I Utugrafian Chamorro yan i Areklamento-ña - Chamorro Orthography and Rules

Part of learning Chamorro is not only understanding it in the colloquial sense, but also when it's used in official documents.  The following is an excerpt from an official Government of Guam document written back in September 8, 1978.  The document is linked below where you can see inconsistencies and why it was, and still is, so important to maintain language consistency.  The following written portion is written with corrections so you can see the difference in use, spelling, and punctuation.


Gubetnun Guahan Ufisinan Maga'lahi Hagatña, Guahan
Government of Guam, Office of the Governor,  Agaña, Guam

Iksekitibu na Otdin Numiru 78
Executive Order No. 78

I Utigrafian Chamorro yan i Areklamento-ña
Chamorro Orthography and Rules

Komu, i Chamorro i priopiu na finihu' Guahan yan i Islas Marianas siha; yan 
Whereas, Chamorro is the indigenous language of Guam and the Marianas Islands; and

Komu, i finihu' Chamorro marikunisa ufisiatmenti yan mafa'layi komu unu gi ufisiat na finihu' siha gi Guahan; yan
Whereas, the Chamorro language has been officially recognized and codified as one of the official languages of Guam; and

Komu, sisteman na tinigi' Chamorro taya na mana'klaru i mariprisinta-ña gi tinigi'; yan 
Whereas, the Chamorro writing system has never been explicitly delineated in any official form; and

Komu, taya ufisiat na areklu humuyung meggai na klasi yan difirentis tinigi' manma'usa; yan
Whereas, the lack of any official rules has resulted in inconsistent usage and form; and

Komu, pa'go na tempu meggai manmamannge' madalalalaki i hinasson-ñiha yan i petsunat na histilu-ñiha yannggin manmangge' gi fino' Chamorro; yan
Whereas, at the present time most writers follow their own intuition and personalized style when writing in Chamorro; and

Komu, i Marianas Orthography Committee ha adopta i sisteman madilitreha gi mit nuebisiento setentaiunu na sakan; yan
Whereas, the Marianas Orthography Committee adopted a spelling system in 1971; and

Komu, i sisteman manoilitreha ma'u'usa pa'go gi bilingual education na prugrama gi eskuelan Guahan yan gi sanlagu na Islas Marianas; yan 
Whereas, this spelling system is currently being used by the bilingual education programs in schools on Guam and the Northern Marianas Islands; and

Komu, asta pa'go na fecha taya ufisiat na utugrafia ma'adoptan; yan
Whereas, to date, no official orthography has been adopted; and

Komu, prisisu na uma'istapblesi un ufisiat yan unifotmi na utugrafian Chamorro para uma'asigura un klasin tinigi ha' gi finihu' Chamorro; yan
Whereas, an official standard Chamorro orthography should be adopted to assure uniformity in the use of the Chamorro language; and

Komu, i Chamorro Language Commission ha' estudiayi, ha' analisa, yan ha' diskuti apmam na tempu todu i guaha yan difirentis na tinigi' gi finihu' Chamorro para umalaknus unu ha' na sisteman tinigi' gi finihu' Chamorro; yan
Whereas, the Chamorro Language Commission has devoted numerous months and countless hours, past attempts and proposals to systematize the Chamorro writing system; and

Komu, i Chamorro Language Commission ha' prisenta gi as Maga'lahi un sistema yan i gumachuchungi na areklamentu siha ni muna'anuk hafa diputsi i Chamorro na finihu' yan para umanalibiyanu ma'usa-ña yan mafañgue-ña gi eskuela siha; yan
Whereas, the Chamorro Language Commission has presented the Governor with a system and a set of rules that they feel is reflective of Chamorro and will facilitate its use and teaching in the schools; and

Komu esta munhayan-hu istudia i rikumindasion i Chamorro Language Commission ya hu aprueba i mapruponi;
Whereas, I have reviewed the recommendation of the Chamorro Language Commission and concur with their proposal;

Pues, put este siha na rason, guahu si Ricardo J. Bordallo, Maga'lahin Guahan put i uturidat ni mana'i yu ginen i Organic Act of Guam ni ma'amendi-hu otdin na uma'adopta sigun gi matugi' guini "I Chamorro na Utugrafia yan Areklamento-ña"...
Now, Therefore, I, Ricardo J. Bordallo, Governor of Guam, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Organic Act of Guam, as amended, do hereby order the adoption of the following "Chamorro Orthography and Rules"...

