Siargao Lexical Variants of Surigawnun: A Pedagogic Grammar Monograph

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Adhering to the MTB-MLE policy under the K to 12 Program has prompted the Filipino teachers to develop contextualized instructional materials (IMs) in their own native tongue. In Surigao del Norte, few IMs utilizing its native Surigawnun language are already available. However, in Siargao Island, the use of these crafted IMs brings confusion among teachers from Kinder to Grade 3. They are confused about the ideal spelling of Surigawnun words and on Surigawnun words on the island that are incomprehensible by Surigawnun natives outside the island. Hence, this study is timely since the results will clarify points of argument on what to adopt as the idealized orthography of Surigawnun language and will avoid misunderstanding and misconceptions of words.

METHODS

The research method used was descriptive analysis. Verbal data were collected from a recorded casual interview with native Surigawnuns in Siargao Island. To identify Surigawnun counterparts of the lexical variants in Siargao, a Surigawnun poetry book was scrutinized. Another source of word counterparts was retrieved from the posts and comments of Surigawnun natives who are members of a Surigawnun exclusive Facebook group account named Manunuyat nan Surigawnun (Surigawnun Writers).

RESULTS

Results of this study reveal that Surigawnun language follows the phoneme-grapheme correspondence in its idealized orthography. It uses only three vowel letters Aa, Ii, and Uu to represent three corresponding vowel sounds /a/, /i/, and /u/; and uses only sixteen consonants with one glottal stop in medial position, symbolized by the hyphen (-). This study also reveals that there are one hundred thirty (130) lexical variants of Surigawnun content words in Siargao Island that have exact word counterparts in Surigawnun and English. These are composed of thirty-eight (38) nouns, forty-five (45) verbs, forty (40) adjectives, and seven (7) adverbs.

DISCUSSIONS

The findings of this study lead to the output “A Pedagogic Grammar for Siargao Synonyms of Surigawnun.” In this monograph, the Surigawnun words are spelled as they are sounded. The teachers in Siargao may use this monograph in teaching the Siargao Surigawnun content words. This study recommends also for a Provincial language policy that will establish the Surigawnun Orthography to avoid confusion on spelling. It is also recommended that Siargao Surigawnun lexical variants shall be habitually spoken by the Surigawnun natives in the island to ensure its transmission to the younger generation.