User:Prisco Virgo

UABLABAN OF WEST TIMOR
http://hanlilolobosoelolok.blogspot.com/

THE WORD LABAN
According to the experts, the language of Atônê (Atoni) tribe who inhabited the western part of Timor island, called Dawan language. But in this paper, I want to introduce a more genuine expression and more in line with the tongue of the local sayings about their own language, namely: Uablaban. The first reason I decided to select the invented (metathesis) word, Uablaban to mention the language of Atôênlaban (Dawanese) in addition to the other titles such as Laibmeto', Laismeto', Hanmeto', and Uabmeto', because the adjective Meto' (dry, barren) that explain the words labit, lasi, hanaf, uabat, more point to the situation of Timor island territory that is generally dry and barren. And it will not make any sense when Laibmeto', Laismeto', Hanmeto', Uabmeto' so understood or translated into the Indonesian language as: The language of dried or barren. Then said that meto' is more appropriately used with the word Pah (region) in the form of a compound word: Pahmeto' as a residential area of Atôênlaban(Dawanese).

The second reason, in the Timorese myth, it is said that Naí Laban is the ancient ancestor of Atôênlaban. So the Laban name appears as Dawan. This is a variation of the user's speech to the Tetun for Laban, so long as this language called the Dawan language. The letters [ d ] and [ w ] do not appear in the vocabulary of the language of Atôênlaban. My hope, may the use of the 'new' word, Uablaban in this paper, become one of the rediscovery of the efforts which during the original expression is not realized, even completely forgotten by the native speakers of Uablaban for their own.

Amnaistinan êtônat nak onan i baé: "Hit i atôênlaban kit. Hitat saun tem toko Naí Laban. Hit laibta nana Uablaban. Hit paha nana es pahmeotán funam natef. Nana in esan tom” (The elders said this my friend: We are Labanese people because our ancestors named Laban. Uablaban is our language. And our region is pahmeto' entirely. And that is the truth).

Third, the equivalent word for a noun that referred to the word language, as a basic word, not in the vocabulary of the language of Atôênlaban. Because there are at least seven nouns or metathesis words in the Uablaban, that have the equal sense of the word language, ie, (1) aát: Language in the sense of talks with limited coverage among traditional elders when discussing serious things about genealogy and tribal customs. (2) hanaf: Beep or sound, but also often understandable as language because when speaking, human issues noise or sound from his throat. The people of Tetun language called it as: Lian, noise or sound. (3) labit: Language in the sense of ability to speak other languages rather than Laban, foreign languages. (4) lasi: Language with a nuance that is used in places as tribal religious ceremony and indigenous justice. Therefore, lasi in one form, lasit, mean things, the case, festivity. (5) molok: Language of the conversation about light things in daily life. (6) takanab: Language that used in the traditional world of art and literature of Atôênlaban. (7) uabat: Language used in the official meetings and is often used pointing the language system used by Atôênlaban. Therefore I choose to wear uabat as an equivalent word for the word language in this paper, without the possibility to discussed further. When word Uabat (language) combined with word Laban (Dawan), then forming the metathesis word, Uablaban (Dawan Language).

In general, the Uablaban is spoken by less than one million people, the majority of whom are residents of the native island of West Timor or Timor NTT, Indonesia. The distribution of Uablaban, ranging from Biboki in the border region of the North Central Timor regency near Belu in the Eastern part of West Timor, to the region of Amarasi at Kupang Regency in the Western part of West Timor. Uablaban is also the mother tongue of Ambeno' society in the 'special' region of Oekusi, which now becomes one district of the state of East Timor (Timor Leste). When the Portuguese was still in power in Oekusi, they called Uabalaban as Vaikênô', the pronunciation of the Portuguese for the word Baikênô', which means people as the people of Kaesmetan in Oekusi use it for the word of atônê. Because there are so many dialects in this uabat (language), then up to now there is no one dialect was used regularly as a form of writing standard. Therefore, I chose to write this observations based on the dialect that I have known since my childhood, namely Oelolok dialect, a dialect in Pahínsan, North Central Timor regency. As a comparative material to enrich the observations for scientific researchers who are interested in the future, other dialects will be referred to cursory in one part of the paper.

