YOUNG MAN MANÍNG (That’s the Ibaloi- accentuated version of the Romance-language name ‘Manuel’ – or the Am-English parallel – ‘Manny’..) is now in the nth year of patiently courting his childhood playmate used-to-be: Ms. Ma. Mashihet Numan Lao (but nicknamed “Ma’am Manulao” – a Grade II Adviser/Teacher in the village High School. To her now, he is saying:
ARA, MAMAPTENG KA ni ulay. Marekit kan singa talaw! (Transl: “EXPR, you’re ever lovely. Beautiful as a [Heavenly] star!”). And beautiful ma’am (.. yes, she is!) promptly retorts:
ANGSAN! ANGSAN NGON singa aka talaw! Adipay san aravi kita? (Transl: “Too much! It’s too much [you say] I’m like a h-star. That could mean we’re distant from each other?”).
[THERE GOES THE basic (or ‘generic’?) meaning, or equivalent, of the Nabaloi Expression, EXPR: Angsan! – “Too much!~” in English].
OVER THE YEARS of Usage, however, the EXPR has developed certain ‘derivatives’ to encapsulate specific meanings – even in the same context: Compare the following examples:
QS-1: ANGSAN! MENGDA KA pay ni maikadwan kurso? (Transl: “Too much! You’re getting [or, enrolling in] a second Course?”). Or,
QS-2: ANG-ANGSAN (KA)! Mengda ka pay etc. (Transl: “[You’re] too much! Then, same continuing word-contents and meanings; but further saying.. or implying: ‘can’t you realize we hardly could afford this present first course you’re now in?’ n.b. but this ‘further-said’ one or implicatum is already ‘captured’ – or contained, in the 2nd EXPR = Ang-angsan! ‘derivative’.
QS-3: AANGSAN (MANGO Y)! Mengda ka pay etc.~ (Transl: “Too much!/ Exaggeration(s)! further meaning.. or implying, et alii: “How silly!” or “How exaggerated!” n.b. Maybe even seeking to ask: “aren’t you being too messy.. almost funny?”).
THE CONTEXT IN the above Discourse is only one, and/or the same: a parent (or maybe an older relative) is talking to a younger one, who’s declaring in-plan: to take another (or an additional) Course – while he is enrolled in his last three subjects this semester. And, by applying the three ‘derivatives’ of the EXPR: Angsan!~ (basic), Ang-Angsan!~, and Aangsan!~, he may be: understood well, ‘received’ neutrally; [but also] misunderstood, etc., by the younger relative seeking his opinion, advice, or suggestion(s).
ERGO, HE MUST exercise extreme restraint in his Angsan!~ (or any other EXPR) he applies). Ergo, he provides an AS (Answer-sentence) to his (QSs) (Question-sentences) aforesaid. He does not just hang there in the Balance and let his counselee surmise what (or which) meanings – or implicata, are intended. To illustrate and still same context Supra):
QS-1: ANGSAN! MENGDA KA Pay, etc.~ [then] his AS (Answer-Sentence):
AS-1: “DON’T DO THAT. You’ll encounter more difficulties.. this one Course will do.. in the meantime xxx” et cetera.
QS-2: ANG-ANGSAN(KA)! MENGDA ka pay, etc.~ [then] the AS (Answer-Sentence:
AS-2: “THE TUITION FEE is too high.. It can’t be afforded just.. I can’t sell our last remaining fields.. why not finish this course first, and then maybe xxx” et cetera.
QS-3: AANGSAN (MANGO Y)! Mengda ka pay, etc. [and then] the AS:
AS-3: DON’T BE SILLY.. Don’t do that foolish thing. By the way, is there a problem in your present Course? Just lay the cards – plain enough for us to see xxx”, et cetera.
IF APPLIED IN different – not same contexts, the Angsan! ‘derivatives’ – or forms, shall come very visibly. Observe in the following illustrations.
CONTEXT X: YOU lent money to a relative a month ago. Now, he is returning the principal – cum 15 per cent ‘bonus’ or ‘return of investments’ (ROI); and you exclaim:
ANGSAN! ANGSAN KHA.. ara, kaasi imak! (Transl: “ANGSAN! ANGSAN, EXPR EMPH.. EXPR HPF, Heaven please forgive!”). And next:
CONTEXT Y: IN the last Elections (2019), Messrs. Nahan Anoss and Mack Kadhal ran for the same position – in the same District.
ALTHOUGH THEY CAME from two different towns of said District, they were Party-mates viz under the ‘line-up’ of one, same Political Party.
[YOU KNOW WHAT happens during Elections, don’t you? Just try asking the fellow standing, or sitting – next to you, this time]. So, the Elections came, and
MACK WON, BUT Nahan lost. When they met, Nahan was not able to hold his feelings, and looking at Mack (his supposed-to-be: friend, co-Party lineup, and colleague in ‘a man’s agreement’, or ‘usapang matino’, he poured out:
“ANG ANGSAN KA! Why, you dropped my name out.. somewhere along the way, in your home sorties! So many reports and witnesses affirming..
“THOUGH I DIDN’T.. I kept my word, and you know it.. Next time, be counseled. Not again, Angsan! Final example,
CONTEXT Z: MANHAM Nam, 66, and Mako Cuenta, 68, are two seniors talking in a Baguio City park one Sunday morning. Their focus is a fellow [but older] Senior and, cousin to both of them – Mr. Tallan Etos. After the usual Preliminaries, Manham said:
AANGSAN IMAN NA Tallan.. he already sounds ‘unfamiliar or funny!’ (Nabaloi: aapil y angkhagahtel!).
“OWEN NETE, AGUI. Shinemag ko..inteneng ko – ni showen tangidak! (Transl: “Yes, indeed, brother. I heard the ‘news’ – with my “own two ears.”). Then, Manham again:
“YES, YES! HE confided to me, in fact. He’s been separated some five years ago, and now he says he desires to ‘get settled’ again? He’s 72 years old, ain’t he? Aangsan kuno mango y..” (Transl: “EXPR, EXPR.. [but clearly implying] how almost impossible he’s sounding now!”). Ayuhh kha!
