Appendix:Cebuano spellings

This appendix discusses standard Cebuano spellings, which follows the Lagda sa Espeling by Bisaya magazine, and adopted by Cebuano-language publications as well as Cebuano multilingual education (MLE) materials by the Department of Education (DepEd) Region VII. Spellings following the Lagda are being promoted by the provincial government of Cebu through the Komisyon Probinsyal sa Sinugboanong Dila (KPSD, or the Provincial Commission on the Cebuano Language) for written Cebuano.

Respelling of consonants and diphthongs of foreign loanwords observe the rules on Mga Lagda sa Sinugboanong Panitik; Binisaya-Sinugboanon nga Batadila by Cesar P. Kilaton, which is also adopted by Bisaya. However, most publications prefer using mya, rya, sya, syo and syon for most cases; such spellings are considered alternative forms to their standard form.

For comparison, the Cebuano standard spelling leans closely to the Tagalog spelling rules by the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF), with some slight differences. This is apparent in loanwords and affixed words. Cebuano spellings generally only uses the letters of Abakada alphabet, with the exception of proper nouns and genericized trademarks. Words using foreign letters or spellings are required to be italicized, but this is often overlooked as well.

(Lagda rule 1)

For native words (including precolonial loans), U is used in initial and medial syllables, while O is used in final syllables.

In initial syllables

• bulan
• buang
• pulo
• ulan
• gubat

In medial syllables

• hapuhap
• pangutana
• bituon
• turutot
• puhunan

In final syllables

• pako
• dako
• tulo
• nasod
• lungsod

(Lagda rule 2)

I is used in all native vocabulary except the words babaye, dayeg, pangadye and sikwate

• bitin
• kanding
• sigdi
• iti
• kuting

(Lagda rule 3)

O is generally retained in affixed forms of root words. This is in contrast to the spelling rule in Tagalog set by the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino, where it is generally changed to U. Examples:

In initial syllables

• himoon (himo+-on)
• handomanan (handom+-an)
• lungsoranon (lungsod+-an+-on)
• kalibotan (ka- -an+libot)

(Lagda rule 4)

Final vowels are generally kept in contracted forms. Apostrophes are no longer to be used and the contracted word is suffixed to the preceding word. Examples:

• lainlaing dapit (long form: lainlain nga dapit)
• estudyanteng sipat (long form: estudyante nga sipat)
• dakog kaon (long form: dako og kaon)

(Lagda rules 5A, 5B, 6A, 6B, and 6C)

U in initial syllable is kept in partially reduplicated words:

• tudlo > magtutudlo
• hukom > maghuhukom
• pulong > magpupulong

In case of words from reduplicated syllables, rules on U and O, and I and E is observed:

• lumlom
• pikpik

In case of reduplicated rootwords, rule 1 and 2 applies as well. Such are to be written with a hyphen (-):

• lukso-lukso
• pula-pula
• hubo-hubo

Some terms that are reduplicated are considered single words and are not to be written with hyphen. Rule 1 also applies:

• hunahuna
• hugunhugon

Some terms that are considered specific terms for an object, animal or place will also follow the rule on reduplications that are considered single words.

• lapulapu
• kasingkasing
• habalhabal

(Lagda rule 7A)

Unadapted borrowings (direktang paghulam), that is, loanwords not altered or respelled to conform to Cebuano phonology and spelling should be written in italics. Examples:

• fan (from English. Cebuano equivalent: magdadayeg)
• buena familia (from Spanish)

(Lagda rule 7B)

Adapted borrowings (di direktang paghulam), that is, loanwords altered or respelled to conform to Cebuano phonology should retain their vowels. Foreign sounds are replaced by their equivalents reflecting their realization under native Cebuano phonology. This rule exclude proper nouns and genericized trademarks. Examples:

• pilosopo (from Spanish filósofo)
• tono (from Spanish tono)
• polis (from English police)
• adbentyur (from English adventure)
• gradwesyon (from English graduation)
• responsabilidad (from Spanish responsabilidad)

(Lagda rule 7K)

In case an English term that can be borrowed has a Spanish cognate of the same sense, Cebuano prefers to borrow the Spanish.