RULES OF PRONUNCIATION
The pronunciation rules in the Uablaban, in general uses one letter one sound system (same sound value). This means that every letter is in one word must be sounded. For example: fattu, pronounced: fat-tu. There are no letters are not sound (silent letter) as in English.

VOWELS
Vowel [ a ] for example, still sounded [ a ], both in word atu (charcoal) and the word ata' (a fruit) and knows no such sound systems to exchange letters in English: [ u ] just rung [ â ], for example on the word cut and tolled [ eu ] on the word cute. 8 pieces of vowels of Uablaban familiar with single and 18 double vowels as shown in the list below:

Single Vowels
a - opened [ a ], pronounced [ a ] as in word: abas - yarn, cotton

â - closed [ â ], pronounced [ â ] as in words: âu - I

e - opened [ e ], pronounced [ e ] as in words: eno'- doors, gates

ê - closed [ ê ], pronounced [ ê ] as in words: êto'- bedbugs

i - pronounced [ i ], as in words: inuh - necklace

o - opened [ o ], pronounced [ o ] as in words: onen - prayer

ô - closed [ ô ], pronounced [ ô ] as in words: ônê - bees, honey

u - pronounced [ u ] as in words: ut - flour

Double Vowels
ae - pronounced [ ae ] as in the words: aen, ukaen, pakae

ai - pronounced [ ai ] as in the words: aija, bait, pai

âi - pronounced [ âi ] as in the words: âit, sutâi, pâi

ao - pronounced [ ao ] as in the words: aof, paot, unaob

au - pronounced [ au ] as in the words: aulka, saup, kaus

âu - pronounced [ âu ] as in the words: âut, sâut, nâtâu

ea - pronounced [ ea ] as in the words: eas, teas, bea, bea'

eo - pronounced [ eo ] as in the words: eo, teol, maneo

êo - pronounced [ êo ] as in the words: êop, têon, sêôn

ia - pronounced [ ia ] as in the words: ia, bian, kia'

io - pronounced [ io ] as in the words: liol, piót, pio

iu - pronounced [ iu ] as in the words: iun, tiut, kiu

oa - pronounced [ oa ] as in the words: noah, foa'

oe - pronounced [ oe ] as in the words: oef, boen, makoe

ôê - pronounced [ ôe] as in the words: ôêlna, pôêp, sôê

ua - pronounced [ ua ] as in the words: uas, kuan, utua

ue - pronounced [ ue ] as in the words: uela, kuet, pansue

ui - pronounced [ ui ] as in the words: uisneno, umuin, tui

CONSONANTS
All consonants pronounced like a consonant sound in the Latin alphabet. According to my observations, there are only eleven consonants, ten consonants and one sound of hamzah or a glottal-stop that most active in used in the Uablaban. I call these eleven consonant as single consonant. In addition to them, there are also 29 double consonants.

Single Consonants
b - pronounced [ b ] as in the words: bok, kabut, hakeb

f - pronounced [ f ] as in the words: fani, safat, lukef

h - pronounced [ h ] as in the words: haot, bahan, neh

k - pronounced [ k ] as in the words: kalo, pakut, elak

l - pronounced [ l ] as in the words: laku, halak, tekal

m - pronounced [ m ] as in the words: muis, umeke, ekam

n - pronounced [ n ] as in the words: noah, kanu, oken

p - pronounced [ p ] as in the words: panaf, tepos, pôêp

s - pronounced [ s ] as in the words: suti, asu, nios

t - pronounced [ t ] as in the words: tap, sutai, lôêt

' - pronounced [ ' ] as in the words: 'belo,'taka', atu'

Notes: (1). The eleventh consonant, hamzah or glottal-stop, [ ' ], making the Uablaban as one of the highly unique pressurized language among the languages of the other regions in the South East of the Indonesian islands. For example, the pronunciation of the word oko. Without a glottal-stop, [ ' ], in the end of this word, oko means porridge or I come from. But when pronounced with a glottal-stop, oko', the first two meanings mentioned above had been transformed into a single new meaning, the basket. (2). On one of the changes (conjugated) verb, hamzah or glottal-stop [ ' ] signs a replacement of the first singular pronoun, âu ( I ). For example: âu' tup (I sleep). In daily conversation, au' tup is often pronounced [ 'tup ]. So without a glottal-stop, tup means sleep. But if there is glottal-stop, 'tup means I sleep.

