5.0 Alternations
5.1 Morphophonemic alternations
Since the listing in this dictionary is strictly by root, an outline of the important morphophonemic alternations is given here. In the entries nonpredictable morphophonemic alternations are indicated by writing the affixed forms out.
5.11 Shift of stress
The general rule is that an affixed form has the stress on the same syllable as the root alone. Where this general rule is broken, there is said to be SHIFT OF STRESS. When an affixed form has final stress where the root had penultimate stress, there is said to be SHIFT TO THE FINAL SYLLABLE, indicated by the symbol (→):
| káun | /kā́ʔun/ | ‘eat’ | + | nag-(→) | = | nagkaun | /nagkaʔún/ | ‘is eating’ |
| tugnaw | /túgnaw/ | ‘cold’ | + | -un(→) | = | tugnawun | /tugnawún/ | ‘be cold’ |
When an affixed form has penultimate stress where the root had final stress, there is said to be SHIFT TO THE PENULTIMATE SYLLABLE, indicated by the symbol (←):
| sakay | /sakáy/ | ‘ride’ | + | nag-(←) | = | nagsákay | /nagsā́kay/ | ‘ride together’ |
In many cases an unaffixed root has both final stress and penultimate stress (depending on the meaning). Whichever stress occurs with the prefix MU- (see the entry under MU-) is taken to be the stress of the root. Thus, the formation of the unaffixed root with a different stress pattern is said to be by the addition of an affix consisting of shift of stress alone:
| inúm[15] | /ʔinúm/ | ‘drink’ | + | (←) | = | ínum | /ʔī́num/ | ‘drink heavily’ |
| búnal | /búnal/ | ‘beat’ | + | (→) | = | bunal | /bunál/ | ‘club’ |
5.12 Dropping of vowels
When a suffix is added to a root with a stressed final syllable, the tendency is to drop the vowel of the final syllable of the root:
| dakup | /dakúp/ | arrest | + | -an | = | dakpan | /dákpan/ | be arrested |
| pisik | /pisík/ | splash | + | -an | = | piskan | /pískan/ | be splashed |
| lakat | /lakát/ | go | + | -unun | = | laktunun | /laktunún/ | errand |
This occasionally also happens to roots with stressed penults:
| kalímut | /kalímut/ | forget | + | -i | = | kalimti | /kalímti/ | forget it |
5.13 Adding of /h/ or /ʔ/ to roots ending in a vowel when a suffix is added
Some roots which end in a vowel add /ʔ/ before a suffix, some roots add /h/, other roots add either /ʔ/ or /h/ (depending on which suffix):
| bása | /bása/ | read | + | -un | = | basáhun | /basáhun/ | be read |
| adtu | /ʔádtu/ | go | + | -un | = | adtúun | /ʔadtū́ʔun/ | gone to get |
| kabaláka | /kabaláka/ | worry | + | -an | = | kabalak-an | /kabalákʔan/ | s.t. to worry about (with the vowel of the final syllable of the root dropped—5.12). |
| sulti | /súlti/ | talk | + | -un | = | sultíhun | /sultī́hun/ | talk it out |
| sulti | /súlti/ | talk | + | -ánay | = | sultiánay | /sultiʔā́nay/ | conversation |
5.14 Metathesis
In affixed forms, the sequences /ʔC/ and /hC/ (where C is any consonant) almost always become /Cʔ/ and /Ch/:[16]
| káun | /káʔun/ | eat | + | -a | = | kan-a | /kánʔa/ | eat it (with the final syllable of the root dropped). |
| luhud | /luhúd/ | kneel | + | -an | = | ludhan | /lúdhan/ | kneel on (with the vowel of the final syllable of the root dropped). |
The sequences /ʔVh/ usually becomes /hVʔ/ (where V is a vowel):
| túu | /túʔu/ | believe | + | -an | = | tuhúan | /tuhū́ʔan/ | believable (where /h/ is intercalated by the rule of 5.13). |
Sequences of a liquid or /s/ plus a consonant tend to be metathesized when a suffix is added if the vowel of the final syllable of the root is dropped.
| ngálan | /ŋálan/ | name | + | -an | = | nganlan | /ŋánlan/ | be named |
| sulud | /sulúd/ | enter | + | -un | = | sudlun | /súdlun/ | enter it |
| inum | /ʔinúm/ | drink | + | -a | = | imna | /ʔímna/ | drink it |
| putus | /putús/ | wrap | + | -un | = | pustun | /pústun/ | wrap it |
| lusut | /lusút/ | go through | + | -an | = | lutsan | /lū́can/ | go through it |
These alternations also manifest themselves in competing root forms: alhu /ʔálhu/ and hal-u /halʔu/ ‘pestle’; kalamunggay and kamalunggay ‘k.o. tree’.