As you can see from the following document, even in the 1970s, there was a defnite struggle on Guam regarding the use and perpetuation of the Chamorro language.  While other public schools in the Northern Marianas used English at school, Chamorro was often the primary language, if not the sole language, used at home.  Orthography and spoken language was deemed to be the responsibility of Chamorro family, but one wonders where the disconnect may have occurred in Guamanian Chamorro households.

Compare the spelling and message to modern Chamorro and see how even in the 1970s, there was much confusion and inconsistency in Chamorro orthography on Guam:

http://documents.guam.gov/sites/default/files/E.O.-78-26-I-Utugrafiyan-Chamorro-Zan-I-Areklamento-Na-Cham.pdf

In any case, it is up to all Chamorros who do speak the language to help our fellow brothers and sisters achieve language proficiency.  We can contribute by posting bilingual videos, audio, and writing in Chamorro and English to help others get used to vocabulary and phrase acquisition as well as building their confidence.  Together, we can all contribute to saving the Chamorro language.

Daibitis - Diabetes

(This is from a women's health brochure on diabetes from the FDA)

Mas ki nuebe miyon na famalao’an giya Estados Unidos man daibitis.More than 9 million women in the United States have diabetes.

Ya tres miyon ti tumungo!And 3 million don't even know it!

Kao un tungo na...? Did you know...?
•Daibitis ha umenta mas chansa para un inataka I korason, pat sino strok.Diabetes increases your risk for heart attack or stroke.
•Guaha famalao’an man ninayi ni daibitis yangin man mapotgi.Some women get diabetes when they are pregnant.
•Famalao’an ni man daibitis mas siña man mafak i mapotgiñiha, pat man gai neni ni man gai difekta yangin mafañagu.Women who have diabetes are more likely to have a miscarriage or a baby with birth defects.


Hafa i daibitis? What is diabetes?
•Daibitis un chetnot i ni a tulaika hafa taimanu i tataotao-mu ha usa i asukat. I nengkanno ni unkanno’ ha tulaika para asukat. I asukat hu mahanao para todo i bandan tataotao-mu. Tenga i insulin ha ayuda i asukat-mu gi haga para i cells gi tataotao anai ha pega para un nina brabu.Diabetes is a disease that changes the way your body uses sugar. The food you eat turns to sugar. The sugar then travels through the blood to all parts of the body. Normally, insulin helps get sugar from the blood to the body's cells, where it is used for energy.
•Yangin daibitis hao, mapot i tataotao-mu mamatinas pat/ sino ha ripresta para i insulin. I tataotao-mu taya brinabuña. Yan i asukat-mu gi haga mas takkilo.When you have diabetes, your body has trouble making and/or using insulin. So your body does not get the fuel it needs. And your blood sugar stays too high.



Hafa na klasen daibitis siha? What are the types of diabetes?
• Klase unu – I tataotao–mu ti mamatinas insulin. I taotao ni klasen uno ha nisisita insulin kada dia para u la’la’.Type 1 --The body does not make any insulin. People with type1 must take insulin every day to stay alive.
• Klasen Dos -I tataotao ti ha u u’sa i insulin taimanu dipotsi. Mas taotao ni man daibitis man ninayi ni klasen dos.Type 2 --The body does not make enough insulin, or use insulin well. Most people with diabetes have type 2.


Kao mas hao atotga ni daibitis?Who is at most risk for diabetes?
•Kao un nisista para un ribaha i libras-mu?Do you need to lose weight?
•Kao taya kinalamten mu?Do you get little or no exercise?
•Kao takkilo i presun hagu-mu (130/80) pat mas takkilo)?Do you have high blood pressure (130/80 or higher)?
•Kao man daibitis i familia-mu?Do you have diabetes in your family?
•Kao palao’an hao ya ninayi daibitis anai mapotgi hao?Are you a woman who had it when you were pregnant?
•Kao mañagu hao neni ni mas ki nuebe libras gi mafanaguña?Have you had a baby who weighed more than 9 pounds at birth?
•Kao Afrikano Amerikanu, Natibu Amerikanu, Ispañot, Asiano Amerikanu, pat Islas Pasifiku na taotao hao?Are you African American, Native American, Hispanic, Asian American, or Pacific Islander?


