22.11.16

Maluwang or Maluwag?


FYI lang po. :)

A.   Maluwang - roomy, much space 
      Luwang - width / broadness / spaciousness
      Lumuwang - to become broader 

Halimbawa:

  • Nagmukhang mas maluwang ang opisina matapos malinisan.
  • Niluwangan niya ang bukas ng pinto.
  • Maganda ang silid niya, maluwang at maliwanag.


12.11.16

Interview with Your Character

One of the ways to create a realistic character is to ask him/her questions so you could know him/her more. Now, there are a number of questions that you can ask, this is just a sample set that stumbled upon in the Internet. (Credits to the owner) 10 questions lang ito and random topics lang, pero puwede mong dagdagan ng mga medyo deeper questions kung gusto mo. 

I "interviewed" my characters in this manuscript I'm writing. And I think this method is effective in a way that I can clearly see the differences in my characters' personalities.
My heroine's answers. (Note: Medyo may attitude problem siya.) 

1.      What did you eat for breakfast? Just coffee. I don’t eat breakfast. Did you make it yourself? *Shrugs* the coffeemaker did, technically.  What time do you eat breakfast? I don’t eat breakfast nga. How many times do I have to say that? Do you wash the pan after you cook the eggs or do you leave it for the maid to clean? I don’t have any maid. Do you have a maid? Please stop asking questions with obvious answers, it’s irritating.

2.      Do you have a cat? No. How many cats do you have? None. Do you wish you were a cat? What! How many litter boxes do you have? Please. Nauubos ang pasensya ko sayo. Do you clean the litter boxes every day? Or does your maid clean the litter boxes? Shut up.
3.      Do you go out for lunch or bring a pack lunch? Do you take an extra long lunch break and charge the company? Of course not. I don’t think it’s any of your business how I’d like to eat my lunch.

4.      Are you an only child? How many siblings do you have? Are you close or are you estranged? I have two sisters. Medyo close. No, not really. I’m too different to them. They’re kind people, I’m not.

5.      If you are adopted, do you know your birth parents? Do you want to find them? N/A

6.      Do you call your mother every day, or only on her birthday, Mother’s Day, and Christmas? Are your parents alive? They are alive. I call once in a while. Or they call me. I don’t have much time for chit chats you know. I’m a busy person. And BTW, this whole interview is growing more and more irritating with every set of questions.

7.      Do you like to cook? Do you use recipes or make up your own recipes? Do you eat out every night? I don’t cook. I order, I eat out, I boil… things. That is all.

8.      Do you put both socks on first, or one sock, one shoe? And this question is relevant because…?

9.  Do you have a dog? Is the dog a rescue dog or bought from a breeder? I don’t like and I don't need additional responsibilities, so no.

10. Would you like me to get you a glass of water? Or would you rather have soda? Wine? Whiskey? Kape na lang.

These are my hero's responses:

1.      What did you eat for breakfast? Still eating it actually. *laughs* Basta heavy lagi ang breakfast ko. Today, I had sinangag, itlog and adobong chicken. Did you make it yourself? Yes. Sadly, I don’t have neither a wife nor a house help to do this for me. What time do you eat breakfast? Around 7? I wake up at 6 tapos luto, kain. Do you wash the pan after you cook the eggs or do you leave it for the maid to clean? Pag sinipag ako. Pag hindi, sa gabi na siya mahuhugasan ehhehe Do you have a maid? Wala nga eh. Wala akong ipapasuweldo. :)

2.      Do you have a cat?  How many cats do you have? Wala eh. I wish I have, kahit isa lang. Para naman may sasalubong man lang sa akin pag-uwi ko sa bahay sa gabi. I have a dog at home though. Si Mommy ang nag-aalaga sa kay Bruce Ferrera. Ba’t may surname siya? Wala lang. Do you wish you were a cat? Hmm. Come to think of it, parang masaya ngang maging pusa. You have all the right to be lazy and demanding, tapos all the girls love you pa rin. How many litter boxes do you have? Do you clean the litter boxes every day? Or does your maid clean the litter boxes? Wala eh.

3.      Do you go our for lunch or bring a sack lunch? I pack lunch. Sayang ang matitipid. Do you take an extra long lunch break and charge the company? Grabe naman! Mabait ako. Hindi ko ginagawa yang ganyan.

4.      Are you an only child? Buti na lang hindi. How many siblings do you have? 16. Kasali lahat ng friends ko na inampon na rin ng parents ko. Are you close or are you estranged? Too close for comfort, sometimes, hehehe

5.      If you are adopted, do you know your birth parents? Do you want to find them? I am not adopted but if I were adopted, I’ll thank my parents kasi they gave me the best family that anyone could ask for. And then yes, I’ll look for my birth parents. Gusto ko silang makilala.  

6.      Do you call your mother every day, or only on her birthday, Mother’s Day, and Christmas? Are your parents alive? Twice, thrice a day? Natataranta kasi si Mommy pag di niya naririnig ang voice ko every three minutes, hehehe

7.      Do you like to cook? what about, I dont have a choice? Do you use recipes or make up your own recipes? I enjoy making up my own recipes, not so much when I’m vomiting and having a diarrhea because of it. Do you eat out every night? Kung may manlilibre sa akin. Libre mo ko?

8.      Do you put both socks on first, or one sock, one shoe? Both socks muna. Bakit? May Psychology ba behind that?

9.      Do you have a dog? Yes, at home. Is the dog a rescue dog or bought from a breeder? It was given by my godfather. He’s 8 y.o. na now, a Golden Retriever. Pero gusto ko nga din ng rescue dog. Or a bulldog. Ayaw pa akong payagan ni Mommy, kasi siya din naman daw ang mag-aalaga dun.

