Why Ilonggos find it difficult to learn Cebuano, 2

THE PREFIX NAG- alone by itself does not tell you that the action has occurred in a point in the timeline in the past or present. By placing PA or KARON, you define the action as ongoing in a point in the present in the timeline.

The same goes for the Cebuano prefix GI- (cognate to the Ilonggo GIN-)

Example one. GI-kaon ko NA ang puto.

NA is a modifier that indicates that the action of eating has ALREADY ended.

Example two. GI-kaon ko ang puto KAGAHAPON.

KAGAHAPON indicates that the action ended YESTERDAY.

In both examples above, the prefix GI- alone by itself does not tell you that the action has occurred in a point in the timeline in the past or present. By placing NA or KAGAHAPON, you define the action as having ended in a point in the past in the timeline.

Examples in Cebuano for ACTION BEGUN IN THE PAST AND STILL CONTINUING IN THE PRESENT. Example one.

GI-kaon ko PA ang puto.

PA is a modifier that indicates that the action of eating is still ongoing.

Example two. GI- kaon ko ang puto KARON. (KARON means NOW in Cebuano, SUBONG and TULAD in Hiligaynon and Karay-a.)

KARON indicates that the action is still ongoing at this point in the timeline.

In both examples above, the prefix GI- alone by itself does not tell you that the action has occurred in a point in the timeline in the past or present. By placing PA or KARON, you define the action as ongoing in a point in the present in the timeline.

Let’s summarize the translations below.

Cebuano: NAG- kaon NA siya. Hiligaynon: NAG- kaon NA siya. Karay-a: NAG-kaon don tana.

Cebuano: NA G-k a on si ya KAGAHAPON. Hiligaynon: NAG-kaon siya KAHAPON. Karay-a: NAG-kaon tana KAHAPON.

(One can omit NA and KAHAPON, and just say “NAG- kaon”, and the action will be understood to be in the past since Hiligaynon and Karay-a are TENSE oriented and NAG- therefore always places an action in the past.)

Cebuano: NAG- kaon PA siya. Hiligaynon: NAGA- kaon PA siya. Karay-a: NAGA-kaon PA tana.

(One can omit PA, and just say “NAGA-kaon”, since Hiligaynon and Karay- a are TENSE oriented and NAGA- therefore always places an action in the present.)

Cebuano: NAG-kaon siya KARON. (KARON means NOW in Cebuano, SUBONG and TULAD in Hiligaynon and Karay- a.) Hiligaynon: NAGAkaon siya SUBONG. Karay-a: NAGAkaon tana TULAD. ( One can omit SUBONG and TULAD and the action will be understood to be in the present since Hiligaynon and Karay-a are TENSE oriented and NAGAtherefore always places an action in the present)

The Cebuano prefix GI- (cognate to the Ilonggo GIN-): GI-kaon ko NA ang puto KAGAHAPON. Hiligaynon: GIN-kaon ko NA ang puto KAHAPON. Karay-a: GIN-kaon ko RON ang puto KAHAPON. (In the Ilonggo languages, one can omit NA and KAHAPON, and just say “GIN-kaon”, since Hiligaynon and Karay-a are TENSE oriented and GINA- therefore always places an action in the past.)

Cebuano: GI-kaon ko PA ang puto KARON. ( KARON means NOW in Cebuano, SUBONG and TULAD in Hiligaynon and Karay-a.) Hiligaynon: GINA-kaon ko PA ang puto SUBONG. Karay-a: GINA-kaon ko PA ang puto TULAD. (In the Ilonggo languages, one can omit PA, SUBONG and TULAD, and just say “GINA-kaon”, since Hiligaynon and Karay- a are