Double Consonants
bn - pronounced [ bn ] as in word: bnak - wealth

fk - pronounced [ fk ] as in word: fkun - star

ft - pronounced [ ft ] as in word: ftuis - former graffiti

cl - pronounced [ kb ] as in word: kbate - cocoon

kf - pronounced [ kf ] as in word: kfatu' - freezing

kh - pronounced [ kh ] as in word: khanit - excavation

kl - pronounced [ kl ] as in word: klaot - arrows

km - pronounced [ km ] as in word: kmêrô' - planthopper

kn - pronounced [ kn ] as in word: knino' - holy, sacred

kp - rung [kp] as in word: kpete' - destroyed

ks - pronounced [ ks ] as in word: ksut - excavating

kt - pronounced [ kt ] as in word: ktete' - composition

mk pronounced [ mk ] as in word: mkakat - opened

ml - pronounced [ ml ] as in word: mlila' - joy

mn - pronounced [ mn ] as in word: mnatu' - gold

ms - pronounced [ ms ] as in word: msenat - glut

pn - pronounced [ pn ] as in word: pnia' – pariah fruit

sb - pronounced [ sb ] as in word: sbot - cigarette

sf - pronounced [ sf ] as in word: sfut - puffs

sk - pronounced [ sk ] as in word: skaef - cache

sl - pronounced [ sl ] as in word: slala' - disclosure

sm - pronounced [ sm ] as in word: smanaf - soul

sn - pronounced [ sn ] as in word: snaen - sand

sp - pronounced [ sp ] as in word: spepe' - noise

st - pronounced [ st ] as in word: stunat - stumble

tf - pronounced [ tf ] as in word: tfekas - teared

tk - pronounced [ tk ] as in word: tkenab - things supine

tl - pronounced [ tl ] as in word: tlaka' - abroad

tn - pronounced [ tn ] as in word: tnana' - middle

Switching Consonants
I call these consonants as switching consonants because they really do not exist in Uablaban pronunciation, but because there are in the Indonesian language and used by the Labanese native speaker, it often happens, these consonants are replaced by another consonants. Included in this type of consonant also, some consonants that can not stand as initial consonants, but it appears as the middle consonants in certain words because of the symptoms of sound correspondence.

[ C ] There is not in Ubalaban pronunciation. Sounded like in the original word. For example: "cari" (Indonesian, search). But it often happens, the consonant [ c ] is sounded as [ s ] by native speakers, "sari".

[ D ] There is not in Ubalaban pronunciation. I argue, the word "Dawan" is a variant pronunciation by the Tetun speaking people for the word "Laban", because the letter [ d ] at the word Dawan and the letter [ l ] at the word Laban, are both apiko-dental consonants. The letter [ w ] on Dawan and [ b ] at Laban, are both bilabial consonants. Examples bellow can be seen on variations of speech to some particular words in the language of TT (Tetun Terik) and UL (Uablaban) to support the this opinion.

Middle consonant: - Undan (TT) - Ulan (UL) rain

Initial consonant: - Dalan (TT) - Lalan (UL) path

Middle consonant: - kdok (TT) - 'lo (UL) far

Initial consonant: - Derok (TT) - Lelo' (UL) orange

[G] Nothing in pronunciation UL. Sounded like the original word. For example: "gunung" (mountain). But for many native speakers who never learned to write and read, [g] consonant tends to be converted into [k]: "kunung". And it appears as a center consonant as correspondency sound of the letter [ n ] in word nenno: [ nenggoa ] (day).

[J] Rarely found as an initial consonant, except only in words [ jak ] (TT for jackfruit). Emerged as central as correspondency consonant sounds with letters: l - r – y. Please find the example in the following words:

aijao - ailao - airao - aiyao = fir

bijae - bilae - birae - biyae = cow

kijabas - kilabas - kirabas - kiyabas = guava

naijan - nailan - nairan - naiyan = soil

Of the four consonants [ j ], [ l ], [ r ], [ y ] as shown in the example above correspondency sound, only letters [ l ] can stand alone as an initial consonant. For example in words such as: lalan, 'letes, lêfêt, limat, lopo, lôêt, lusat, and so forth. Thus, the above list of words for example, only the words ailao, bilae, kilabas, and nailan eligible incorporated into the vocabulary of Uablaban. While other words have an element of [ j ], [ r ], and [ y], just a variant sound that has been represented by the words that have an element of [ l ].

