pangasinan in the print and broadcast media, internet, local governments, courts, and schools in Pangasinan.
Pangasinan: An Austronesian LanguageThe Pangasinan language belongs to the
Malayo-Polynesian languages branch of the
Austronesian languages family. Pangasinan is similar to the Tagalog and Ilocano languages that are spoken in the
Philippines,
Indonesian in
Indonesia,
Malay in
Malaysia, and
Malagasy in
Madagascar. The Pangasinan language is very closely related to the
Ibaloi language spoken in the neighboring province of
Benguet and
Baguio City, located north of Pangasinan. The Pangasinan language is classified under the Pangasinic group of languages. The Pangasinic languages are:
* Pangasinan
*
Ibaloi* Karao
* I-wak
* Kalanguya
* Keley-I
* Kallahan
* Kayapa
* Kallahan
* Tinoc
The Pangasinic languages are spoken primarily in the provinces of
Pangasinan and
Benguet, and in some areas of the neighboring provinces of
Zambales,
Tarlac,
Nueva Ecija,
Nueva Vizcaya, and
Ifugao.
Pangasinan is an
agglutinative language.
Linguistics studies suggest some Pangasinan word correspondences with the ancient
Sumerian language, the first known written language. The
Sumerian language, which was spoken in the ancient land of
Sumer in southern
Mesopotamia, is also an
agglutinative language like Pangasinan.
Pangasinan SpeakersThe Pangasinan language is the primary language in the province or region of Pangasinan in the Philippines, located on the west central are of the island of Luzon along the
Lingayen Gulf. Pangasinan is the dominant language in central Pangasinan. The total population of the province of Pangasinan is 2,343,086 (National Statistics Office: 2000 Census). The estimated population of indigenous speakers of the Pangasinan language in Pangasinan is 1.5 million. Pangasinan is spoken in other Pangasinan communities in the Philippines, mostly in some areas of the neighboring provinces of
Zambales,
Tarlac,
Nueva Ecija,
Nueva Vizcaya, and
Benguet; and by a significant number of Pangasinan immigrants in the
United States.
Sounds
Features
Pronouns
| | Absolutive Independent | Absolutive Enclitic | Ergative!Oblique | | 1st person singular | siák | ak | -k(o) | ed siak |
| 1st person dual | sikatá | ita, ta | -ta | ed sikata |
| 2nd person singular | siká | ka | -m(o) | ed sika |
| 3rd person singular | sikató | - , -a | to | ed sikato |
| 1st person plural inclusive | sikatayó | itayo, tayo | -tayo | ed sikatayo |
| 1st person plural exclusive | sikamí | kamí | mi | ed sikami |
| 2nd person plural | sikayó | kayó | yo | ed sikayo |
| 3rd person plural | sikara | ira, ra | da | ed sikara |
Numbers
The following lists the numbers from one to ten in English, Tagalog, and Pangasinan.
| English | Tagalog!Pangasinan | | one | isa | sakey, isa |
| two | dalawa | duara, dua |
| three | tatlo | talora, talo |
| four | apat | apatira, apat |
| five | lima | limara, lima |
| six | anim | anemira, anem |
| seven | pito | pitora, pito |
| eight | walo | walora, walo |
| nine | siyam | siamira, siam |
| ten | sampu | samplura, samplu |
Vocabulary
Writing System
Literary Works
Tongtong: Pangasinan Stories
Uliran: Pangasinan Myths and Legends
Togtog: Pangasinan Songs and Music
Diparan: Pangasinan Sayings and Proverbs
Pabitla: Pangasinan Riddles
Malinak lay Labi: A Pangasinan Folk Song
Malinak Lay LabiThe Night is CalmMalinak lay LabiThe night is calm
Oras la'y mareenA peaceful moment
Mapalpalna'y dagemA gentle breeze
Katekep to'y linaewRolling with fog
Samit da'y kugip koSo sweet is my dream
Binangonan kon tampolRight away I awake
Lapu'd say limgas moBecause of your beauty
Sikan sika'y amamayoenYou and only you I want to caress
Lalo la bilayBest of all, my life
No sika la'y nanengnengWhen I see you
Napunas lan aminGone is all
So ermen ya akbibitenThe sadness I feel inside
No nanonotanWhen I remember
Ko la'y samit day ugalimYour sweet kindness
Ag ta ka nalingwananI will not forget you
Angga'd kauyos na bilayTill life departs
See also
List of English Words and corresponding Pangasinan WordsBellow is the
Swadesh list of 207 words in the English language and the Pangasinan language. For a Swadesh list in other languages use this link:
Wiktionary:Swadesh list.
