Paiwan Every Day 64: puvaljaw

Yes, irregardless of culture, the only question a single will be asked in a wedding is this. Today every elder that I greeted asked me of this; one strongly recommended his brother-in-law. I smiled.

nungida sun a puvaljaw?

In English:
When will you marry?

Paiwan Every Day 63: quras

Cousin is getting married tomorrow, so I have to go home. To keep relatives' and villagers' grilling to the minimum, I scheduled a beauty massage, bought new Paiwan-style clothes, and had my hair dyed. Mostly, I just don't want people to gossip about the way I look behind my back and make mother sad. I begin to care.

pequras aken ka tjelu a puluq a ku cavilj.  

In English: 
My hair started to turn grey while I was thirty.

Paiwan Every Day 62: ari a mapuljat senasenai

ari a mapuljat senasenai, 

ari a mapuljat zianziani. 

ari a mapuljat kivangavangi, 

ari a mapuljat ljakaljakai. 

In English:

Let's sing. 

Let all of us dance. 

Everybody, come play. 

Come, everybody, let's play swing.

Paiwan Every Day 61: inamirikan

While looking for Paiwan words for the Paiwan social hierarchy - mazangil (chief), pualju (the noble and professional), and qaqetitan (commoners) - I came across with the words for any Occidental (how 古い) country and English, any European language:

amirika and in-amirika-n. (p. 57; Raleigh Ferrell's Paiwan Language, 1982)

It too follows the same morphological rule as paiwan and pinaiwanan, and does not distinguish an American from an English or a Spanish from a Dutch. They are all amirika people. Interesting enough for a paper of social history.

saigu aken a ikai ta inamirikan. 

In English:
I can speak English (or Spanish, or Dutch, or Danish, or Finnish).

Paiwan Every Day 60: vinecikan

The word "writing" also follow the same morphology rule as Paiwan and the Paiwan language.

But do indigenous peoples have writing? Some writers would say yes. The Easter Island (Rapa Nui) tablet writing Rongorongo is said to have high correlation with the Indus Script from Northern India, thanks to trade, commerce, and migration across large bodies of waters over many centuries.

izua maretimaljimalji a vinecikan i kacauan. 

In English: 
There are many different writing systems in the world.

Paiwan Every Day 59: siking (しけん 試験)

I passed.

mapuzangal ti aken ta ku sinparian ta siking tua rinipungan. 

In English: 
I am glad that I passed the Japanese test.

Paiwan Every Day 58: maculju

Temperature is higher than 36 degree Celsius all over Taiwan. Like summer!

maculju aravac a tucu a qadaw, maru kaljaculjuan. 

In English: 
Today is very warm, like summer.

Paiwan Every Day 57: palalaut

Pastor Ljumeg is like Professor Shigehiko. Her Paiwan is so advanced and elegant. Even if it will take me a lifetime to master the language of my mother and grandmother, I am doing it. That's my commitment; that's my prayer.

kitulu aken tua pinaiwanan kemasi tucu patje a palalautanga, amin. 

In English:
I am studying Paiwan from now until forever, amen.

Paiwan Every Day 56: sasupuin

I think I can pass N2, though my score will not be as impressive as that of N3. たぶんぎりぎりかもしれない。

What drew my eyes in the mock today is the name 外山滋比古 とやましげひこ (1923-). Now 96 years old and an Emeritus Professor of English literature and linguistics in retirement, Professor Shigehiko is still much quoted for his comments of the society. In the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) alone, I have come across with excerpts of his articles several times already. 

Professor Shigehiko writes sophisticatedly. His Japanese is not as accessible as that of reporters writing for newspapers like 朝日新聞 あさひしんぶん or 読売新聞よみうり しんぶん. But that’s why I continue to read him. 

kisamuljau tua su sasupuin. 

In English:
Work hard on your reading. 

Paiwan Every Day 55: saladj

Team is important. A good team makes the work more worthwhile for not only will the work be done, but team members will also become better motivated and prepared for new challenges here or elsewhere. Capacity building, so it is called.

It takes a good leader to build such a team. I received a call this evening in which the caller was persuading me to take up my previous role again. For them, I am the one. I said it will not happen soon, but it will. I promise.

tjengelai aken ta ku saladj a masengseng i ILRDC. 

In English: 
I like my colleagues at ILRDC.