Badjao Swadesh Wordlist | Bajau Semporna

The following is a Badjao Swadesh Wordlist collected from a man named Gunani, living on a houseboat near the island Pulu Gaya, Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia. Gunani is better described as a Sama Dilaut or a Sama Pala’u. Pala’u refers to the fact that he lives on a houseboat with his family. Gunani is somewhere between the age of 35 to 40 years old. He was born in Semporna to parents who were also born there. His grandparents migrated to Semporna from Tawi-Tawi.
I had been looking to collect a Swadesh wordlist from a Sama Dilaut from Malaysia. In particular a Sama living on a houseboat. The purpose of collecting such a list would be to examine whether the Sinama of the Badjao from Tawi-Tawi & the Badjao of Semporna should be classified as Central or Southern Sinama. Interpretations of the Badjao Swadesh Wordlist can be found in our post: What Language do the Badjao Speak?
As I was not able to accomplish this task in my family’s short trip to Semporna in April 2012, I am grateful to anthropologist Erik Abrahamsson (website http://theaquaticape.org/) for collecting this Swadesh Wordlist for me on his trip this late November 2012.
We have used the terms Badjao and Bajau only due to their recognition by outside observers. Badjao referring to the Sama Dilaut as they are called by non-Sama in the Philippines. Bajau referring to all Sama people as they are called in Malaysia.

As a disclaimer, I would like to note that some faults in the data may exist due to the usage of the Malay language to elicit words. Also difficulty in spelling by the transcribers may have resulted in misinterpretation of certain words.

