Gratitude: ¡salamat!, ¡Dyos mag báyad!, ¡Dyos mag sugá!, etc.
[1] We do not write “Dios”, because it would be pronounced Di-os.—See “Vowels”, supra. [↑]
[2] The use of s instead of the h, in these articles, depends upon the place where Bisayan is spoken. In the towns of Burawen, Dúlag and Abúyog, of the island of Leyte, and in some places in Sámar, the h is never used, but the s instead for these articles. Generally, it is considered more solemn to use the s instead of the h, in speeches, letters and poetry. But many times it is considered as a ridiculous affectation, in places where the h is used.
It will be noted that, in some instances, the Bisayan people show a tendency to change the aspirate sound of the h, or soft sound of the Spanish j, into s. So in olden times, the name Juan was pronounced Suan; Jueves was pronounced Suebes; and from the Spanish jugar, they made the Bisayan word sugal, which is still in use. [↑]
[3] See “Contractions”, supra. As it is seen, the m is for ma. This contraction shows exactly the way in which the Bisayan original letters were used. It is simply the ancient way of writing preserved after the adoption of the Spanish letters. [↑]
[4] This diminutive as well as the preceding does not need to be accented with grave and angular accent, as originally, first, because such accents are onlv used at the ending of the words (see the rule, page 3), and second, because the suspended guttural suund of the last vowel of its primitive is in some way preserved by means of the separation with which the vowels oa are pronounced (see “Vowel”, page 5) [↑]
[5] But if the primitive is mapulá, the diminutive will be mapulapula, as will be noted later. [↑]
[6] In some places in Leyte and Samar, this particle is hi, not ha, where it is said hibobò, hilipot, hilabà, hitáas. But, in my opinion, it is simply a result of confounding the particle ma which is more proper for adjectives as it bears the idea of abundance, with the personal article hi with which it is thus intended to personify the abstract ideas of bobò, lipat, labà, táas. [↑]