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.