• edukasyon (from Spanish educación)
• eleksiyon (from Spanish elección)

(Lagda rule 7D)

In case of loanwords containing UO, O is used for the Cebuano.

• kota (from English quota)
• korum (from English quorum)

(Lagda rule 7E)

Earlier loanwords have been corrupted or consistently written differently in Cebuano so their original etymon is not readily obvious. Such words are no longer to be respelled so to reveal their etymology.

• suspetsa (from Spanish sospecha)
• sustener (from Spanish sostener)
• pista (from Spanish fiesta)
• kuwitis (from Spanish cohete)
• hulma (from Spanish hormar)
• holmigas (from Spanish hormigas)
• kutson (from Spanish colchón)
• pundo (from Spanish fondo)

(Lagda rule 7G)

Cebuano uses E or EY to respell the English long A

• keyk (from English cake)
• manedyer (from English manager)

(Lagda rule 7H)

E is added to respellings of English borrowings starting with S before other consonants. This contrasts with the Tagalog rule where I is used instead, reserving ES to Spanish.

• esnatser (from English snatcher, cf. Tagalog isnatser)
• estambay (from English stand by, cf. Tagalog istambay)

(Lagda rule 7I)

English Y is respelled to Cebuano I when pronounced /i/

• kendi (from English candy)
• panti (from English panty)

(Lagda rule 7L)

English EE is respelled to Cebuano I when pronounced /i/.

• miting (from English meeting)
• dyip (from English jeep)
• reperi (from English referee)

(Lagda rule 7M)

English -iew is respelled to Cebuano I when pronounced /i/, except where the preceding consonant follows a vowel, where the I is deleted.

• interbiyo (from English interview)
• rebyo (from English review)

(Lagda rule 7N)

English -ue is respelled to Cebuano -u when pronounced /u/ or /ju/.

• abenyu (from English avenue)
• isyu (from English issue)

(Lagda rule 7Ng)

English -ium is respelled to Cebuano -yum.

• akwaryum (from English aquarium)
• awditoryum (from English auditorium)

(Lagda rule 7O)

English -ous is respelled to Cebuano -os.

• delisyos (from English delicious)
• benomos (from English venomous)

(Lagda rules 7P and 7R)

Simplified spelling (simplipikadong paagi) attempts to bring spelling of words more closer to their original source. This generally applies to:

• Spanish borrowings which would be too short or unwieldy if to observe all the previous rules discussed above. This is done with Spanish loanwords with ie or ei, where the I is removed. Such spellings are permitted as alternative forms. Examples:
  • gobyerno, instead of *gobiyerno (from Spanish gobierno)
  • porsento, instead or porsiyento (from Spanish porciento)
• English words respelled to reflect a Cebuano speaker's pronunciation:
  • plaslayt (from English flashlight)
  • notbok (from English notebook)
  • adbentyur (from English adventure)
  • hayskol (from English high school)

(Lagda rules 8A and 8B)

Coinages both from native and foreign roots should follow rules regarding vowels

V in loanwords is generally replaced by Cebuano B. Examples:

• abiso (from Spanish aviso)
• pabor (from Spanish favor)
• laba (from Spanish lavar)
• baso (from Spanish vaso)
• biyahe (from Spanish viaje)

C in loanwords is generally replaced by Cebuano K. Examples:

• abaniko (from Spanish abanico)
• artikulo (from Spanish artículo)
• barko (from Spanish barco)
• kosina (from Spanish cocina)
• bakante (from Spanish vacante)

QUE in loanwords is generally replaced by Cebuano KE. Examples:

• etiketa (from Spanish etiqueta)
• kerida (from Spanish querida)
• tangke (from Spanish tanque)
• prankeyo (from Spanish franqueo)
• retoke (from Spanish retoque)