PRESSURE
The meaning of a word in the UL is determined by the pressure exerted when the utter sounds on certain specific words. One emphasis could lead to the meaning of the word is different from the meaning actual words or even cause it does not mean at all (See again the note on the bottom of the list of the single consonants). In this observation, a sign to show the sound pressure at the beginning and the end of a word, I use a glottal-stop [ ' ]. While the pressure in the middle of a word for shorten a vowel [ a ] or [ i ] for example, I write vowels pressed as follows: [ á ] or [ í ].

The pressure at the beginning and the end of words
When a word, [ fe ] for example, pronounced without any pressure, both at the beginning or the end, it means a wife. But when the word [ fe ] is given a pressure at the beginning by adding sound hamzah [ ' ], then 'fe, will mean that I give. When the pressure is given at the end of the word, fe', it will become yet or still. Meanwhile, word of fê (with closed ê), meaning to open. Example in sentences:

a). Inan lail fe alekot: He is a good wife.

b). 'Fe ’maka’ ma sisi nêô ko: I give you rice and meat.

c). Hit fe' liána': We're still kids.

d). Ija fe': This one is not yet.

e). Kaisam fê nêssô nan: You please, do not open that door.

The pressure in the middle of a word
This pressure only occurs in words that have double vowels. Usually the latter vowel

a given pressure (shorten sound), while the vocals a bit more before sounded

longer. Note the list below:

Vowel [ a/â ] are pressed
aát - language

'baáf - roots, palace

'baát - shouts

boát - peal

liána' - children

'neát - joke

nuát - decline

oáf - cage

paán - prison, cage

poán - gardens, parks

saáf - something, someone

suát - measurement

Vowel [ e/ê ] are pressed
aét - rigid, taciturn

'baét - game

bêé - grandmother, aunt, crocodile

êén - stupid

'lêé - fire, lighter

maét - see each other

moét - deeds

nué - wound

oén - I call

paé - hero, executioner

puén - invite

uék- I close

Vowel [ i ] is pressed
buít - hair style

iít - bite

'kaít - childish

'kuí - cup

luín - chicken shits

nablaín - webs

taítab - we demonstrate

'tuín - pens

Vowel [ o/ô ] are pressed
eót - job, action

bitôó - ghosts, demons

fêó - new

'heó - violin, saws

lêó - holy

kôós - holding

mnôót - enough

naó - brother

nakloó - away

peót - take

'tao - big spoon

uópan - I shed

Vowel [ u ] is pressed
buúf - bump, elbow

'buúf - position

'fuút - puffs

'kaút - basket

mauún - occupy mutually

nuún - fairytale

taúm - we enlarged

uúis - I adore

uút - oppression

FOREIGN PRONUNCIATION
What I mean by foreign pronunciation is the pronunciation used by those who are not native speakers of Uablaban. This pronunciation is first written and introduced by the researchers of culture, including languages studies. In general, they are coming from the outside. Most of these outside investigators, were never able to catch and understand the forms of flexion owned by Uablaban. Many times they treat Uablaban according to the rules and grammatical systems of their own languages. What else the resource persons who they interviewed, often do not fully understand the purpose of the questions the researchers asked. Even worse if the these external researchers use the translators, because in general informants living in villages could not speak Indonesian or English. So the results of th research, especially Uablaban as a way of writing that found in their books, are more likely to me as a pseudo-uablaban. Or can be said not the actual Uablaban. My reason, the foreign pronunciation recorded, and tend to be followed by the native, always felt awkward to the ears of the native speakers of Uablaban and even collide with the sense of the real Uablaban. Foreign pronunciation that I mean, can be seen in the list of examples of some of the following words:

amarasi, should be amrasi [amaf + rasi] = region of Amrasi

aina honi, should be âinhônê [ainaf + hônê] = dear mama

atoni should be atônê = human, people, man

atoni ana should be atôênána [atônê ana'] = small man

atoni dawan should be atôênlaban [atônê + laban] = Dawanese

bani-bani should be bainbain = region of Bainbain

baki tolas should be baiktolas [baki + tolas] = name of a place

bana afi should be banáfi' [bana afi’] = name of a place in Ambeno'

bobo kase should be 'bobkase ['bobo + kase] = name of a place in Ambeno'

bobo meto should be 'bobmeto' ['bobo + meto'] = name of a place in Ambeno'

