Tagolilong & Reduplication
Hello! I am learning some Bisaya (and some Tagalog) and I have a question about the word "tagolilong"=invisible in English.
To me this word looks like a combination of "tago"=conceal;disguise;hide + "lilong"=conceal (meanings from Binisaya.com dictionary). This looks like a reduplication of meaning, not the usual reduplication of roots or syllables.
Does the word "tagolilong" read as "conceal-conceal" to bisdak ears? Why not say "tagotago" or "lilong-lilong"? Is the meaning of tagolilong somehow different from the meanings of tagotago or lilong-lilong? Or is this a "sounds better to bisdak ears" thing?
I know Cebuano likes to make new words from contractions, for example "bisdak"="bis-dak"="bisayang dako". And all Filipino languages seem to use reduplication to form new words or add emphasis. But tagolilang="tago-lilang" is different I think. No?
Another example might be "tangkas"=undo;unravel. This might be derived from "tangtang"=remove;unfasten + "kakas"=detach what is stitched. Do bisdak ears hear it this way? There are actually many reduplicated words with similar meanings to tangkas:
katkat=unravel ?= ikat x2;
tangtang=unfasten ?= tanggal x2
tastas=unstitch
matmat=unravel
badbad=untie
So why "tang-kas"? What is new and different about this combination? The two source words seem to cover a similar range of meanings. Is this a contraction of "tangtang-kakas"? Or a reduplication of meanings "untie-untie"? Or something more subtle?
Daghan kaayong salamat,
-briceman
Origin of Tagolilong
This word is not a compound of "tagu" (v. to hide) + "lilung" (v. to conceal) but from tagu- + the same "lilung".
The affix tagu-, when paired with nouns, creates nominals that are characterized as defined by the root. For example: Taguhangin, one who is like the wind in everything they do. Tagumanila, one who speaks, acts, or has the mannerisms of someone from Manila. Tagulalaki, having the characteristic of a man, as used in the term ulan nga tagulalaki, a tempestuous but short rain. Tagubabayi, having the characteristic of a woman, as used in the term ulan nga tagubabayi, a gentle but protracted rain.
When paired with verbs, it still creates nominals that are characterized as defined by the root, but it also conveys a habitual sense. For example: Tagubuut, one who is given free rein to decide, who decides willy nilly, who chooses as they please. Tagudili, one who is given or habitually says "no". Taguba-baun, one who has been ba-baun, i.e. accursed.
Therefore, tagulilung refers to one who is given to hiding, or who habitually conceals themselves. Hence, this is also the name of a bird, the Philippine Nightjar, because it appears and disappears out of nowhere. This is also the name of a magical stone that makes whoever wears it invisible.