Online Ilokano Dictionary

Stumbled across The Online Ilokano Dictionary Project a few days back and though I would share it. Initial indications are that the definitions are pretty accurate and the word list is expansive. There were a few words I was unable to find, but not uncommon among Ilokano-English dictionaries.

Overall this is a good resource, and for the price (free!) you really can't go wrong with using it. Combine it with the other free learning materials we've mentioned before and you have a good starting platform for learning.

If you have trouble finding any particular resource or the definition for a word, feel free to comment or send us a message and we'll be glad to help you out!

Ditakayon.

Modern Day Flashcards

One of the most time consuming parts of learning any language is memorizing vocabulary. Before we ever get to putting them in the correct order, or making an attempt at grammar, we must have a knowledge as to what the words mean. One of the best methods for this is a Spaced Repetition System (SRS).

An SRS allows you to review words in increasing intervals of time, helping transfer the words from your short term memory into your long term memory. SRS is the basis for the Pimsleur method of language learning. There are several programs available to us that take advantage of SRS. Anki, Mnemosyne, and Flashcard Exchange just to mention a few.

The one I have used to great success is Anki, but it is a personal choice for what fits your needs best. I chose Anki because it has an app I can use on my Samsung Android phone. This means I can take my flash cards with me anywhere, anytime. It also allows me to create new cards on the fly with out the need for pen and paper, whenever a new word crosses my path.

The basics of these programs is simple. Each card has two "sides" just like a regular paper flash card would. On one side you put the word to learn, on the other the definition or translation. When starting out individual words one each side work best to help you get used to using the program. As you advance in your language learning you can add whole phrases and create definitions in Ilokano instead of your native language. Writing the definitions in Ilokano spurs a much better understanding of the language and aids in your recall of the words when needed.

Using an SRS program also lets us learn vocabulary from a wide selection of sources, not just grammar books. Like I mentioned previously, you can use news and magazine sources to draw from to learn words, as well as, any you hear in conversation or music. The phrase

The key is to use the SRS daily. It may take you as little as 10 minutes, but the compounded effects over time are great. Combining the SRS with mnemonics and you have a Pacquiao style one-two punch that will help you conquer the vocabulary sooner.

Hopefully this has provided you with one more tool to help you along. Until next time.

Photo courtesy: JacobMetcalf

Tawid News Magasin

I recently came across another good site for mining Ilokano words. Tawid News Magasin has been around for just over a decade, but I think their web presence is fairly recent. 90% of the site is in Ilokano and should provide a constant source of reading material. They mostly cover news centered around Vigan, Ilocos Sur.

If you are using the Barry Farber method of language learning, the various news and opinion articles will come in handy. Just pick one and start translating it, taking note of any words you do not recognize and looking them up.

Soon we'll have a post up on how to maximize learning with a resource like this. Until then keep studying.

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Baybayin or Alibata

As you may have noticed by now Ilokano uses the standard roman alphabet. So you may be wondering what those symbols up in the clouds of our header image are, or the little icon next to our site address. That is the old Filipino script called baybayin or alibata. The particular ones I put there spell out Ilokano, and simply the symbol for "I" respectively.

Baybayin is a relativly easy script to learn. Each symbol represents either just a vowel or a consonant plus a vowel combination. The base vowel for each consonant pairing is "a" adding a dot above changes it to "e/i" and a dot below changes it to "o/u."

If you are a serious student of language or simply want to get a feel for how things used to be I suggest learning the script. It is rewarding and can benefit you learning. Also, it is a great way to encrypt your notes and messages as few people would actually be able to read them.

For more information check out the sites Baybayin.com as well as Sarisari . Also, click Read more to see a video from Baybayin.com on writing.

Read More

If video doesn't load click HERE.

In the future we will include more on writing, simply as a way to take your Ilokano to a new level.

Until next time. Ditakayon.

Word Comparison

Found an interesting web page that compares many words between, English, Tagalog, Ilokano, Cebuano, and several other languages. Go take a look, and bookmark it for future reference.

Link

Ilokano Song

One of favorite Ilokano songs is Pananwenen by Noel Cabangon. Only version I could find on YouTube to share was this one with someone's family pictures it would appear. You don't have to watch the video, but at least listen to the song. See what you can identify.

Hope you enjoy it.

Until next time. Ditakayon.

Numbers and counting

Here is a quick lesson on numbers. Don't be surprised to come across Ilokano, Tagalog, Spanish, and English numbers. For general reference Ilokano numbers are used for small amounts, whereas Spanish is used for larger numbers as well as telling time (which we will cover later).

Here is a quick reference chart for you that compares Tagalog, Ilokano, and Spanish.

###	Ilokano	Spanish	Tagalog
1	maysa	uno	isa
2	dua	dos	dalawa
3	tallo	tres	tatlo
4	uppat	cuatro	apat
5	lima	cinco	lima
6	innem	seis	anim
7	pito	siete	pito
8	walo	ocho	walo
9	siam	nueve	siyam
10	sangapulo	diez	sampu

These few numbers will get you by in most cases where you would use Ilokano numbers. For anything above ten just take the group of ten (sangapulo, duapulo, etc) throw in a "ket" (and) then the next number (maysa, dua, etc).