QUI in loanwords is generally replaced by Cebuano KI. Examples:

• arkitektura (from Spanish arquitectura)
• makina (from Spanish máquina)
• kinse (from Spanish quince)
• rekisito (from Spanish requisito)
• takilya (from Spanish taquilla)

X in loanwords is generally replaced by Cebuano KS. Examples:

• eksakto (from Spanish exacto)
• eksamin (from English examine)
• ekskursiyon (from Spanish excursión)
• oksiheno (from Spanish oxigeno)
• seksyon (from Spanish sección or English section)

CUA in loanwords is generally replaced by Cebuano KUWA. Examples:

• Kuwaresma (from Spanish cuaresma)
• kuwarta (from Spanish cuarta)

CUE in loanwords is generally replaced by Cebuano KUWE. Examples:

• kuwenta (from Spanish cuenta)
• kuwerdas (from Spanish cuerda)

J in loanwords is generally replaced by Cebuano DY. Examples:

• dyaket (from English jacket)
• dyakpat (from English jackpot)

The "soft" G (/d͡ʒ/) in English loanwords is generally replaced by Cebuano DY. Examples:

• alerdyi (from English allergy)

H is generally used to transcribe Spanish G (before E and I) and J. Examples:

Spanish G before E or I to Cebuano H

• ahente (from Spanish agente)
• dihito (from Spanish dígito)
• imahen (from Spanish imagen)
• orihinal (from Spanish original)
• trahedya (from Spanish tragedia)

Spanish J to Cebuano H

• bagahe (from Spanish bagaje)
• kaha (from Spanish caja)
• hinete (from Spanish jinete)
• husto (from Spanish justo)
• pasahe (from Spanish pasaje)

Spanish H is not pronounced, so they are omitted when borrowed into Cebuano.

Spanish H

• alahas (from Spanish alhajas)
• abilidad (from Spanish habilidad)
• oras (from Spanish horas)
• ospital (from Spanish hospital)
• ostiya (from Spanish hostia)

J is specifically used for Boholano pronunciation of General Cebuano Y.

• kalajo (Standard kalayo)
• kaajo (Standard kaayo)
• gajod (Standard gayod)
• ninjo (Standard ninyo)

English LL is generally respelled to Cebuano L. Examples:

• alerdyi (from English allergy)
• basketbol (from English basketball)
• besbol (from English baseball)

Spanish LL is generally respelled to Cebuano LY. Examples:

• amarilyo (from Spanish amarillo)
• apelyido (from Spanish apellido)
• bilyar (from Spanish billar)
• kutsilyo (from Spanish cuchillo)
• martilyo (from Spanish martillo)

Spanish N before fricatives is generally respelled to Cebuano M. Examples:

• komperensiya (from Spanish conferencia)
• kombento (from Spanish convento)
• imbalido (from Spanish inválido)
• imbestigasyon (from Spanish investigación)
• kompesal (from Spanish confesar)

mia is generally respelled to Cebuano mya. One exception is akademiya. Examples:

• anemya (from Spanish anemia)
• epidemya (from Spanish epidemia)

mio is generally respelled to Cebuano myo

Spanish Ñ and nea is generally respelled to Cebuano NY. This excludes proper nouns. Exceptions to this rule is kompaniya (from Spanish compañía). Examples:

• banyo (from Spanish baño)
• kampanya (from Spanish campaña)
• kanyon (from Spanish cañón)
• pinya (from Spanish piña)
• linya (from Spanish línea)

Spanish nía is generally respelled to Cebuano niya. Examples:

• litaniya (from Spanish letanía)
• simponiya (from Spanish sinfonía)

F in loanwords is generally replaced by Cebuano P. Examples:

• kape (from Spanish café)
• pabrika (from Spanish fábrica)
• pamilya (from Spanish familia)
• petsa (from Spanish fecha)
• prutas (from Spanish frutas)