Hafa i siñat siha?What are the warning signs?

•Mas sesso guato gi kemmonFrequent trips to the restroom
•Sesso ñgalang pat ma’uFeeling hungry or thirsty all the time
•Maya’ i inatan-muBlurred vision
•Chinachak pat malasas ya dispasio mahgongCuts or bruises that are slow to heal
•Todo i tiempo yayas haoFeeling tired all the time
•I kanai yan addeng man laolao pat ma’etdotTingling or numbness in the hands or feet


Guaha taotao man daibitis, lao taya na maripara i siñat.There are some people with diabetes, but do not notice any signs.



Hafa siña hu chogue yan daibitis yu?What can I do if I have diabetes?
Usa i maolek na amotUse medicines wisely
• Guaha na taotao ni man daibitis ma nisisita machule' i pitdoras pat i dilok insulin. Tattiyi i direksion.Sometimes people with diabetes need to take pills or insulin shots. Be sure to follow the directions.
• Faisen i mediku-mu, infitmera, pat i taotao i sagan amot hafa i amot-mu para uchogue. Faisen lokkue ngai’an na para un chule', yan hafa na dañu hiniyongña.Ask your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist what your medicines do. Also ask when to take them and if they have any side effects.


Atan hafa unkanno, yan na kalamten i brinabu-mu.Watch what you eat and get exercise
•Taya unu na dieta para i taotao ni daibitis. Faisin i taotao i salud brinabu-mu pot i planu para hagu.There is no one diet for people with diabetes. Work with your health care team to come up with a plan for you.
•Kalamten masea trenta minutus gi ha’ane, kuantos dias gi semana. Na kalamten i tataotao-mu ya un usa i insulin mas maolek.Be active at least 30 minutes a day most days of the week. Exercise helps your body's insulin work better. It also lowers your blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol.


Rikonosi i asukat i haga-mu yan tungo i iyo-mu ABC’s.Check Your Blood Sugar and Know Your ABCs
• Adahi hao kontra i chetnot korason yan strok, na siguru na i asukat haga, presun haga, yan i kolesterol man ma adahi.Help prevent heart disease and stroke by keeping your blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol under control.
• Rikonosi i asukat haga yan i testa ni siña un usa gi gima.Check your blood sugar using a meter (home testing kit).
• Faisen i mediku-mu pot i A-1-C na haga para u ma tes. Rikononosi i asukat haga kada dos pat tres meses.Ask your doctor for an A-1-C ("A-one-see") blood test. It measures blood sugar levels over 2 to 3 months.
• Kuentuse i taotao salud brinabu-mu pot iyo-mu ABC’S:Talk to your health care team about your ABC's:

A-1-C
Blood pressure
Cholesterol

Para Un Tungo Mas:
To Find Out More:
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Diabetes Information
http://www.fda.gov/diabetes

Veterans - I Beteranu Siha

Ti malagu yu mapedde nu este na gerra, tampoku hao.

I don't want to lose this war, and neither do you.

  

Todo siha ayu i ti magerra, taya tiningo-ñiha i mina'añao.

Those who haven't been to war, have no idea how horrible it is.

Munga ma ekunguk todo siha i masasangan na asunto.

Don't listen to everything the media tells you.

Todo siha i tumunan manmaisa siha put todo "i minagahet," puru ha dinagi.  

Those who call themselves "the truth" are usually full of shit.

Supotta i sindalun-ta siha.

Support the troops. 

Yu'us bendisi i sindalun mami siha.

God bless our troops.

Lameta i korason-hu esta gaige giya Iraq.

Half of my heart is in Iraq.

I lahi-hu gaige giya Iraq.

My son is in Iraq.

I haga-hu gaige giya Afghanistan.

My daughter is in Afghanistan.

I VA debi di u ayuda i beteranu siha.

The VA should be helping veterans.

Todo i taotao mantrankilo manmaigu gi puengge sa mangaige i sindalu siha malisto para u ma protehi hafa na achaki.   

People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf. 

Yanggin taya hao ni gumerra, fa'tinas i fabot yan huchom i pachot-mu.

If you haven't been in combat, do us all a favor and shut up.

Debi di u guaha respeto para i manmatai siha.  

Have respect for the dead.

**Special note:  Thanks to Ms. Blas for catching the typo!!!