A DAH DAH dah! Am-amay.. an older Pastol (cowhand) was heard saying to a younger man trying to secure tying a newly-caught water-buffalo (carabao) against a tree trunk.
TO TRANSLATE WHAT he said: “EXPRs! That’s unsecured..” then, he continued: Karám.. maokkas itan (“Don’t.. [or] that will self-untie!); et cetera [but let’s shift his words to English]:
“LET ME DO it, or this bull will itself go loose again – in no time!”
HE WENT NEAR the younger man, took the Bitad (hide rope) in his hands, and did fast the knots here and there. Soon, he breathed a sigh of relief and said:
“THIS BULL – LIKE others of its kind, with constant struggling – once it is left alone, can later get away from here. The styles of the knots therefore should not be Am-amay.. Another EXPR-example, two young men – friends; Jack and Bjorn.
“WHAT? SHE GAVE her hand.. after..” earnestly was Bjorn asking, but Jack now spoke:
‘YES, TO KISS.. after nigh a year of friendship.. and peerhood, babarkada, you know.’
“AND YOU’RE A mite happy about it, I can see. Izat right?”
‘SURE IS, BJORN. She said she’s not ready yet, to get serious about my proposal – for marriage.. but there’ll be that time.. she said further!’
“BUT YOU HAVEN’T got her to peg promise on that.. yet?”
‘NO, NOT YET, Bjorn. Why, how do you see it? Tell me, I’m open.’
“OKAY. HERE’S WHAT. Way I see it: you’re both on shaky grounds. You never know: anytime, either – or both – of you may change minds. Folks back home describe such grounds – like yours now, as: Am-amay.. unless..”
‘YES, I’M WILLING to wait.. and understand prior, isaksakbay kon nga amirisen, any consequences.. Beyond the visible are my feelings for her – as you know.
‘YES, IT CLANDESTINELY seems to be Am-amay.. but hopefully, it won’t just be.’ [Bjorn nods to signify “copy here”]. Another EXPR application-example:
COUSINS CIKATO AND Sekatuna conversing. Sekatuna – the female one, already filed her COC (Certificate of Candidacy) for Municipal Councilor and is now in Cikato’s house for a ‘mighty, honest post-consultation’ (N.b. post- because it is being done now – after Filing, i.e. for purposes of: ‘support’, assessment, further advices, what have you). Cikato now speaking:
‘SO.. I’M ALL the way for you, and you know that, don’t you? Other than me, who else did you approach, for some talk?’
“YES, UNCLES MARU Ng and Massi Cale, and aunt Makupa Go..”
‘YOU DID? OKAY.. but also, after you filed – or, before Filing time? And who else?’
“AH, YES: DAKAI Bosikdat of Camodinga West..” [THINKING, THEN]:
“YES, JUST THE four of them. Yes, I went to see them after Filing; except aunt Makupa whom I met at the Cooperative Store – two days before I filed.”
‘ARA, DAH DAH! Am-Amay.. singa Am-amay..’ [Transl: “EXPRs! Am-Amay.. looks like Am-amay..”).
‘YOU SEE, ALL of them are close relatives of yours; and except one, you did the consulting with them.. after Filing. Of course, the pleasant recourse left them is to say they’ll support you. But anyway..
‘THINGS SOMETIMES DON’T turn out as terrible as we imagine; and so now, let me wish you: the best of luck, cousin prima primera. Discard my earlier exclamations of Am-amay.. if you must. We’re just here behind you, be assured of that!’
ON FOCUSED TIMES, I am inclined to peer into the relationship – or ‘connexion’, of the EXPR Am-amay.. with Amayo (n. =int “game”, “plaything”, “toy”, “trial-and-error deed”, etc.).
IN TODAY’S DISCUSSION, Am-amay.. exudes itself, first as: the negative, participial adjective: ‘unsecured’ (cf. Supra the water-buffalo and the Pastol); then, second as: ‘on-shaky-ground’, or ‘dangerous’ – akin to Spanish-inspired peligro? (cf. Jack and Bjorn, Supra); and finally, as: “infirm”, or “vulnerable” – a ‘no-harm-in-trying’ venture (cf. cousins Cikato and Sekatuna, Supra).
MEANWHILE, LET AMAYO stay as the n. =int “game” and Am-amay.. the EXPR adjective or modifier as herein re-explored. Ayuhh kha!
