March 28, 2003
9am - 12pm
Palma Hall Rm 109

Abstract

This thesis aims to look into the grammatical problems seen in Hiligaynon to Filipino translations. It aims to evaluate the accuracy and grammaticality of these translated works by describing the linguistic processes involved in the derivation of equivalent forms and meanings using word-for-word correspondence. Moreover, this study approaches translation not just as a means of deriving meaning and equivalents but also as a way of describing the grammar of both the source and the target language.

The Introduction stresses the importance of function words as the focus of this paper, presents different views on translation and emphasizes the importance of word-for-word translation, and discusses the methodology used in this research. It also presents a review of linguistic and literary works on Hiligaynon-to-Filipino translations, and on Hiligaynon as a language.

The body presents the problematic forms, classified as function words in Hiligaynon, in three groups. Chapter 2 focusses on the negative markers indi, waay and/or wala, while Chapter 3 deals with translating the conjunctions bangod, apang and gani. Chapter 4 deals mainly with the function words anay, gid, amo, sang, sing, nga and bala which I call cross-categorial function words or words which have two or more functions and may belong to one or more categories depending on their usage. All possible equivalent forms of each function word identified in this study are analyzed syntactically and semantically.

Chapter 5 discusses the significance of this study as regards furthering our knowledge of Hiligaynon syntax, as well as the development of a linguistic approach to Hiligaynon-Filipino translation.