RR in loanwords is generally replaced by Cebuano R. Examples:

• areglo (from Spanish arreglo)
• baraks (from English barracks)
• karera (from Spanish carrera)
• koreyo (from Spanish correo)
• bara (from Spanish barrar)

ria following an E or O in loanwords is generally replaced by Cebuano riya. This includes where the Spanish has ría. Examples:

• galeriya (from Spanish galería)
• karenderiya (from Spanish carenderia)
• kategoriya (from Spanish categoría)
• bateriya (from Spanish bateria)

ria following an A in loanwords is generally replaced by Cebuano rya. Examples:

• malarya (from Spanish malaria)
• primarya (from Spanish primaria)
• sekundarya (from Spanish secundaria)
• punerarya (from Spanish funeraria)

ria following an E in loanwords is also replaced by Cebuano rya where the word only has two syllables. Examples:

• perya (from Spanish feria)

C following I and E in loanwords is generally replaced by Cebuano S. Examples:

• bosina (from Spanish bocina)
• onse (from Spanish once)
• kosina (from Spanish cocina)

Z in loanwords is also replaced by Cebuano S. Examples:

• asul (from Spanish azul)
• basar (from English bazaar)
• krus (from Spanish cruz)
• lapis (from Spanish lápiz)
• ahedres (from Spanish ajedrez)

X in loanwords is replaced by Cebuano C in certain cases. Examples:

• seroks (from genericized trademark xerox)

cia or tia following a consonant in loanwords is generally replaced by Cebuano siya. Examples:

• ganansiya (from Spanish ganancia)
• probinsiya (from Spanish provincia)
• alkansiya (from Spanish alcancia)
• ignoransiya (from Spanish ignorancia)

cia or tia following a vowel in loanwords is generally replaced by Cebuano sya. Examples:

• amnesya (from Spanish amnesia)
• parmasya (from Spanish farmacia)
• grasya (from Spanish gracia)
• demokrasya (from Spanish democracia)

cio or tio following a consonant in loanwords is generally replaced by Cebuano siyo. Examples:

• ganansiya (from Spanish ganancia)
• probinsiya (from Spanish provincia)
• alkansiya (from Spanish alcancia)
• ignoransiya (from Spanish ignorancia)

cio or tio following a vowel in loanwords is generally replaced by Cebuano syo. Examples:

• edipisyo (from Spanish edificio)
• palasyo (from Spanish palacio)
• bisyo (from Spanish vicio)
• serbisyo (from Spanish servicio)

Spanish cio or English tio following a consonant is generally replaced by Cebuano siyon. Examples:

• koleksiyon (from Spanish colección)
• indyeksiyon (from English injection)
• leksiyon (from Spanish lección)
• kombensiyon (from Spanish convención)

Spanish ción and sión or English tion following a vowel is generally replaced by Cebuano syon. Examples:

• alegasyon (from Spanish alegación)
• edukasyon (from Spanish educación)
• ilusyon (from Spanish ilusión)
• okasyon (from Spanish ocasión)

CH is generally replaced by Cebuano TS. Examples:

• tsapa (from Spanish chapa)
• tsokolate (from Spanish chocolate)
• lantsa (from Spanish lancha)
• tsupon (from Spanish chupón)

AI or AE in loanwords is generally replaced by Cebuano AY. Examples:

• ayroplano (from Spanish aeroplano)
• ayrosol (from English aerosol)
• kayda (from Spanish caída)
• bayle (from Spanish baile)

The O or U in the diphthongs AO or AU in loanwords is generally replaced by Cebuano AW. Examples:

• bakalaw (from Spanish bacalao)
• kakaw (from Spanish cacao)
• awto (from English or Spanish auto)
• awtomatiko (from Spanish automático)

The diphthong EA is generally transcribed into Cebuano EYA. This stands in contrast to Tagalog, where it is generally retained, and the EYA spelling treated as variants. Examples:

• beyato (from Spanish beato)
• ideya (from Spanish idea)

The diphthong EO is generally transcribed into Cebuano EYO. This stands in contrast to Tagalog, where it is generally retained. Examples:

• ateyo (from Spanish ateo)
• ideyolohiya (from Spanish ideología)

The diphthong EU is generally rewritten into Cebuano EYU. This stands in contrast to Tagalog, where it is generally retained. Examples:

• eyunuko (from Spanish eunuco)

A Y is generally inserted into the diphthong IA in loanwords. Examples:

• akademiya (from Spanish academia)
• anomaliya (from Spanish anomalia)
• Bibliya (from Spanish Biblia)
• karenderiya (from Spanish carendería)
• kategoriya (from Spanish categoría)
• enerhiya (from Spanish energía)
• industriya (from Spanish industria)
• litaniya (from Spanish litania)
• ortograpiya (from Spanish ortografía)

If the diphthong is preceded by the letter S in the Cebuano transcription and is actually preceded by a vowel, the "I" is no longer kept.

• amnesya (from Spanish amnesia)
• ambisyon (from Spanish ambición)
• alegasyon (from Spanish alegación)
• anemya (from Spanish anemia)

There are foreign loanwords, where transcribed into Cebuano, should no longer retain the “I”.

• kolonya (from Spanish colonia)
• komedya (from Spanish comedia)
• elementarya (from Spanish elementaria)
• medya (from Spanish media)
• primarya (from Spanish primaria)
• trahedya (from Spanish tragedia)
• iglesya (from Spanish iglesia)
• sekundarya (from Spanish secundaria)

A Y is generally inserted into the diphthong IE in loanwords. Examples:

• abiyerto (from Spanish abierto)
• diyeta (from Spanish dieta)
• impiyerno (from Spanish infierno)
• miyembro (from Spanish miembro)
• piye (from Spanish pie)
• piyer (from English pier)
• miyentras (from Spanish mientras)
• siyempre (from Spanish siempre)
• piyesa (from Spanish pieza)

A Y is generally inserted into the diphthong IO in loanwords. Examples:

• adiyos (from Spanish adios)
• Diyos (from Spanish Dios)
• basiyo (from Spanish vacío)
• anunsiyo (from Spanish anuncio)

A Y is generally inserted into the diphthong IU in loanwords. Examples:

• siyudad (from Spanish ciudad)

Foreign CEU is transcribed into SEU. Examples:

• parmasyutiko (from Spanish farmacéutico)

A W is generally inserted into the diphthong UA in loanwords. Examples:

• estatuwa (from Spanish estatua)
• guwapa (from Spanish guapa)
• guwardiya (from Spanish guardia)
• kuwarenta (from Spanish cuarenta)
• kuwarta (from Spanish cuarta)

A W is generally inserted into the diphthong UE in loanwords. Examples:

• muweble (from Spanish mueble)
• muwelye (from Spanish muelle)
• puwerta (from Spanish puerta)
• buwelta (from Spanish vuelta)
• suwerte (from Spanish suerte)

A W is generally inserted into the diphthong UI in loanwords. Examples:

• lingguwistika (from Spanish lingüística)
• buwitre (from Spanish buitre)
• biskuwit (from English biscuit)

Alternatively, the diphthong UE in loanwords can be replaced with UY. Examples:

• nuybe (from Spanish nueve)
• Huybes (from Spanish jueves)
• buylo (from Spanish vuelo)
• pruyba (from Spanish prueba)
• eskuyla (from Spanish escuela)

The triphthong UIA in loanwords should be replaced with UYA. Examples:

• aleluya (from Spanish aleluia)

The diphthong IO in loanwords can be transcribed with YO. Examples:

• rosaryo (from Spanish rosario)
• kampanaryo (from Spanish campanario)
• diksiyonaryo (from Spanish diccionario)
• ordinaryo (from Spanish ordinario)