5.15 Change of /r/ or /l/ to /d, g, h/
Intervocalically, /d/ usually becomes /r/ or, less frequently, /l/:
| búkid | mountain | + | ka-an | = | kabukíran or, alternatively, kabukílan mountains |
Vice versa, in roots with intervocalic /l/ or /r/, the /l/ or /r/ may change to /d/ when final or abutting on a consonant.
| walà | /waláʔ/ | be lost | + | -un | = | wad-un | /wadʔun/ | lose s.t. (with loss of the final vowel of the root). |
| hurut | /hurút/ | use up | + | -un | = | hutdun | /hútdun/ | use s.t. up (with metathesis). |
When a /d/, /l/, or /r/ comes to abut on velar consonant it tends to change to /g/:[17]
| pálung | /páluŋ/ | extinguish | + | -an | = | pagngan | /págŋan/ | extinguish it |
| haluk | /halúk/ | kiss | + | -an | = | hagkan | /hágkan/ | kiss it |
/r/ or, occasionally, /l/ at the end of a root may change to /h/ when suffixes are added. These are almost always words of Spanish provenience.
| mantinil | make do with | + | -an | = | mantinihan | make do with it |
| imbitar | invite | + | -un | = | imbitahun | invite him |
5.2 Competing forms
Because of sound changes which took place over portions of the Cebuano-speaking areas but did not spread over the entire area and the subsequent spread of forms which reflect these changes, there are numerous competing forms which are of the same etymology and which usually (but not always) have the same meaning.[18]
Forms which are the same in meaning and which are related to each other in that one underwent the sound change and the other did not are defined only once and cross reference is made. Some sound changes are so common and regular that only the older form is listed, and it is to be taken for granted that the form which shows the sound change also normally occurs unless a statement to the contrary is made.
5.21 Dropping of /l/
5.211 Intervocalic /l/
Most (but not all) roots which contain an /l/ between /a/’s and /u/’s compete with roots which lack /l/. The forms without /l/ are used generally in the Northeastern portion of the Cebuano area: all areas east of Cebu (Bohol, Masbate, Leyte and islands in between) and on the northern half of Cebu. In the Southwestern areas (Negros, southern half of Cebu and most of Mindanao, the /l/ forms predominate.
Between like vowels /l/ is dropped and the vowel is usually lengthened: kalabaw or kábaw ‘water buffalo’; balay or báy ‘house’; tutulu or tutú ‘three’. In closed syllables or in the case of /l/ beginning the antepenult, no compensatory lengthening takes place: kalatkat or katkat ‘climb’; kalamunggay or kamunggay ‘k.o. tree’.
Between /a/ and /u/ or /u/ and /a/, /l/ becomes /w/: lalum or lawum ‘deep’; sulab or suwab ‘blade’. The sequence /alu/ in the antepenult and penult or earlier in the root becomes /u/ in Cebu and northern Leyte but /awu/ in Bohol and southern Leyte: dalunggan or dunggan or dawunggan ‘ear’.
This alternation is for the most part confined to the root.[19] Otherwise, it is so regular that only the forms containing /l/ are listed, and the presumption is made that the /l/ may be dropped unless a note is made to the contrary.[20]
5.212 Post-consonantal /l/
There is a tendency to drop post-consonantal /l/ usually (but not always) with compensatory lengthening of the vowel of the penult: kinahanglan or kinahángan ‘need’; aplud or apud ‘astringent in taste’; danglug or dángug or dangug ‘slippery’. The /l/-less forms are most common in the areas which drop intervocalic /l/. The dropping of post-consonantal /l/ is by no means as widespread as dropping of intervocalic /l/, and alternative forms are listed.
5.213 Final /l/
In Bohol and southern Leyte there is a tendency for /al/ at the end of a word to become /aw/ and /ul/ to become /u/: bagal or bagaw ‘shell’. In this case alternative forms are listed.
5.214 Change of /l/ to /y/
Historically, intervocalic /l/ in isolated dialects became /y/. Forms with /y/ for /l/ have spread throughout the Cebuano-speaking area, and some are in competition with /l/-retaining forms: tingáli or tingáyi ‘perhaps’; kalugpus or kayugpus (also kugpus—by the rule of 5.211) ‘fold the arms’. In this case, competing forms are listed with cross reference.
5.22 Assimilation and metathesis
There is a tendency for nasal consonants which abut on consonants to be assimilated: bungdul or bundul ‘poke’; hingbis or himbis ‘scales’; amgid or anggid (also ambid) ‘like’. This alternation is sporadic, and competing forms are listed.
There is some competition between forms with voiced and forms with voiceless consonants, where the competition derives from assimilation: tikbas or tigbas ‘strike with a blade’; bukdu or bugdu ‘bulging out’. Again the competing forms are listed.
There is also competition between forms which differ by virtue of metathesis: bungdul or dungbul (and dumbul) ‘poke’; itsa or ista ‘throw’; bàgu /baʔgu/ or bag-u /bagʔu/ ‘new’. (Cf. Section 5.14.) Competing forms that differ by virtue of metathesis are listed except for forms containing a sequence /Cʔ/ which invariably compete with forms containing /ʔC/.
5.23 Change of vowels
The vowel of the antepenult sporadically may change to /a/: kumusta or kamusta ‘how are, is’; batíis or bitíis ‘leg’. Occasionally /a/ or /u/ is assimilated to a following /y/ or an /i/ in the following syllable: biyà or bayà ‘leave’; musimus or misimus ‘lowly’. In these cases competing forms are listed.
5.24 Change of /y/ to /dy/
In Bohol and Southern Leyte /y/ becomes /j/ (written dy). Some forms with dy have spread throughout the Cebuano speech area or occur only in the Bohol-Southern Leyte speech. Such forms are listed with dy.[21] Other forms with dy are listed as with y, and the reader may conclude that these forms have /dy/ in Bohol and Southern Leyte.
5.25 Competing forms where no sound change is involved
Roots which are not relatable by the above rules are given separate definitions. The exception to this rule is equivalent names of flora and fauna and technical terms which refer to exactly the same cultural forms: e.g. gwayabanu, labanu, malabanu, síku karabaw are all the same plant (Anona muricata); humagbus and hinablus both refer to the same relationship.