English - Pangasinan# I - siak, ak# you (singular) - sika, ka# he - sikato (he/she), to# we - sikami, kami, mi, sikatayo, tayo, sikata, ta# you (plural) - sikayo, kayo, yo# they - sikara, ra# this - aya# that - aman, atan# here - dia# there - diman, ditan# who - siopa, opa, si# what - anto, a# where - iner# when - kapigan, pigan# how - pano, panon# not - ag, andi, aleg, aliwa# all - amin# many - amayamay, dakel# some - pigara# few - daiset# other - arom# one - isa, sakey# two - dua, duara# three - talo, talora# four - apat, apatira# five - lima, limara# big - baleg# long - andokey# wide - maawang, malapar# thick - makapal# heavy - ambelat# small - melag, melanting, tingot, daiset# short - melag, melanting, tingot, antikey, kulang, abeba# narrow - mainget# thin - mabeng, maimpis# woman - bii# man (adult male) - laki, bolog# man (human being) - too# child - ogaw, anak# wife - asawa, kaamong, akolaw# husband - asawa, kaamong, masiken# mother - ina# father - ama# animal - ayep# fish - sira# bird - manok, siwsiw# dog - aso# louse - kuto# snake - oleg# worm - biges, alumbayar# tree - kiew, tanem# forest - kakiewan, katakelan# stick - bislak, sanga# fruit - bunga# seed - bokel# leaf - bulong# root - lamot# bark - obak# flower - bulaklak# grass - dika# rope - singer, lubir# skin - baog, katat# meat - laman# blood - dala# bone - pokel# fat (n.) - mataba, taba# egg - iknol# horn - saklor# tail - ikol# feather - bago# hair - buek# head - ulo# ear - layag# eye - mata# nose - eleng# mouth - sangi# tooth - ngipen# tongue - dila# fingernail - kuko# foot - sali# leg - bikking# knee - pueg# hand - lima# wing - payak# belly - eges# guts - pait# neck - beklew# back - beneg# breast - pagew, suso# heart - puso# liver - altey# drink - inom# eat - mangan, akan, kamot# bite - ketket# suck - supsup, suso# spit - lutda# vomit - uta# blow - sibok# breathe - engas, ingas, dongap, linawa# laugh - elek# see - nengneng# hear - dengel# know - amta, kabat# think - isip, nonot# smell - angob, amoy# fear - takot# sleep - ogip# live - bilay# die - onpatey, patey# kill - manpatey, patey# fight - laban, kolkol, bakal# hunt - managnop, anop, manpana, pana, manpaltog, paltog# hit - tira, nakna, pekpek# cut - tegteg, sugat# split - pisag, puter# stab - saksak, doyok# scratch - gugo, gorgor# dig - kotkot# swim - langoy# fly (v.) - tekyab# walk - akar# come - gala, gali, onsabi, sabi# lie - dokol (lie down)# sit - yorong# stand - alagey# turn - liko, telek# fall - pelag# give - iter, itdan# hold - benben# squeeze - pespes# rub - kuskos, gorgor# wash - oras# wipe - punas# pull - goyor# push - tolak# throw - topak# tie - singer# sew - dait# count - bilang# say - ibaga# sing - togtog# play - galaw# float - letaw# flow - agos# freeze - kigtel# swell - larag# sun - agew, banua, ugto (noon)# moon - bulan# star - bitewen# water - danum# rain - uran# river - ilog, kalayan# lake - ilog, look# sea - dayat# salt - asin# stone - bato# sand - buer# dust - dabok# earth - dalin# cloud - lorem# fog - kelpa# sky - tawen# wind - dagem# snow - linew# ice - pakigtel# smoke - asiwek, asewek# fire - apoy, pool, dalang, sinit# ashes - dapol# burn - pool# road - dalan, basbas# mountain - palandey# red - ambalanga# green - ampasiseng, pasiseng, maeta, eta# yellow - duyaw# white - amputi, puti# black - andeket, deket# night - labi# day - agew# year - taon# warm - ampetang, petang# cold - ambetel, betel# full - naksel, napno# new - balo# old - daan# good - duga, maong, abig# bad - aliwa, mauges# rotten - abolok, bolok# dirty - maringot, dingot, marutak, dutak# straight - maptek, petek# round - malimpek, limpek# sharp - matdem, tarem# dull - mangmang, epel# smooth - patad# wet - ambasa, basa# dry - amaga, maga# correct - duga, tua# near - asinger, abay# far - arawi, biek (other side)# right - kawanan# left - kawigi# at - ed# in - ed# with - iba# and - tan# if - no# because - ta, lapu ed# name - ngaran
Sumerian - Pangasinan Word List
The following is a list of some dictionaries and references:
Lorenzo Fernandez Cosgaya. Diccionario Pangasinan-Espanol
and Vocabulario Hispano-Pangasinan (Colegio de Santo Tomas, 1865). This is available in the Internet at the University of Michigan's Humanities Text Initiative.
