NOTES ON BISAYAN RHETORIC AND POETICS
FIGURES OF SPEECH
Simile. This figure is one of the most used in Bisayan, even in ordinary conversations.
Examples:
1. Bagá an násirong ng̃a dila.
Applied to a person or thing intended to be kept out of the rain, but which becomes wet, like the tongue (dila) which is always wet in the mouth.
2. Canogon pa dao la—san imo catindog
maópay si báyhon—maráot an bántog
igpapananglit co—bayábas ng̃a hinóg,
maópay an panit—olóron an onód
(A popular song,)
Where the resemblance is between “maopay si bayhon” and “maopay an panit”, and also between “maráot an bantog” and “olóron an onód”.
Metaphor. It is also used, especially in poetry.
Example:
1. Cáhoy ca ng̃a linauáan
sa búquid nanauantáuan
cun canan Dyos ca pagbut-an
matopóng sa ulasiman.
(A popular song)
Applied to one who is in a high position in life, like “cahoy ng̃a linauáan”, the “lauáan” tree being one of the tallest trees.
Allegory. It is also found in Bisayan.
Example:
Ugá ng̃a cáhoy si láuas,
patáy na, layâ si dáhon [[118]]
nanaringsing sin casáquit
namúng̃a sin camatáyon
(A popular song)
Here the life or body (láuas) is called a dry tree (ugá ng̃a cáhoy), already dead (patáy na), whose leaves are withered (laya si dahon), and which sprouted sorrow (nanaringsing sin casáquit), and gave as fruit, the death (namúng̃a sin camatáyon).
Personification. One of the most frequent cases of personification in Bisayan is that consisting in applying to things and objects the personal article si.
Example:
Nagtitinang̃is si tucmo
cay tiarábut an bagyo.
(A popular song)
Where the turtle-dove, (tucmo) is personifed by si. The expression would lose much of its charm if the article an is employed instead of si.
Antithesis. We have this figure in Bisayan.
Example:
Canógon pa dao la—san imo catindog
maópay si bayhon—maráot an bantog, etc.
Where “maopay” (good) and “maraot” (bad), “bayhon” (face) and “bántog” (fame) are contrasted.
Epigram. This figure, in its modern meaning, is used in Bisayan.
Example:
Gumhúlat pa an naghínay.
an nagdagmit, uaráy.
Which literally means: he who went slow was awaited for; he who hastened was not waited for. Its point is equivalent to that of the English “slow, but sure.” “Guinhulat” (was awaited for) “uaráy” (was not), “naghínay” (went slow) and “nagdágmit” (hastened) are contrasted. [[119]]
Metonymy. It is also found in Bisayan.
Example:
An patay palang̃it, an buhi pacauít.
Literally: let the dead go to heaven; let the living go to the “cauít” (a bamboo where the tubâ wine is ordinarily placed). The figure consists in this word “cauít,” container, for “tuba wine,” the thing contained.
Synecdoche.
Example:
Pag árog hin damò nga bugás cay damo camí ng̃a babà.
Literally it means: “Prepare much rice because we are many mouths.” Here the mouths (baba) a part, is used for person, the whole.
Apostrophe. We have it also in Bisayan.
Example:
Ohoy mg̃a lang̃it—mga cahatas’an.
tabang̃i, buligui—adin may pinas’an
an iní nga pálad—con diri mabáui
nouontan dao adá—sinin quinabuhi
(A popular song)
Literally: Heavens, altitudes, protect, help this who suffers something; if this fate is not averted, it will undoubtedly affect the life.
Exclamation.
Example:
¡Pastilán bidíday,—bididay ca man la
ng̃a nacacalucmay—sinin hunahuna! …
¡ayáo pag saquita!—¡ayáo pagbidóa,
cay mag titinangis—canugon san luha! …
(A popular song)
Interrogation.
Example:
Mg̃a langit, mg̃a langit;
¿háin dao dapit an sáquit? …
[[120]]
sa calibutan uaráy man:
sabali sa panomdoman.
(A popular song)
Hyperbole. It is frequent in Bisayan.
Examples:
- 1. Macapánas hin buquid. (Man able to level a mountain)
- 2. Macasagpo bin bahá. (Man able to suspend a flood)
2. Cun totóo, intoy—ng̃a imo tinguha
pag biling la anay—sílot ng̃a may bóa.
(A popular song)
Literally: If your love is true, look for a “silot” (a young fruit of cocoanut) which has “bua” (the bulb of the old cocoanut fruit when it is old enough to be used as a seed).
Climax
Example:
¡ .….….…
nanaringsing sin masáquit,
namúnga sin camatáyon.
Irony.
Example:
¡Camaopay mo! uaray ca gud pag tuman han imo pólong̃.
Literally: How good are you! you did not keep your word.
Asyndeton.
Example:
Ohoy mg̃a lang̃it—mg̃a cahatas’an
tabang̃i, buligui, inín may pinas’an, etc.
(A popular song)
Repetition. [[121]]
Examples:
1. Dirì co cay yubit—diri co cay dáyao
pamahonpáhon mo—baga may parayao; etc.
(A popular song)
2. Pastilán, bididay—bididay ca man la
ng̃a nacacalúcmay—sinín hunahuña, etc.
(A popular song)
Concatenation.
Example:
Pastilán ca curi—cacuri capinan
capin ca mabide—san bido sa dughan,
dughan co pagílob—ilob calauasan,
láuas co naponò—pono casaquitan.
(A polular song).