For all of us who have English as our second language, we would sometimes have a concept or word that we try to translate but we find ourselves having a hard time giving it an exact word to replace it and instead we end up explaining the concept or dictionary meaning to the person we are talking to. Some example of these are:
“Baka sakali”
sakali
sak´ali’ conj. in case, if it should
In your mind you wanted to say that you are hoping that something will happen or should happen. There is some kind of feeling of uncertainty in what your plan. You end up just saying “I just hope that” but feel that it’s only half of the feeling you are trying to convey.
“Nakakahinayang”
Tagalog dictionary:
hin´ayang n. feeling of regret for not having utilized something or not havingtake advantage of a situation (from s´ayang) panghinayang (pang-) n. regret
You can just say “what a waste” but it fees more like something you ought to preserve or keep but are afraid of taking a risk and are afraid of regretting.
“Suya or Umay”
suya
suy´a’ adj. fed up
I find that this is used more often in talking about food than objects or people or events. It’s more like a taste of a food that is too greasy or too sweet and your taste buds are already tired of it. Whew!
In other context it is also used when you are irritated of a person or an experience that is irritating and keeps on happening..
“Sayang naman”
sayang
s´ayang! Mal intj. what a pity! · masayang (ma-) v. to be wasted. Nasayang ang pagod ko. My efforts were wasted.
This word almost always shows up in the same sentence or paragraph along with hinayang. When you think you are about to waste something that might be precious or not sure if you would give up or let go of something you think it is sayang. Sayang seems to pertain to something that is valuable or has the potential to be valuable. The uncertainty is always there. Sometimes it is also used on something you almost did or obtained but for reason failed to get or were to afraid to do.
tampo
tamp´o magtampo (mag-) v. to sulk.
To be sullenly aloof or withdrawn, as in silent resentment or protest.
Yeah ok, this one has a perfect counterpart word in English which is to sulk. I wonder if there’s one also in other languages. I would not have found out easily without a dictionary.
muta
m´uta’ n. gummy secretion in the eyes
This one I still can’t find an exact word in English or Dutch.
sayang
s´ayang! Mal intj. what a pity! · masayang (ma-) v. to be wasted. Nasayang ang pagod ko. My efforts were wasted.
“naman”, “kaya”
These are filler words which may have some kind of counterpart in other languages. In Dutch they also have a filler word “toch” and is close to the word “kaya?”.
Tagalog dictionary says:
naman
nam´an part. response marker, also, too, rather, again, on the other hand usually emphasizing the fact or the feeling involved in the expression; expresses transition to another subject hence also mild contrast. Example: Aba naman! · adv. also, too · intj. expression of gentle protest or denial
Do you have other words you can think of which you find hard to translate?
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1 response so far ↓
1 JR // Mar 29, 2008 at 7:21 am
it is hard but i’m getting there…nice and informative blog.. ciao!
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