Paiwan Every Day 24: rangez // kipaparangez

a kipaparangez tua mareka qali/drava 

maru tjalja semeljecan a tja kava nu kaljavuceleljan. 

In English:
A trustworthy friendship is like the warmest jacket in winter.

Paiwan Every Day 23: paisu

Let's talk about money today.

In the face of a devastating epidemic, some of us yet wonder if it is worthwhile to crash hard-won economies to less than 10% of the world's lives that will be snapped away from the earth by COVID-19. In short, can we save money by spending lives? What question is this?

Paiwan people have several words in stock for the abstract concept: money. Many (or maybe all) of them are borrowed because the concept is not an original Paiwan equation. Of course the society has its own valuables: clay pot, bead, bronze scythe, land, eagle feather, beautiful cloth, precious shells...et cetera. People used them to trade objects of equal value, but the practice is hardly the same as using money in the capitalistic sense.

1. paisu [loanword]- This is the most common word, and many think it comes from the Spanish piso or peso.  This is quite likely since in the 17th century the Spanish brought their silver and currency to the island, and Formosans, especially the mercantile Basay in the north, were very quick to pick it up. The word could very well have traveled to Paiwan in the south through an island-wide trade circuit. 
2. pakiyaw [loanword]- This is the word I heard and used often since childhood. It comes from the Taiwanese Hokkien dialect "puaʔ⊦-kiau`", which means gamble. This is also likely given the fact that my village sits next to a larger township of Taiwanese and Hakka settlers. Borrowing cannot be strange, even including the act of gambling. 
3. ginpian [loanword]- I don't hear this often, but the dictionary has it listed for the northern Paiwan variation. It also comes from a Taiwanese Hokkien dialect word, which means silver coin. 
4. valjitjuk - In the 1982 Raleigh Ferrell Paiwan Dictionary, the word refers to "any shiny metal object; lead (metal); bullet; money" (p. 333). Is it a loanword? One of my classmates found it similar to the Siraya word for money "vanitok" and wondered if it could have come from the trade between the Siraya and Paiwan in the past. The Siraya were the indigneous people living in where I am now,Tainan, and were the group the Dutch interacted most intensively from 1622 until 1661. Yet now the language and the people are considered no more. 

liaw a su paisu i ta gingku? 

In English: 

Do you have a lot of money in the bank? 

Paiwan Every Day 22: ljayar

The world is deep in its campaign against the pandemic COVID-19. More and more countries are issuing new measures on border control, community lockdown, home isolation, social distancing, gathering prohibition.

But Belarus is different. The president just asks his people to wash hands, drink (alcohol), and take sauna.

Drink alcohol. That's how we in Taiwan also figure the low impact of COVID-19 upon indigenous villages. Is it true?

temeketekel amen i qinaljan, manu maipuq azua ljayar, sa macai timadju. 

In English:
We are drinking in the village. Then the flu drops to the floor, and it dies.

Paiwan Every Day 21: semenay

tjakudain nu tisun a suqelam tjanuaken. 

tjakudain nu suqelame sun, ku kaka nua aken tjanusun. 
nu kacemadja, nu kademut sun, ku kaka nua aken, ika ku su draudravi. 

In English: 
What can I do if you don't want me?
I can do nothing if you don't want me, my love.
Whether far away or close by, my love, I will not forget about you.

Paiwan Every Day 20: luljai // maluljai

Friday evening, feeling a bit exhausted from this week's work. I will be brief today.

maluljai  aken, sa malupi aken. 

In English:

I feel tired, then I feel lazy. 

Paiwan Every Day 19: paiwan // pinaiwanan

Is it difficult to learn Paiwan, the language? Yes, very difficult.

The truth is given the history my generation and those younger are no longer brought up immersed in the language. It becomes very difficult for us to be idiomatic and sound like the local, though we are indeed local. There is an ironic sense of alienation from the self.

kuliw: pazangal a kicaquan ta pinaiwanan?

yedda: ui, pakapanzangal aken a ikai ta pinaiwanan. ayatua, inika aken a ruqivuqivu ta kai na paiwan. 

In English: 
kuliw: Is it difficult to learn the Paiwan language?
yedda: Yes, I find it difficult to speak Paiwan because I don't get to use the language of Paiwan often.

Paiwan Every Day 18: siaq // rusiaqan

I am falling in love with my Paiwan class here in Tainan. It is actually not easy to keep one going in the city. Potential students are already few, nor is there any guarantee to incentivize attendance. People come and go, though most of the times they do not return. But I enjoy mine.

Unlike classes of other languages that I know (and I know many), a Paiwan class is not a stage for a teacher or lecture; rather,  it is (and has to be) participatory. Like a Paiwan group song, there is a leading vocal (the teacher) and responses (the students), and the curious thing is everyone has their turn to lead. All are learning about the language.

While learning conjugation, I made funny sentences like "I like you", "You like me" and "You need to like me". When it came to the third imperative exmaple, the men in the class burst out laughing, saying, "No Paiwan girl will say that. If you do, we will look at you and say, 'aiyanga~'", presumably with pity.

