TIP-LET: BUKOD vs. MALIBAN

*To make this TIP-LET easier to understand, I decided to use images I found in the Internet. ;)

BUKOD - aside from, in addition, also, alongside
- is used when the object being discussed is an insider to the list of things mentioned in the predicate.  

Ibig sabihin, bukod kina Superman, kasali rin sa Justice League lahat yan !?! Whoah, ang dami!!! 

Ex:

1. Bukod sa kare-kare, may baon ding kanin at soft drinks si Ate Necy. Ang saya!
2. "Bukod sa pagtulog, paborito kong pastime ang pagkain. Obvious naman, di ba?" nakangiting biro ng ginang.
3. Mayroon siyang iniindang rayuma at arthritis, bukod pa sa eczema.
4. Bukod sa hipon, allergic din siya sa bagoong, manok at mani. 
5. Plano niya ring mamasyal sa Europe sa December, bukod pa sa balak niyang Asian tour ngayong buwan.  

MALIBAN - except, exclude, leave out, save, unless
- is used when the object of discussion is the only exception to the list of things mentioned in the predicate. (Yep, kinda like an outcast.)

Lahat ng nasa larawan ay mga planeta, maliban sa isa. #ForeverAlone

Ex:

1. Lahat na yata ng klase ng gulay nasa kantang 'Bahay-Kubo', maliban sa okra.
2. Teachers na ang mga anak ni Mang Danny, maliban kay Joy na nag-aaral pa sa kolehiyo.  
3. "Lahat ay welcome sa party ko, maliban sa unggoy na iyon," nakairap na sabi ng pagong.
4. Paborito niya ang kahit anong luto ng manok, maliban sa adobong adidas.
5. Hindi na siya dumaraan ng opisina tuwing Sabado, maliban na lang kung kailangang-kailangan. 

TIP-LET: TANGING = LANG

*(Again) TIP-LET - brief tips

'Tanging' and 'lang' are synonymous. Using both words in the same sentence is redundant already. 

Incorrect: 

Ang tanging gusto niya lang ngayong Pasko ay bagong MacBook Pro. (redundant)


Correct:

1. Ang tanging gusto niya lang ngayong Pasko ay bagong MacBook Pro.
2. Ang gusto lang niya ngayong Pasko ay bagong MacBook Pro. (smoother to read)
3. Ang tanging gusto niya lang ngayong Pasko ay bagong MacBook Pro. (Puwede na)
4. Bagong MacBook Pro ang tanging gusto niya ngayong Pasok. (voice changed)

TIP-LETS: Ano'ng vs. Anong

* Tip-lets - small tips 

Ano'ng = ano + ang 

Ex:

1. Ano'ng balak mo ngayon?
2. Sino'ng nanalong mayor?  (Sino + ang in this case.)
3. Sino'ng dakila? Sino'ng tunay na baliw?
4. Kahit ano pa'ng gawin mo, panget ka pa rin. (pa + ang)

Anong  = < everything else >

Ex:

1. Kahit anong kain, gutom ka pa rin.
2. Hindi ko alam kung anong klase ng mahika ang meron ka.
3. Anong klaseng ulam ba 'to?  

Practice:

1. Ano (ba'ng / bang) mali sa mukha niya?

2. Kahit (ano'ng / anong) gawing diet, wala pa rin.  

3. (Sino'ng / Sinong ) tatay mo?

4. Kung (ano'ng / anong) puno, siyang aakyatin. 

5. (Ano'ng / Anong ) oras ka uuwi?

Hold and drag mouse to see the answers:
1. bang
2. anong
3. Sino'ng
4. ano'ng
5. Anong

The Tagalog Romance Translation Theory

Disclaimer: This is my personal opinion, and as you know, 'opinion of one doesn't reflect the whole'. :-)

After doing two MSV Versions releases and reading around ten translated manuscripts, I have come to these conclusions: 

A. Translating is not for everyone. One has to have a strong grasp of both the languages involved. 

B. Writing skills may be useful, but it will not cover for everything.

C. Translating is more alike to EDITING than to WRITING. Here are some of my reasons:

• It is done OBJECTIVELY. 

You have to be faithful to what is written in the original manuscript. The original tone should be intact. However, if the exact equivalent in Tagalog will make it sound different or wrong, opt for a more 'natural' approach, without drifting too far from the original.   

• Your personal WRITING STYLE doesn't count. It's the writer's work that should shine, not yours.

• There's some sort of SENSE OF ACCOUNTABILITY. You are responsible for every word you will use / change/ crop / add.

• It's LESS FULFILLING compared to writing your own manuscript; less credit will be given to you.

• Much of the burden will come from: 

(1) choosing the accurate term in place of the original word, but a good English-Tagalog Dictionary can do the job; 
(2) deciding whether to metaphrase (literal translation) or paraphrase; which sentence should be shifted from active to passive voice; and which word is translatable and which is not; when to back-translate;   
(3) making the dialogues sound realistic and natural; 
(4) and lastly, (most important, IMO), making the ideas smooth to read and easier to comprehend. 

• If worse comes to worst, you may have to do some real serious editing while doing the translation. :/  

In conclusion to these conclusions, let me share this to you. 'Translation' comes from the Latin word translatio, which means 'to bring across'-- which I think should be ultimate goal of every translator: to bring across the original message / idea / emotion of the foreign writer to every Filipino Romance pocketbook reader.