Here are some examples:
23- duapulo ket tallo
58- limapulo ket walo

I'll cover bigger numbers in a later post. For now just get the basics.

Here is a site a good site that has Spanish numbers, it would be a good idea to learn them as they are more common for bigger numbers. A nice list of Spanish numbers with "Ilokano spelling" can also be found in the back of Dr. Rubino's Ilokano book.

Practice your counting and you will be ready to ask for prices, as well as tell time and have general conversation. Remember there is no shame in using your fingers when you are learning to count. People will still be impressed that you are learning.

Until next time. Ditakayon.

Mnemonics for language learning

One of the techniques Barry Farber lays out in his book for learning a new language is mnemonics for vocabulary. Mnemonics are unique way of attaching meaning to words to make them easier to remember. You do it by slightly changing the word into something familiar and thus making it quicker and easier to recall. If this sounds slightly confusing here are some examples.

Agsala - to dance

First we take agsala and find a word that sounds similar, I chose excellent. Next we have to connect the two words. For me I put on the heaviest spanish accent I could muster and declared my self "The most excellent dancer in the world, beating everyone at tango and the waltz." By doing this excellent sounds more like agsala, also it connects it and dancing together.

So when I think of dancing I think excellent dancer which leads to agsala.
Dance-> Excellent-> Agsala

See how that works? The more bizarre, outrageous and crude the image the easier it is to remember. Let's try another one.

Tiendaan- store

This time I break the word down into parts to make it easier. Tie-n-daan, from this I get the words Tia and Dan, two names. Now I put that into a sentence to connect them to store.
Tia and Dan went to the store. Tia and Dan are now connected to store.

Store-> Tia and Dan-> tiendaan

Try it with some other words. This is not just reserved for English speakers, if Tagalog or Cebuano is your native language then find words that you can use the same techniques on. Just remember that vivid, bizarre and crude images work the best. If my examples don't work for you try some of your own. They only have to work for you.

For more information on this system check out Barry Farber's book as well as Buildyourmemory. com.

Try to aim for about 10 words a day using this technique and you will amass a sizeable vocabulary in no time.

One more tip for those who already speak another Filipino dialect, look for words that are very close to each other. Examples for Tagalog/Ilocano are To Sleep-maturog and matulog, also To Study-agadal and pagaral. This should speed up the learning a bit for you.

If you have any questions feel free to leave a comment and we will answer them. Also don't forget to subscribe to our RSS Feed to stay up to date with the latest here.

Until next time. Ditakayon.

Ilokano Radio

A great aid in learning any language is the ability to hear native speakers. While singing is not the same as speaking it is still a valuable resource.

At Iluko.com they have a link to Iluko Radio.

Just go to their site and look for the yellow "Tune In" button underneath where it says "ILUKO.COM RADIO" on the right side of the page.



Click on the yellow button and it should launch. On my computer it opens the Dell Jukebox by Musicmatch, but should be compatible with Yahoo Music Jukebox.

Most of the songs are not what you will find on the Billboard 100, in fact many have a certain "Air Supply" feeling to them. But if you are serious about learning Ilokano then you cannot pass up this resource. I like having it playing in the background when I am doing other work, just to get used to the sound of the language.

Getting Started

Updates to this post will be at the bottom.

If you are like me your decision to learn Ilokano wasn't without some reservation. A quick search of the internet reveals very limited resources. So I will point out the resources I have found.

First there are several books I highly suggest getting.

How To Learn Any Language: Quickly, Easily, Inexpensively, Enjoyably and on Your Own
- Long title, great book. Following the tips laid out by Barry Farber will greatly increase your learning

Let's Speak Ilokano
- Excellent book for getting started. Has a great layout and conforms perfectly with the book above's guidelines

Intermediate Ilokano: An Integrated Language and Culture Text
- Follow up book to Let's Speak Ilokano. Follows the same format.

Ilocano: Ilocano-English/English-Ilocano Dictionary and Phrasebook
- The version of Ilokano is different than in the previous book, but still a good resource for finding words. Though there is no Ilokano-English dictionary as it says. I think there is more complete version of this book, but I have been unable to find it.

After the books another great resource is Ilokano websites. There are 2 I frequent, and offer a good mix of English and Ilokano.

Ilocano.org - Forum that can get you in contact with many native speakers as well as others learning such as yourself.

Iluko.com - Many articles written in Ilokano, as well as a forum.

Next I would suggest finding some Ilokano music. It is hard to find, but it is out there. Noel Cabangon has a few including one of my favorites Panawenen. When I come across full albums I will be sure to post a link.

Lastly, your best resource will be people. I'm guessing if you are wanting to learn Ilokano, you already know somebody who speaks it. Ask them questions, they can help you out more than any book or website can hope to. Plus they can help with pronunciation which is something I cannot help with much. If you do not have the luxury of someone nearby who speaks Ilokano, try asking the local Filipino store for help.

Best of luck my friends. I hope this helps.

Updates:

I stumbled across a new resource which should provide plenty of reading for the aspiring Ilokano Learner. Umuna a Panid aka Wikipedia in Ilokano Good for reading a little history but also testing out your knowledge of the vocabulary.

Ilokano Radio. Check out my post for more information

All the above mentioned books are now available from our Affiliate store.