‘R-ful’ Ilocano words

by Vic A

Sometimes Nie feels a bit lost when we are amongst my predominantly Ilocano family.  Once we start talking in the dialect, Nie feels like she’s transported to another country.  I initially didn’t appreciate how hard that was for someone to be amongst people who spoke a language or dialect that you didn’t understand.  Especially when we go to Ilocos where the older people would prefer to talk in Ilocano, this sometimes make it a bit harder for Nie to relate.  She is definitely disadvantaged as we can speak and understand Tagalog but she can’t either speak or understand Ilocano.

For example when we went to Toronto in Canada to visit some of my family, Nie suddenly found an ally in 2 of my hipag (wife of my brother and wife of my cousin) who were both Tagalog.  Because sometimes, even if people didn’t mean to be rude to them and include them in conversations, they sometimes use Ilocano more freely and once they start doing that, the non-Ilocanos won’t just follow the conversation.  And besides, “Sabali kano met ngamin ti panaginnistorya no saan nga Ilocano ti sao”.  From a Tagalog’s perspective, she probably thinks that we are a loud bunch and our German-like intonation doesn’t help either.  Sometimes she thinks we’re yelling at each other although most of the time, these are just gestures of endearment.  And our words are full of the letter ‘r’ which makes our dialect sound really abrupt and I must admit, lacking in some sophistication.

I have a list of words with more than two letter R’s in one word.  I was very surprised to have come up with this initial long list.  Kitaen tayo man no mano pay ti mainayon yo.

Agbanarbar
Agbarbartek
Agbirbirok
Agbirbir-ri
Agburburda
Agburburek
Agdardara
Agdardaringungo
Agkarkaramot
Agkarkarasakas
Agkarkarayam
Agkirkir
Agkurikor
Agkurkurang
Agkurkuribated
Agkurkuridemdem
Agkurkuripaspas
Agparparikna
Agparparti
Agraraman
Agrubrubuat
Agrungrungi-it
Agruprupanget
Agtartartaraok
Agtartarimaan
Agur-uray
Agur-urnong
Ar-arubayan
Banarbar
Banurbur
Barbareng
Barbaryo
Barrairung
Burrarawit
Burburti
Dardarepdep
Dinardaraan
Gargarruba
Garrapon
Gurgurami
Gurru-od
Kabarbaro
Kararua
Karkarbot
Karkarruba
Kur-raraknit
Makikarkarruba
Makiramraman
Makiray-rayo
Mangiturturong
Mangriribok
Maparparigatan
Marabrabian
Marmarba
Marmarna
Marmar-riek
Maur-uram
Nagkir-riit
Nakabarbara
Nakakurkurapay
Nakaramrambak
Nakaramramok
Nakarur-rurod
Naparpar
Naparpartak
Parparbo
Parparmata
Rabrabii
Ragragutirit
Rigrigat
Riniriri
Rugrugian
Rumrum-muar
Sarsardam
Sarsaringit
Sarsaripiten
Sarsarita
Serserbi
Sumirsirip
Sumirsirpat
Sursurdo
Sursuro