Preface (1994 Edition)

There are several reasons for the publication of a second edition of Tausug-English Dictionary: Kabtangan Iban Maana.

One important reason is that there are no other published Tausug dictionaries available. The first edition, published in 1975, was an instant success, but the entire printing of 1000 copies was quickly sold out and a reprint was not possible because the original photographic plates were destroyed in a fire at the press in 1976. As a result there is now an eager market.

Secondly, there is a societal and cultural need. The Tausug-English Dictionary is not only a light disclosing a rich Tausug heritage and culture, but also a bridge on the path to Sulu's future, encouraging communication, understanding, accord, renewal, and achievement. In a shrinking world it is increasingly important to learn to communicate with and to understand each other.

Thirdly, improvements in the original dictionary have been made. The first edition of Kabtangan Iban Maana was considered to be "a start...inviting correction and expansion," and since its publication many have labored to correct and expand the original work. Now it is time to publish their efforts. Some of the improvements are as follows:

  1. Inaccuracies of the first edition have been corrected. (Our thanks to those of you who pointed these out.)
  2. More than 1700 new entries have been added, including some important, frequently used words which were previously missing, for example: patay "dead," tubig "water," hambuuk "one," lamud "mix," and tindug "stand."
  3. More regional variations in wording and pronunciation are noted.
  4. The various senses of entries are better differentiated and, in certain cases, entries that were separate have been combined.
  5. A larger percentage of entries which are verbs contain information about possible affixation.
  6. Missing cross-references have been added.

Finally, the publication of this edition (like the first) aims to make available to the wider world the rich vocabulary of the Tausug language, to aid the outsider who wishes to learn Tausug, and to enable Tausug speakers to learn more English by means of the English glosses, the translated illustrative sentences, and the index in the back of the book.

Seymour Ashley

Summer Institute of Linguistics
Dallas, Texas, U.S.A.
March, 1993