Dawan should be Laban = Dawan

esu should be êsô' = mortar

fafi nesu should be faifnêôs [fafi + nêsô] = door for hog

fatu bena should be fautbena' [fatu + bena'] = flat stone

hau mau should be haumaú [hau + maú] = rotten wood

hau meni should be haumên (ntw.) = name of a village in Miomaof

Insana should be Insan = Insana regency

kefamenanu should be kefamnanu' [fefa' + mnanu'] = high cliff

Kefamenanu should be Kefamnanu' = district capital of TTU

kolo ton should be kolton [kolo + ton] = a season bird

Kutete should be Kutet = name of the place in Ambeno'

lasi tonas should be laistonas [lasi + tonas] = notification, invitation

la'at manekan should be la'manekat [laat + (a)manekat] = lovely homestead

leu should be lêó = holy, sacred

leul should be lêôl = order

lele ufe should be lelúf [lele + uf] = main garden(field)

masi oni should be maisónê [masi' + one] = honey

masi mina should be maismina' [masi' mina '] = sugar

Maubesi should be Maubês (ntw.) = village Maubês (Insan)

Manu fui should be maunfui [manu + fuif] = wild chicken, partridge

manu nain should be maunnain [manu + naif] = rooster

Miomafo should be Miomaof = region of Miomaof

nefo metan should be neofmetan [nefo + metan] = black lake

Nitibe should be Nitib = village of Nitib in Ambeno'

Oecusse should be Oekuis = village of Oekusi in Ambeno'

oni should be ônê = bee, honey

Passabe should be Pasab = village of Pasab in Ambeno'

Sune Ufe should be Suinúf [Suni’ + uf) = name of a place

Taolin should be Taólên = Taólên (king's clan name in Insan)

tefu should be têfô = sugarcane

uabat meto’ should be uabmeto' [uabat + meto'] = uablaban

ume alekot should be uemálekot [ume + (a)lekot] = beautiful house

'''Source: Book of UBI (Uablaban Bahasa Ibuku), 2010, by Prisco Virgo 'Italic text''

AU’ TOE
Au’ toe nêô Uisneno, Ama’ ákubelan, Apakae neno tunan ma pahpinan. Au’ toe nêô Yesus Kristus, Inànmone mese’, hitùsi’. Es Âina Maria nakuna, ma nahôênsa natuin Roh Kudus Inkubelna. Inân sutâi susaran bi oras Pônsius Pilatusan na’ úkan. Inan maten bin hau krus, oket sinan suba talan tea neno têôn. In nafenbonan fain noko nôppô, man sae on neno tunan. In natetbon nain nêô Uisneno Amaf Akubelan Inabnapana ’nê’ó. ma In lof nem noko nae ha nafekab lasi nêô atônê ’hônês ma atônê ’maten sin. Au’ toe nêô Roh Kudus, Gereja Katolik ma Santa-santu sin. Atôênásanbina lof napênên perdua, Atóénámaetsina lofon fenan fanin, ma lofon mui’ nêô kita ’hônês piuta. Amen.

HAIÂMA’
Hâiáma’ es neno tunan, ala ha pules nêô ba Hitkanka. Hitpaha lof nem. Hitlôêmta lofan lalin bi naijan í, namnes on le’ nanan bi neno tunan. Tfe kâi mnahat nêô neno í, ma tafêtên tain hâisantina, on le’ hâi msat, mifêtên main atônê bian es nasanab nalail nêô kâi ben. Nêt kâisâ tatam kâi nêô maufinu, me tafêtên tain kâi, noko amlêót huma’huma’. Amen.

AVE MARIA
Ave Maria, Tahêôn tok halinat, Uisneno nok Kit. Hâim pules Kitan nês noko bife ókóke’, haim pules nok hitánha, Yesus. Santa Maria, Uisneno Ináinfa. Hitat onenat tulun tan Nêô kâi, atôênásanab kai, neno í, man bi oras hâim paumak ham maet. Amen.

PULES MA TA’LATAN
Pules ma ta’latan: Nêô ba Amaf, ma Anmone, ma Roh Kudus. On le noko unu’, muni í man nao piuta ha, talan tea nabalbal. Amen.