Badjao Swadesh Wordlist (Sinama) with English, Malay, & Tagalog Equivalents

No.	Sinama	English	Malay	Tagalog
1	aku	I	aku, saya	ako
2	ka’a	you (singular)	engkau, kamu, awak, anda, saudara, saudari	ikaw, ka; kayo
3	iya	he	dia / ia, nya	siya
4	kita, kami	we	kita, kami	tayo, kami
5	ka’am	you (plural)	kamu, kalian, engkau, anda, saudara-saudari	kayo
6	sigām	they	mereka	sila
7	itu	this	ini	ito
8	itu^a	that	itu	iyan, iyon
9	maitu	here	sini	dito
10	mahē’	there	situ sana	Diyan, doon
11	sai	who	siapa	sino
12	ai	what	apa	ano
13	maingga	where	mana	saan, nasaan
14	sumiyan	when	bila kapan	kailan, kelan
15	buwattingga	how	bagaimana macam mana	paano
16	ngga’i ka, mbal	not	tidak, bukan	hindi
17	kamemon	all	semua, segala	lahat
18	aheka	many	banyak	marami
19	dangay-dangay	some	beberapa	ilan, iilan
20	akulang	few	sedikit	kaunti
21	saddī	other	lain	iba, otro
22	dakayu’	one	satu, esa	isa, uno
23	duwa	two	dua	dalawa, dos
24	t’llu	three	tiga, telu	tatlo, tres
25	mpat	four	empat	apat, kwatro
26	lima	five	lima	lima, singko
27	aheya	big	besar, raya	malaki
28	ataha’	long	panjang	mahaba
29	aluha	wide	lebar	malapad
30	akapal	thick	tebal	makapal, ispiso
31	abuhat	heavy	berat	mabigat
32	ariki’	small	kecil	maliit, munti, pandak
33	areyo’	short	pendek	maikli, maigsî
34	asigpit	narrow	sempit	makitid
35	anipis	thin	nipis, tipis	manipis
36	d’nda	woman	perempuan	babae
37	l’lla	man	lelaki	lalaki
38	mandusiya’	man (human being)	orang	tao
39	onde’	child	anak	anak, bata
40	h’nda	wife	isteri	asawa
41	h’lla	husband	suami	asawa
42	nggo’	mother	ibu, emak, induk, ina	ina, nanay, mama
43	mma’	father	bapa, ayah, rama	ama, tatay
44	sattuwa	animal	binatang, haiwan	hayop
45	daing	fish	ikan	isda
46	manuk	bird	burung	ibon
47	ero’	dog	anjing, asu, kuyuk,	aso
48	kutu	louse	kutu	kuto
49	sowa	snake	ular	ahas, sawa
50	kalog	worm	cacing	uod, bulati
51	kayu	tree	pokok, pohon	puno, punung-kahoy
52	talun	forest	hutan, rimba	gubat
53	batang	stick	batang	patpat
54	buwa’	fruit	buah	prutas, bungang-kahoy, bunga
55	baja^b	seed	benih	binhi
56	daun	leaf	daun	dahon
57	ulagat^c	root	akar	ugat
58	kulit kayu	bark (tree)	kulit kayu	balat, bakbák
59	bunga^d	flower	bunga	bulaklak, suchil
60	parang	grass	rumput	damo
61	k’llat	rope	tali	lubid, tali
62	kulit	skin	kulit	balat
63	isi	meat	daging	karne, laman, lamang loob
64	laha’	blood	darah	dugo
65	to’olang	bone	tulang	buto
66	al’mmok^e	fat (noun)	lemak	taba
67	nt’llo	egg	telur	itlog
68	tanduk	horn	tanduk	sungay
69	togel	tail	ekor	buntot
70	bulu^f	feather	bulu	balahibo
71	bu’un	hair	rambut (head-hair)	buhok
72	kōk	head	kepala, hulu	ulo, kabesa
73	talinga	ear	telinga	tenga, tainga
74	mata	eye	mata	mata
75	ūng	nose	hidung	ilong
76	bowa’	mouth	mulut	bibig
77	empon	tooth	gigi	ngipin
78	d’lla’	tongue	lidah	dila
79	kukku	fingernail	kuku	kuko
80	tape’	foot	kaki	paa
81	pa’a	leg	kaki	binti
82	kōk-tu’ut	knee	lutut, tuhut (Brunei)	tuhod
83	tangan	hand	tangan	kamay
84	kepet	wing	sayap, kepak	pakpak
85	b’ttong	belly	perut	tiyan
86	usus^g	guts	usus	bituka, laman-loob
87	k’llong	neck	leher	leeg
88	bukut, kalompang	back	punggung, belakang	likod, likuran
89	jantung^h	breast	payudara, titik	suso, dibdíb
90	atayⁱ	heart	jantung	puso
91	tina’i^j	liver	hati	atay, igado
92	anginum	to drink	minum	uminom, inumin
93	amangan	to eat	makan	kumain, kainin, lumamon, lamunin
94	kineket	to bite	gigit	kumagát, kagatin
95	ssa^k	to suck	hisap	sumipsip, sipsipin
96	ludja’	to spit	ludah	dumura
97	angutta’	to vomit	muntah	sumuka
98	tiyup	to blow	tiup	umihip, gulpi
99	magnapas	to breathe	nafas, hirup	huminga
100	atittowa	to laugh	ketawa	tumawa
101	ang’nda’	to see	lihat, tengok	makita
102	pakalehin	to hear	dengar	Márinig, dinggin
103	tahatiku^l	to know	tahu	umalam, alamin, malaman
104	pikil	to think	fikir	mag-isip, isipin
105	ūng, siniyum^m	to smell	bau, cium, hidu	amuyin
106	atāw	to fear	takut	takot, matakot
107	atuli	to sleep	tidur	matulog
108	allum	to live	hidup	mabuhay