And why? Read today's sentence:

rusiaqan aravac a paiwan zuku. 

In English:
Paiwan people are very shy.

Paiwan Every Day 17: ljaljeqe // kaljaljeqelan

Season is understood by Paiwan by the change in nature. Spring is the time when life grows; summer is the hottest time of the year; in fall, leaves fall from the trees; and winter is the coldest time. Intangible concepts such as time are inscribed into Paiwan consciousness via the tangible, visible, sensible, or direct borrowing. This is the natural way.

izua kaljavevean, kaljaculjuwan, kaljauraman, kaljaljeqelan a i ta cavilj. 
tja tjengelay aken tua kaljaljeqelan, ayatua i ta kaljaljeqelan a ku sinipualjakan.  

In English: 

There are spring, summer, fall, winter in an year. 

I like winter better because my birthday is in winter. 

Paiwan Every Day 16: niki ( にっき日記)

I keep a diary, and I read my diaries almost every day.

vencivecik aken ta niki a ljemita a qadaw. 

a i tja ku niki na masan liyaw aravac a ku siipaqentjan. 

aiyanga, kasicuaian. 

In English: 
I write diary every day. There are many memories in my diary. Oh, how I miss the past.

Paiwan Every Day 15: qepu // qepuin

Today Sagubi and Cekaw came to visit. We had a good chat and good food at T.S. Mall. Just like savings, it takes little to nurture a friendship, though ironically it also takes as little or even less to destory one. The truth of hoarding is pervasive and double-edged, depending on what's hoarded and when. But I had a pleasant evening; I thank the couple for their friendship.

"qepuin a kedri masan liyaw." 

aicu a kai paqulid angata. 

In English: 
"Many a little makes a mickle." This saying is really true.

Paiwan Every Day 14: gadu

So far, the impact of COVID-19 upon indigenous townships and villages is negligible. Family and friends instead worry more about me who lives in the city and who does not practice "self-disinfection" as much as they do. My own guess is geography?

liyaw aravac a gadu i tja qinaljan. 

izua tjalja vavaw. izua tjalja teku. 

In English: 
There are so many mountains in our village. Some are higher. Some are lower. 

Paiwan Every Day 13: pungudan

The universal Lesson 1 of every language class: self-introduction. 

djavadjavay a mapuljat. 

tiaken, ti yedda. aljak aken na kacalisian. 

a ngadan ni kama ti puljaljuyan. navaikanga timadju. 

a ngadan ni kina ti naluku. i tjumaq timadju. 

i pungudan a ku umaq. kivalavalaanga a sema tua ku qinaljan. 

In English: 

Hello to everyone. I am Yedda. I am a child of the aborigines. Father's name is Puljaljuyan; he has passed. Mother's name is Naluku; she is at home. My home is in pungudan. Welcome to my village. 

Paiwan Every Day 12: ripung // rinipungan

On Day 10, I was saying COVID-19 comes from China. The Paiwan word I used for China is "tairiku". 

Today in the Japanese class as we were learning about kanji, I read the Japanese word for a continent is precisely 大陸たいりく tairiku. 

In other words, the person who taught me the word and the person he learnt it from and the teacher to that person who taught the person who taught me and so on...; whoever this person is is no longer possible to know, yet he or she has borrowed from the Japanese an expression for a concept that was not in their original equation. 

This is a loanword. tairiku is one example. Other examples include (just to name a few) sinsi (teacher), situ (student), gaku (school), hikuki (airplane), niciyubi (Sunday) etc. 

According to my fieldwork in 2014, there are hundreds of Japanese loanwords in Paiwan alone and thousands of Japanese loanwords in sixteen indigenous Austronesian languages in total. 

But indigenous peoples do not borrow from Japanese only. Nor do they borrow simply for new inventions; some loanwords are used as a second or third expression for existing concepts. Moreover, twist of meaning often occurs in borrowing. Such indigenous agency in language contact is an interesting research subject. 

Nevertheless for Paiwan, the person who knows and uses many Japanese loanwords in conversation will not be the center of attention. Instead, it is those who can conjure up words and expressions used by elders in the old old past that win all the admiration. 

That's what we are missing, and what we are trying to salvage. 

nakemasi rinipungan a tairiku. 

In English:
The word "tairiku" comes from Japanese. 

Paiwan Every Day 11: saljinga // nasaljinga

This is a different and difficult time. I want to pray. 

nasaljinga aken tu nasuljivatj, natarivak, saka namaleva mun a mapuljat. 

In English:
I wish peace, health, and happiness to you and all. 

Paiwan Every Day 10: saqetju // saqetjuan

Today, let's talk about something big in the world now: COVID-19. 

nakemasi tairiku aicu a saqetjuan na va. 

mapuvarung a caucau tu masepu. 

kiqubesu saka pilimau. 

