Sunday, July 3, 2011

TODAY'S CHAMORRO WORD : PULAN

simondrax.com
PULAN : the moon / to watch over / month

This word shows our connection with the very big family of Austronesians!
The following all mean "moon."


CHAMORRO
PULAN

YAPESE
PUUL

ILOKANO
BULAN

CEBUANO
BULAN

INDONESIAN
BULAN

PALAUAN
BUIL

FIJIAN
VULA



Pulan is indigenous Chamorro, and related to hundreds of other Pacific languages, as seen above.  Because the moon "watches" over us at night, the same word for "moon" is used for "watch over."

Since the moon goes through a cycle (new moon to full moon to new moon again), ancient people started to mark time with the phases of the moon.  The word "month" comes from "moon," and so pulan is also used in Chamorro for "month."

Ma'lak i pilan.  The moon is bright.

Såhe i pilan.  It's a new moon.

Pulan i patgon!  Watch the child!

På'go na pulan. This month.

Åmbres i pilan yanggen sumåhe / guåha na triste sumåhi-ña
kuåstaria i kilisyåno / yanggen guåha piniti-ña.
Ya dalai nene / ya ti un siesiente
i manåddung / i manåddung siha na inigong!

(Even the moon when it waxes / at times is sad
what must be the person / who carries some pain.
How could it be, sweetheart / that you don't sense
the deep / deep groaning!)

With pulan, you get THREE for the price of ONE : moon, watch over, month.

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