109	amatay	to die	mati, meninggal, mangkat (royal term)	mamatay, pumanaw, mapaslang
110	binono’	to kill	bunuh	pumatay, patayin, pumaslang
111	magatu	to fight	lawan	lumaban
112	(no response)	to hunt	buru	mangaso
113	kinakal	to hit	pukul	tamaan, tumbukin
114	pinōng	to cut	potong	putulin, hiwain
115	binahagi’	to split	belah	magbiyak, biyakin
116	nirugsu’an	to stab	tikam	manaksak, saksakin
117	magbono’ ⁿ	to scratch	garu	kamutin
118	angalut	to dig	gali, korek	maghukay, hukayin
119	lumangi	to swim	renang	lumangoy, languyin
120	lumeyang	to fly	terbang	lumipad, liparin
121	magl’ngngan	to walk	jalan	maglakad, lumakad
122	at’kka	to come	datang	dumating, datingan/datnan
123	palege	to lie (as in a bed)	baring	humiga
124	aningkō’	to sit	duduk	umupo
125	an’ngge	to stand	diri	tumayo
126	pabalito^o	to turn	belok, pusing, putar	lumiko, bumilíng
127	alabu’^p	to fall	jatuh	bumagsak
128	nde’in, pamuwan	to give	beri, bagi	magbigay, ibigay
129	amalut	to hold	pegang	humawak, hawakan, tanganan, tangnán
130	anaksuy^q	to squeeze	perah	pisilin, pigas
131	kinusu-kusu	to rub	gosok	magkuskos, kuskusin
132	angose’	to wash	cuci	maghugas, hugasan
133	sapu	to wipe	lap	magpunas, punasan
134	hella’	to pull	tarik	bumatak, batakin, humila, hilahin
135	ijujalan^r	to push	tolak	magtulak, itulak
136	tinimanan	to throw	baling, campak, lempar, lontar	maghagis, ihagis
137	engkot	to tie	ikat	magtali, itali
138	angala’it	to sew	jahit	tahiin
139	itung	to count	kira, hitung, bilang	bumilang
140	ah’lling, angistori	to say	kata, cakap, tutur	sabihin
141	angongka’	to sing	nyanyi	umawit, awitin
142	angongka’	to play	main	maglaro, laruin
143	palantun-lantun	to float	apung	lumutang
144	(no response)	to flow	alur, alir, salur, salir	umagos, iagos
145	amatuwas	to freeze	beku	maging yelo, mabuô manigas
146	am’ngkong	to swell	bengkak	mamaga
147	mata-llaw	sun	matahari	araw
148	bulan	moon	bulan, cendera	buwan
149	mamahi	star	bintang	bituin
150	bohe’	water	air	tubig
151	ulan	rain	hujan	ulan
152	sowang	river	sungai, batang	ilog
153	danaw	lake	tasik, danau,	lawa
154	dilaut^s	sea	laut	dagat
155	asin	salt	garam	asin
156	batu	stone	batu	bato
157	gusung	sand	pasir	buhangin
158	baliyu agabu^t	dust	habuk	alikabok
159	tana’	earth	tanah	lupa
160	ma tonga’an, tai’-baliyu	cloud	awan	ulap
161	kabus^u	fog	kabus	ulap na hamog
162	ma tonga’an	sky	langit	langit, kalangitan
163	baliyu	wind	angin	hangin
164	salji^v	snow	salji	niyebe
165	aes	ice	air batu, air beku, ais	yelo
166	humbu	smoke	asap	aso, usok
167	api	fire	api	apoy
168	abu	ash	abu	abo
169	tinunu’	to burn	bakar	magsunog, masunog, sunugin
170	lān	road	jalan	daan, kalsada, lansangan
171	būd	mountain	gunung	bundok
172	keyat	red	merah	pula
173	gaddung	green	hijau	lunti(an), berde
174	baning^w	yellow	kuning	dilaw
175	pote’	white	putih	puti
176	ettom	black	hitam	itim
177	sangom	night	malam	gabi
178	llaw	day	siang, hari	araw
179	tahun	year	tahun	taon
180	apasu’	warm	panas, hangat	Mainit, maligamgám
181	t’nne	cold	sejuk	malamig, magináw
182	ap’nno’	full	penuh	puno
183	baha’u	new	baharu	bago
184	ato’a, ma’as	old	lama, tua (life-age)	luma, matanda
185	ahāp	good	baik, bagus	mabuti
186	busuk, abuhuk	bad	buruk, teruk	masama, maldito/a
187	abuhuk	rotten	busuk	bulok, panis
188	al’mmis	dirty	kotor, kumuh	marumi
189	abontol, atilud	straight	lurus	tuwid
190	palikong^x	round	bulat	bilog
191	atalom	sharp	tajam	matalim
192	atompol	dull	tumpul	pudpod, mapuról
193	(changed) angalu’ud^y	smooth	licin	makinis
194	abase’	wet	basah	basa
195	atoho’	dry	kering	tuyo
196	b’nnal	correct	betul	tama, tumpak
197	asekot	near	dekat, hampir	malapit
198	atā	far	jauh	malayo
199	kowan	right	kanan	kanan
200	gibang	left	kiri	kaliwa
201	ma	at	di	sa
202	mareyom	in	di dalam	sa
203	maka	with	dengan	kasama
204	maka	and	dan, serta	at
205	bang	if	kalau, jikalau, jika	kung
206	pasal	because	kerana, sebab	dahil, sapagkat, kasi
207	ōn	name	nama	(pa)ngalan