In English:
This disease of the lungs comes from China. People are worried about infection. Wear mask and wash hands. 

Paiwan Every Day 9: ledep // maledepanga

maledepanga a qadaw, miselemananga a kadjunangan. 

miselemananga a kadjunangan, zemaing a tjikililj. 

zemaing a tjikililj, minequt a qiljas. 

minequt a qiljas, paceged a ljequ. 

In English:
As the sun sets, it becomes dark on earth. 
As it darkens on earth, crickets start to sing. 
As crickets sing, the moon shows her face. 
As the moon appears, the Owl wakes up. 

Paiwan Every Day 8: rumedan // rumedananga

Yesterday (14 March) is the White Valentine's Day. In Paiwan, both Valentine's Day (14 February) and White Valentine's Day are referred to as "na maresudju a qadaw", the day for the lovers.

The Paiwan style of courtship is very communal. By this I mean Paiwan youth in the past do not date the individual they like; instead, they hang out as a group and insinuate feelings into their part of singing in a group song, hoping the message will get to the one they like. How the other person feels is returned in the same way.

For Paiwan people, what matters is not perfect singing nor a pretty voice, but smart lyrics and skillful play of words. The more unthought-of, the better. Artsy and philosophical; that's Paiwan. Ah, yea, and dramatic too. 

inika amin a tjengelay; 

rumedananga aken tjanusun a ku varung. 

In English: 
I do not just "Like you" only; my heart is already broken into pieces for you. 

Paiwan Every Day 7: siaq // siniaqan

Sharing (no greed) is important, so is humbleness (no huberis). The greedy and proud will be shamed, but the compassionate and humble will be wise. So say the Paiwan elders. 

a namivavavan a caucau kidjadjalanan nua siniaqan; 

a namitatekuan a caucau dinatar nua puvarungan. 

In English: 
Proud people are followed by shame; humble people have wisdom as company. 

Paiwan Every Day 6: ramaljeng // ramaljemaljen

The lessons from a Paiwan elder may not be so different. They care about community and solidarity. Here is one example. 

temulu aravac a ramaljemaljen tu, 

"Inika tjen a maqilji a maramilj, a maramilj tja sikasiaqsiaq saka tja sikasipunsipun", aya. 

In English: 

Elders often teach this, "We shall not be stingy nor greedy; being greedy brings us shame and makes us lose utterly". 

Paiwan Every Day 5: vulung // vavulungan

The Paiwan society has a hierarchy. Led by the chief and his family, the population is divided into nobility (those related in blood to the chief), skillful artisans and professions (recognized by their service to the chief), and commoners. 

Naturally, respect to hierarchy and seniority becomes the norm and is often taught to the younger generation. That is the meaning of today's sentence. 

paqaljai itjen ta tja vavulungan; 

paqaljai itjen ta tja mamazangiljan. 

In English: 

We respect our elders; we respect our chiefs. 

Paiwan Every Day 4: qulip // maqulip

I stole today's saying from a classmate kuljelje. 

In our first Paiwan class last Wednesday evening, our teacher kuliw asked students to give a short introduction about themselves in Mandarin. kuljelje said something pretty Paiwan in my point view; he said, "If our culture is going to die, the first thing to go is language." Paiwan are excellent orators. There are jokes about guests starving in a Paiwan wedding banquet because the train of invited speakers easily delays the dinner for hours, and you still listen. 

Today in our second Paiwan class, we did the same self-introduction in Paiwan. kuljelje said the same thing iagain. Only this time, I found it so beautiful that I asked him to repeat, and I asked teacher to write it on the white board and read it for us. 

So, yes, today's recording is also a stolen piece of art, from our teacher kuliw. 

nu uri maqulip tja kakudan, sangasan a maqulip tja kai. 

In English:

If our culture is disappearing, the first to go is our language. 

Paiwan Every Day 3: zaing // zemaing

Today's saying shows Paiwan people read their mother nature.  

nu zemaing a ceqer, qemudjalj; 

nu zemaing a kuwa, macengelaw. 

In English:
If the frog croaks, it rains; if the vulture calls, it shines. 

Paiwan Every Day 2: bucaq

Today's sentence features a common narrative skill for the Paiwan: metaphor. 

a puzangalan nua nanguaq a caucau, venangalj tua levan; 

ljakua, a puzangalan nua nakuya a caucau, maru bubunganga nua bucaq. 

In English: 
The hope of the good people brings forth good fruit; but, the hope of the evil people is like the bursting bubbles. 

Paiwan Every Day 1: varung // kinipuvarung

This is a new challenge and a new project. 

I will post one Paiwan sentence every day, providing translation, glossary (to the best of my knowledge), and reading. By the end of 2020, I will have 299 sentences. Without futher ado, let's begin. 

a kinipuvarung nua namasevec a caucau, napapamamaw; 

ljakua, a kinipuvarung nua nakuya a caucau, amin a pavavecaveca. 

In English:

People with integrity in the heart are consistent, but people with evil thoughts are only lying.