10.  Would you like me to get you a glass of water? Or would you rather have soda? Wine? Whiskey? Wine. Yung at least 18 years old para di na minor. *winks*


Try mo din. :)

25.10.16

More on Common Mistakes

Ilang mga bagay na dapat po nating bantayan sa mga manuscripts natin. :)


1. REDUNDANCY 

Halimbawa: 
"Chen, nas'an si Ate Malou?" tanong niya kung nasaan si Ate Malou. .
"Chen, nas'an si Ate Malou?' tanong niya kay Chen.

Correct: "Chen, nas'an si Ate Malou?" tanong niya.

2. DOUBLE NEGATION

Halimbawa: Hindi niya naiwasang hindi maiyak. 
(*Kung Math ito, ika-cancel natin ang dalawang hindi. So ang ibig sabihin nito: Naiwasan niyang umiyak. Walang iyakang naganap.)

Correct: Hindi niya naiwasang maiyak.
(*Puwede ring naiyak siya. Tapos. )


3. DAHIL SA / DAHIL: Nitong nakakaraan, dumadami ang napapansin kong nagkakamali rito. 

DAHIL SA - kapag ang kasunod na salita ay pangngalan (noun)

Halimbawa:
Dahil sa kahirapan...  
Dahil sa kawalan ng katarungan...
Dahil sa pangyayaring ito...
Dahil sa lalaking iyon

DAHIL - kapag ang kasunod na salita ay hindi pangngalan

Halimbawa:
Dahil wala silang pera...
Dahil shunga siya...
Dahil lumindol...
Dahil kay Einstein...


4. SINA / SILA:

Common error: 
Sila Lina yata ang bibiyahe. 

*Should be sina not sila.  

SINA kapag may mga pangalang (name) na kasunod.
SILA - (pronoun) pamalit sa mga pangalan 

Halimbawa:
Sina Lina at Marivic ay magkaibigan. Sila ay nagkakilala noong grade school pa.


5. BLANGKO ANG MUKHA -  ang literal na ibig katumbas sa English ay 'faceless'.



Kung hindi ito ang ibig sabihin, dagdagan ang phrase at gawing, "blangko ang EKSPRESYON SA mukha." Ibig sabihin, walang mababasang emosyon sa mukha noong character. 


Sa totoo lang, hindi naman big deal nga ito. Madali lang namang baguhin ng editor kung sakali. Pero mas okay siyempre kung matutunan nating ayusin habang nasa kamay pa lang natin yung manuscript. 

Salamat sa pagbabasa. :)



20.10.16

Presko at Sariwa


Pareho ang translation sa English: fresh.

Puwede nating sabihing, 'presko ang hangin' o 'sariwa ang hangin'. Parehong tama, pero hindi sa lahat ng pagkakataon ay interchangeable sila. May mga ibang pagkakataon na hindi puwedeng palitan ng isa ang isa.

Halimbawa ng maling gamit:
Sariwa ang pakiramdam niya kasi kaliligo niya lang.
Preskong isda. Preskong gulay at prutas. Preskong gatas. 
Sariwang tubig (fresh water). Tubig tabang na lang, hehe.


Paalala lang naman. :)

Minsan parang binobola lang ako ni Google Translate sa mga pinagbibibigay niyang translations. At least, dito, hindi naman. :)

21.4.16

;)


In my opinion, this should be one of our goals when we write. 

27.6.15

More on Common Mistakes

Madalas napapagpalit-palit ang gamit ng mga salitang ito. Linawin lang natin nang kaunti. :)


HABANG - while, during. 
(May dalawang action na nangyayari nang sabay)

Halimbawa:
1. Nagluto muna si Bob habang hinihintay ang pagdating ni Lina.
2. Makapagsulat na lang muna habang walang tanggap na sideline.
3. Nanonood sila ng TV habang nagpapahinga.

HANGGANG - until, up to this certain place, point or period of time

Halimbawa:
1. Naglakad ako mula Trinoma hanggang Muñoz.
2. Bigyan mo ako hanggang sa Linggo, gagawin ko 'yang sirang gripo.
3. Sakay ka ng bus mula diyan sa kanto tapos baba ka ng GMA. Tapos mula doon, mag-jeep ka na lang hanggang SSS.

HANGGA'T - unless, if not. 
(Kadalasan ginagamit sa negative) 

Halimbawa:
1. Hangga't hindi ko sinasabi, huwag kang hihinto sa pagtakbo.
2. Hindi ka uuwi hangga't hindi mo 'yan natatapos.
3. Ayaw niyang bumangon hangga't walang lutong almusal.

KUNG DI - (pinaiksing 'kung hindi') if not din pero iba ang gamit sa hangga't. 

1. Kung di ka sasama, hindi na rin ako sasama.
2. Okay na sana kung di lang siya nuknukan ng yabang.
3. Masaya ngang lumuwas pa-probinsya kung di lang sobrang init ng panahon. 

KUNDI - but. Iba ang gamit sa 'pero' dahil karaniwan sa pang-negative statements ito. 

Halimbawa:
1. Hindi 'yang juice kundi itong kape.
2. Wala siyang nagawa kundi magmukmok.
3. Mag-a-abroad siya hindi lang para sa mga anak niya, kundi para rin sa kanyang mga magulang at kapatid.

Maliwanag na ba? O mas lalong gumulo? :)