Footnotes concerning possible issues with the Swadesh Wordlist

If you are a Sama speaker from Sabah, Tawi-Tawi, Sulu or Zamboanga, we would appreciate your feedback on the concerns that we have listed below with the Badjao Swadesh Wordlist.
a This appears to be a mistake in word elicitation derived from the Malay word itu meaning that. In Sinama the word would most likely be either inān, ina’an, or ilu.

b We do not recognize the word baja. It could also be baya. The transcriber used “j” for the “y” sound one other time in the wordlist.

c This might be a dialect difference or an issue with word elicitation using the Malay language. Gamut seems like a better choice unless there is a dialect difference. The word ugat can also mean root in Sinama. Sama Dilaut would possibly have it rendered as ulagat.

d Bunga is the Malay for flower. Most likely this is an error in elicitation where the Sama assumed that bunga meant fruit. Another possibility is that the Sama in Semporna have started borrowing the Malay word for flower, bunga. We would expect this word to be sumping.

e Al’mmok is the adjective for a fat person. We would expect this word to be l’mmok or taba‘.

f Bulu is certainly the Malay for feathers. We are more familiar with the term bū, which is a contraction of bulu. Sama Dilaut have a tendency of not contracting words that other Central Sama contract.

g This appears to be a mistake in word elicitation derived from the Malay word usus meaning guts. In Sinama the word would most likely be either tina’i or longon-longon.

h The words for breast, heart and liver seem to be confused here. Most likely the Sama word for breast would be duru’ or daggaha’. Heart should be jantung and liver should be atay. The word tina’i fits better the description of guts.

i The words heart and liver are readily confused in various Austronesian languages due to the difference between these words anatomically and as they are used to describe emotion. In the past atay anatomically would be the liver, but is also the seat of emotion or from where Sama speakers think of feelings coming from.

j (see footnotes h & i)

k We do not recognize the word ssa in this sense. We would expect this word to be an’ssop from the root s’ssop.

l Maybe better rendered as kata’uwanku instead of tahatiku. The difference is between knowing and understanding.

m This appears to be a mistake in word elicitation. Ūng is the Sama word for nose. Siyum is the Sama word for kissing. Sama kissing involves smelling as opposed to contact with an individuals lips. We would expect nihamut to be the appropriate term here.

n This appears to be a mistake in elicitation. We would expect this to be magkatol, magkaskas, or magkamas.

o Pabalito: Unrecognized word.

p Alabu’:

q Anaksuy: Unrecognized word.

r The prefix i- as found in ijujalan is unfamiliar. Most likely it is a mistake in transcription. More likely the word should be nijujalan.

s Dilaut means deep sea. It is very possible that eliciting this word list using the Malay language influenced this answer. Tahik would be a more generic term.

t Baliyu agabu seems to be better rendered as baliyu angabu. This may have been a transcription error.

u Kabus is the Malay word for fog. We do not recognize it. It may very likely be used by Sama from Malaysia as a borrowed word.

v Salji is the Malay word for snow. We do not recognize it. It may very likely be used by Sama from Malaysia as a borrowed word.

w Baning was not found in Kemp Pallesen’s Central Sinama Dictionary. It is recognized as a dialect variant of the word biyaning.

x Palikong: Unrecognized word.

y Angalu’ud: This word was transcribed angalaud We assume this as a transcription error and corrected it to angalu’ud a Central Sinama word meaning slippery in connection to something being smooth.
The original Malay Swadesh wordlist used for eliciting the Badjao Swadesh Wordlist can be found at: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:Malay_Swadesh_list

Luke (Seheꞌ) (77)

Kaseheꞌan sulat min magsusulat itu:

Tags: Bajau of Semporna, Central Sinama, linguistics, Semporna, southern sinama

5 thoughts on “Badjao Swadesh Wordlist | Bajau Semporna”

Pingback: What language do the Badjao speak? | Magsinama Kitam!
Rachel says:
June 5, 2021 at 9:26 pm
Why is it IYA in badjao ang English is HE? But in Tagalog it was translated to SIYA??
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1. Luke (Seheꞌ) says:
  June 7, 2021 at 11:36 am
  ‘iya’ and ‘siya’ do not have gender so the correct English gloss should be ‘he’ or ‘she’ for this. I’m not certain if that helps answer your question. My first Filipino language caused me confusion with learning Tagalog since ‘siya’ in Maguindanaon means ‘here’ or ‘dito’ in Tagalog. If you have further questions feel free to ask.
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Samuel Kurcab says:
January 14, 2022 at 8:46 am
If I meet Sama here in the Visayas (I live in Bohol), is this the most common language they will speak?
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1. Luke (Seheꞌ) says:
  February 4, 2022 at 10:35 am
  Sorry for the late replay. They speak Central Sinama and also probably Bisaya.
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Badjao Swadesh Wordlist | Bajau Semporna

Badjao Swadesh Wordlist (Sinama) with English, Malay, & Tagalog Equivalents

Footnotes concerning possible issues with the Swadesh Wordlist

Luke (Seheꞌ) (77)

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Badjao Swadesh Wordlist (Sinama) with English, Malay, & Tagalog Equivalents

Footnotes concerning possible issues with the Swadesh Wordlist

Luke (Seheꞌ) (77)

Kaseheꞌan sulat min magsusulat itu:

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Sinama Dictionary App Launched Today on Google Play

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Letting go of the word Badjao

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