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The Little Prince By Antoine De Saint-Exupéry Is Now Available In Chabacano!

While Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince) written by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry in 1943 now has over 300 translations in different languages worldwide and is now considered the world’s most translated book (not counting religious works), there have been surprisingly only two translations of his book in the Philippines (Filipino and Bicol). El Diutay Principe is only the third edition featuring a Philippine language. The Little Prince is a classic French novella about a pilot who gets stranded in the desert after a plane crash and encounters a little fellow who asks him to draw a sheep for him. Through the course of their meeting, the pilot rediscovers the true meaning of life and what people should value the most. When I came across the book in 2013, I found that I could relate very well to the negative image given to “growing up” in the book. When the idea to translate the book into my mother tongue was presented to me, I didn’t think twice. I thought, ‘a lot of people my ...
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Health Reminders in Chabacano




The above signs are found at the city health office in Zamboanga city. It is written in informal Chabacano as its target audience is the masses. The signs talk about what one should do to avoid rabies and tips on how to combat Dengue. Here is a transcription of the messages on the sign.

Sign 1

Oficina de Salud
Health Advisory
Cosa debe hace para ibita con el rabies:
Queda responsable dueno del animal:
-Cuida enbuenamente de ustedes perro y otro maga animal
-Manda man bakuna con el de ustedes perro cada ano
-No mas deja largao con el perro na camino

Si entralcaso ya pwede morde perro o otro animal:
-Limpia enseguida el irida con agua y jabon
-Anda derecho consulta na doctor o na serca Health Center
-No mas consulta na "tandok" y albolario

Preveni el rabies kay este nuay cura!

Nuestro deseo un ciudad sin enfermedad

English translation:

Health Office
Health Advisory
What one should do to avoid rabies:
Become a responsible animal owner:
-Take good care of your dog and other animals
-Have your dogs vaccinated every year
-Do not let your dog loose on the street

In the event of a dog or animal bite:
-Clean the wound right away with soap and water
-Consult with a doctor or with a Health Center right away
-Do not consult a **"tandok" and a quack doctor.

Prevent rabies because this has no cure!
Our wish is a city without illness

Sign 2

Oficina de Salud
Health Advisory
4-5 Contra Dengue
Search and Destroy. Busca y destrosa maga lugar onde puede pone huevos el namuk de Dengue

-Hace culup con el maga botelya, lata y otro lugar ta colecta agua
-Limpia el alulung
-Cambia el agua del florera una ves el semana
-Tapa el maga lugar del agua na kasa

Self-protection Measures. Protege el cuerpo contra na mordida de namuk de Dengue.
-Dormi con mosquitero o usa "Mosquito Repellant"
-Usa largo kamiseta y pantalon si necesita

Seek Early Consultation. Consulta temprano si tiene senales de Dengue.
-Consulta enseguida na cerca health center o hospital si tiene calor de 2 dia, dolor de cuerpo y cabesa, y si tiene diutay colorao patakpatak na cuerpo.

Say No to Indiscriminate Fogging. No depende mucho na "Fogging"
-Man fogging lang si tiene "Dengue Outbreak"

English translation:

Health Office
Health Advisory
4-5 Battle Against Dengue
Search and Destroy. Search and destroy places where Dengue mosquitoes can put eggs.

-Turn the bottles, cans, and water containers upside down
-Clean the gutters
-Change the water in the vase once a week
-Cover water storage containers in the house

Self-protection Measures. Protect yourself against the bite of a Dengue mosquito.
-Sleep with a mosquito net or use a mosquito repellent.
-Use long shirts and pants if needed
Seek Early Consultation. Consult early if you experience signs of Dengue.
-Consult your nearest *health center or hospital right away if you have been experiencing fever for 2 days, headache and body-ache, and if there are small red spots on your body.

Say No to Indiscriminate Fogging. Do not depend too much on ***fogging.
-Do a fogging only if there is a Dengue outbreak

*A health center is a community health clinic which provides basic health services
**Tandok is the ritual of putting a horn of a deer or carabao over a dog bite. This is believed to suck out the rabies virus. Source: http://www.interaksyon.com/article/44532/iloilo-bans-anti-rabies-ritual-tandok
***Refers to mosquito fogging

What I noticed from the Chabacano used in the signs is that the a lot of the words were spelled using Tagalog (as they are pronounced) such as botelya (botella), kasa (casa). kamiseta (camiseta), ibita (evita), irida (herida).

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