Anastacio Austria Macaraeg. Vocabulario Castellano-Pangasinan (1898).
Mariano Pellicer. Arte de la Lengua Pangasinan o Caboloan (1904).
Felixberto B. Viray. The Sounds and Sound Symbols of the Pangasinan Language (1927).
Corporacion de PP. Dominicos. Pasion Na Cataoan Tin JesuChristo (U.S.T. Press, 1951).
Paciencia E. Versoza. Stress and Intonation Difficulties of Pangasinan Learners of English (1961).
Paul Morris Schachter. A Contrastive Analysis of English and Pangasinan (1968).
Richard A. Benton. Pangasinan Dictionary (University of Hawaii Press, 1971).
Richard A. Benton. Pangasinan Reference Grammar (University of Hawaii Press, 1971).
Richard A. Benton. Spoken Pangasinan (University of Hawaii Press, 1971).
Richard A. Benton. Phonotactics of Pangasinan (1972).
Ernesto Constantino. English-Pangasinan Dictionary (1975).
Julio F. Silverio. New English-Pilipino-Pangasinan Dictionary (1976).
Alta Grace Q. Garcia. Morphological Analysis of English and Pangasinan Verbs (1981).
Philippine Bible Society. Say Santa Biblia (Philippine Bible Society, 1982).
Philippine Bible Society. Maung A Balita Para Sayan Panaon Tayo (Philippine Bible Society and United Bible Societies, 1983).
Mario "Guese" Tungol. Modern English-Filipino Dictionary (Merriam Webster, 1993).
Church of Christ. Say Cancanta (Church of Christ, n.d.). Translations of English songs like "Joy to the World," and "What A Friend We Have in Jesus" are included.
A favorite traditional folk song of Pangasinan is
Malinak Lay Labi, which is translated "Calm is the Night." An English translation of this song can be found in the Internet along with some Pangasinan poems and literature.
*
Pangasinan*
Languages of the Philippines*
Tagalog language*
Filipino*
Ilokano language*
Cebuano language*
Kapampangan language*
Chabacano*
Malayo-Polynesian*
Sumerian language*
Swadesh list*
Ethnologue Report for Pangasinan*
Basic description of Pangasinan language history and grammar*
Sunday Punch*
Sun Star Pangasinan*
Pangasinan Star*
Bansa.org*
Austronesian Basic Vocabulary DatabaseLorenzo Fernandez Cosgaya. Diccionario Pangasinan-Espanol
and Vocabulario Hispano-Pangasinan (Colegio de Santo Tomas, 1865). This is available in the Internet at the University of Michigan's Humanities Text Initiative.
Anastacio Austria Macaraeg. Vocabulario Castellano-Pangasinan (1898).
Mariano Pellicer. Arte de la Lengua Pangasinan o Caboloan (1904).
Felixberto B. Viray. The Sounds and Sound Symbols of the Pangasinan Language (1927).
Paciencia E. Versoza. Stress and Intonation Difficulties of Pangasinan Learners of English (1961).
Paul Morris Schachter. A Contrastive Analysis of English and Pangasinan (1968).
Richard A. Benton. Pangasinan Dictionary (University of Hawaii Press, 1971).
Richard A. Benton. Pangasinan Reference Grammar (University of Hawaii Press, 1971).
Richard A. Benton. Spoken Pangasinan (University of Hawaii Press, 1971).
Richard A. Benton. Phonotactics of Pangasinan (1972).
Ernesto Constantino. English-Pangasinan Dictionary (1975).
Julio F. Silverio. New English-Pilipino-Pangasinan Dictionary (1976).
Alta Grace Q. Garcia. Morphological Analysis of English and Pangasinan Verbs (1981).
Mario "Guese" Tungol. Modern English-Filipino Dictionary (Merriam Webster, 1993).
