1. Etymology

2. Phonology
    Consonants  Vowels 

3. Script
    Letters 

4. Grammar
    Pronouns  Personal life  Demonstrative  Enclitic Particles  Existential  Interrogative words 

5. Examples
    Loan words  Numbers 

6. See also

7. References
     Citations    Sources  

8. External links

Tausug (Tausug: Bahasa Sūg, {{lang-ms|Bahasa Suluk}}) is a regional language spoken in the province of Sulu in the Philippines, in the eastern area of the state of Sabah, Malaysia, and in North Kalimantan, Indonesia by the Tausūg people.

It is widely spoken in the Sulu Archipelago (Tawi-Tawi), Zamboanga Peninsula (Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga City), Southern Palawan, Malaysia (eastern Sabah) and Indonesia (North Kalimantan). Tausug and Chavacano are the only Philippine languages spoken on the island of Borneo.

The Tausug language is very closely related to the Surigaonon language of the provinces Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur and Agusan del Sur, and to the Butuanon language of northeastern Mindanao.

Etymology

The name of the language in Tausug is Bahasa Sūg ("language of Sulu"). Tausūg is derived from two words: Tau ("person") and sūg ("current"), presumably referring to their economic livelihood that depends on the strong currents of the Sulu Sea, where they used to trans-navigate as fishermen, pearl divers and traders.

Even today, the Sulu Sea is still the strategic trade route of the southern Philippines and the nearby ASEAN nations. As early as the 10th century, the trade route between Sulu and China and North Borneo is believed to have been already flourishing. The people in the area were known as the "people of the current", the literal translation of "Tausūg".

Phonology

Consonants

Features: Gemination of all non-glottal consonants

• b {{IPA|[b]}} or {{IPA|[β]}} when between vowels^[2]
• d {{IPA|[d]}}
• g {{IPA|[ɡ]}} or {{IPA|[ɣ]}} when between vowels^[2]
• h {{IPA|[h]}} or {{IPA|[ɦ]}} when between vowels^[1]
• j {{IPA|[dʒ]}}
• k {{IPA|[k]}}
• l {{IPA|[l]}}
• m {{IPA|[m]}}
• n {{IPA|[n]}}
• ng {{IPA|[ŋ]}}
• p {{IPA|[p]}}
• r {{IPA|[r]}} or {{IPA|[ɹ]}} when before a nasal consonant^[1]
• s {{IPA|[s]}}
• t {{IPA|[t]}}
• w {{IPA|[w]}}
• y {{IPA|[j]}}

Vowels

Features: Vowel lengthening (e.g. bāy 'house'). Stress: Nonphonemic stress on final syllable.

• a/ā {{IPA|[a,ɐ,ɑ]}} and {{IPA|[aː]}}
• i/ī {{IPA|[i,ɪ]}} and {{IPA|[iː]}}
• u/ū {{IPA|[u,ʊ]}} and {{IPA|[uː]}}
• ü {{IPA|[ɜ]}}
• There is also an unstressed sound {{IPA|[ə]}}^[1].
• The letters o and e are used in loan words and names from other languages.

Diphthongs: aw, uy, ay, iw^[3]

Script

It is alleged that the Tausug language was previously written in a Baybayin-related script called "Luntarsug."^[4] The former Sultan of Sulu appears to have confirmed this view with physical evidence. The Tausūg language was previously written with the Arabic alphabet. The script used was inspired by the use of Jawi in writing the Malay language.

An example of the Arabic alphabet in writing the Tausūg language:

• Latin script – Wayruun tuhan malaingkan Allāh, hi Muhammad ing rasūl sin Allāh
• Arabic script – وَيْـرُٷنْ تُـهَـنْ مَـلَـيِـڠْـكَـن هَالله، هِـمُـحَـمَّـدْ ئِـڠ رَسُـولْ سِـڠ الله
• English translation – There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah

The Arabic script used to write the Tausug language differs in some aspects to the script used for the Arabic language and in the Jawi script used for Malay languages. One of the main differences is in the way that word-initial vowels are written.

In Arabic, /in/ is (إن); in Jawi (Malay), it is (ان). In Tausug, it is (ئِن). The Tausug Arabic script utilises the letter yā' with a hamza to represent a short vowel. If a kasra (ِ) is added, it becomes an 'i' sound. If a fatha (َ) is added, it becomes an 'a' sound. If a damma (ُ) is added, it becomes a 'u' sound.

Letters

Grammar

Pronouns

Personal life

Demonstrative

Enclitic Particles

Existential

Interrogative words

Examples:

Examples

Loan words

Many Tausug words derive from the Arabic language.

Some examples of Arabic words in Tausug are

Tausug words derived from Sanskrit

Numbers

See also

• Languages of the Philippines
• Yakan
• Bikol
• Cebuano
• Chavacano
• Hiligaynon
• Kapampangan
• Ilocano
• Pangasinan
• Visayan languages
• Waray-Waray

References

Citations

Sources

• {{cite book |last = Sundita |first = Christopher Allen |title = In Bahasa Sug: An Introduction to Tausug |publisher = Lobel & Tria Partnership, Co. |year = 2002 |ISBN = 971-92226-6-2 }}

External links

• Publications in Tausūg and other Philippine languages
• [https://tausug.webonary.org/?lang=en Tausug-English Dictionary of SIL International]. online version accessible from Webonary.org.
• Tausug Language by Dr. Carl G. Rubino
• Bansa.org Tausug Dictionary
• Tausug English Glossary Search for common Tausug Words
• Tausug 101 by Anak Iluh

• Ahar, Tehran
• Ahar, Uttar Pradesh
• Aharwar
• Ahar Yojana
• Ahasuerus Fromanteel
• Ahasveeruse uni
• Ahasverus (beetle)
• Ahasverus Fritsch
• Aha! (tabloid)
• Ahatanhel Krymsky
• A hat full of sky
• Ahathanhel Krymsky
• A Hat in Time
• Ahat Jami Mosque, Donetsk
• Ahatlar, Amasra
• Ahatlar, Camlidere
• Ahatlar, Kosk
• Ahatlar, Köşk
• Ahatlar, Çamlıdere
• Ahatli, Elmali
• Ahatli, Kas
• Ahatlı, Elmalı
• Ahatlı, Kaş
• Ahat-milki
• Ahatmilku