The development of an orthography for any language is a difficult and lengthy process. It involves the making of choices in areas where historians, linguists and educators may legitimately disagree. The preparation of an orthography for the Chamorro language was no exception and, in fact, generated numerous discussions, some of which were emotionally-charged.
The Chamorro language has been written in a variety of ways in the 300+ years it has been in print. In that time, there have been changes in the sound system, varying colonial administrations and several studies of the language. While we can all argue that Chamorro may be written in various ways, we must all agree that it should follow only one system if it is to survive in the future. The Kumision I Fino Chamorro after five years of discussion, countless meetings, several consultants and numerous public hearings presents this orthography as the official system to be used when writing Chamorro. By law, all agencies of the Government of Guam are enjoined to follow it. Hopefully, out of a desire to see the language prosper, all individuals and organizations on Guam will seek to use it voluntarily.
Two points must be made clear about orthographies. The first is that an orthography only organizes how a language is spelled. It does not change the language nor does it recommend to individuals how a language should be used. It only explains how words are spelled. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, is that having an orthography is useless if it is not used. If Chamorro is to be preserved, it must be seen in print and it must be written in a uniform fashion.
Ginen hami gi Kumision yan todu siha i petsonas ni’ hagas manayuda gi fotmasion i utugrafiha, en prisesenta este na dokumentu para i usun-miyu ni’ pupbliku. Yanggen guaha hafa na kuestion pat puntu ni para u malaknos put este na asunto, pot fabot a’agang hami gi Kumision. Mansetbienten i pupbliku yan i fino’ Chamorro ham.
This entry was adapted and reprinted with permission from the Department of Chamorro Affairs, , Government of Guam. Hale’ta: Chamorro Heritage, 1983 Chamorro Orthography.
Rule 1: Proper Names
A.
Names of people will retain their spelling.
B.
Family names which have never been written before will be Chamorroized in spelling.
C.
Proper names will not conform to Rule 9 and 10.
D.
Place names that are of Chamorro origin will be Chamorroized in spelling.
For example:
Inarajan – Inalahan
Ritidian – Litekyan
E.
Newly named places with no known Chamorro names will retain their written name.
For example:
Banzai Cliff
F.
Months, days, and numerals shall conform to Chamorro spelling rules.
Rule 2: Capitalization
A.
Proper names of people, places, animals, things, institutions and organizations, titles, days of the week, months of the year and the beginning of sentences will be capitalized.
B.
The affixed forms of proper names shall be capitalized.
For example:
um + Sablan = Sumablan
in + Sablan = Sinablan
um + Afaisen = UmAfaisen
in + Afaisen = InAfaisen
um + Angoco = UmAngoco
in + Angoco = InAngoco
N.B. The affixed forms of proper nouns beginning with vowels will have both affix and the name capitalized.
C.
When the plural subject marker (man – is affixed to a proper name, m will also be capitalized.
For example:
man– + Chamorro = ManChamorro
man– + Juan = ManJuan
D.
The conventional practice of capitalizing pronouns relating to the divinity itself will be followed.
Rule 3: Choice of Alphabetic Symbols and Corresponding Sound
A.
The following list of consonants and vowel symbols and their corresponding sounds will be used in Chamorro spelling. They are given here in alphabetical order. Example words are given to illustrate the phonetic value of each of the spelling symbols.
Symbol
Sound
Example word
English Meaning
’
/ ? /
haga’
blood
a
/ae/
baba
open (note: the same symbol a is used to represent two sounds.)
å
/å/
båba
bad
b
/be/
båba
bad
ch
/che/
chålan
road
d
/de/
dåggao
throw
e
/g/
ekungok
listen
f
/fe/
fugo’
squeeze
g
/ge/
ga’chong
friend
h
/he/
håtsa
lift
i
/i/
hita
we (inclusive)
k
/ke/
kada
each
l
/le/
litråtu
picture
m
/me/
malago’
want
n
/ne/
nåna
mother
ñ
/ñe/
ñåmu
mosquito
ng
/ng/
nginge’
sniff
o
/o/
oppe
answer
p
/pe/
påchot
mouth
r
/rre/
råmas
branch
s
/se/
såddok
river
t
/te/
tåya’
nothing
u
/u/
uchan
rain
y
/ye/
yan
and
B.
The letter c, j, q, v, w, x, z, ll, and rr will be used in the spelling of proper names only.
For example:
Symbol
Proper Names
C
Carmen Cecilia
J
Jose John
Q
Quichocho
V
Vicente
W
Wilfred
X
Xavier Xena
ll
Quintanilla
rr
Chamorro Barrigada
C.
The glottal stop will be used in alphabetizing words.
For example:
ex. 1
ex. 2
ex. 3
gua’gua’
nå’na’
ba’ba’
guagua’
nåna
bå’ba’
baba
båba
Rule 4: Diphthongs
A.
The diphthongs in the writing system will be treated as sequence of vowels.
The most common diphthongs are as follows:
Diphthongs
Chamorro word
English meaning
ao
taotao
person
ai
taitai
read
oi
boi
boy
io
baksion
vacation
ie
siette
seven
ia
estoria
story
iu
presiu
prices
B.
All the letter combinations of the above listed diphthongs shall be treated as diphthongs, unles the glottal stop is distinctively heard between the two vowels.
For example:
Letter Combination
Diphthongs
Not Diphthongs
ie
siette
li’e’
io
adios
fi’on
ia
estoria
esphiha
iu
presiu
fihu
A sure text of diphthong is when both vowels reduplicate.
C.
The letter h rather than the glottal stop ´ shall be used in spelling of non-diphthong combinations of io, ie, ia, and iu, which are sometimes confused with diphthongs.
For example:
h
´
fihu
not fi’u
pasehu
not pase’u
maneha
not mane’a
Rule 5: Consonant Symbols in Final Position
A.
The following consonants will not appear at the end of a word: b, ch, d, g, h, l, ñ, r, y
B.
The consonants—b, d, g, and l—may appear at the end of a syllable only when the consonant is geminate, i.e., when the following syllable of the same word begins with the same sound.
For example:
Chamorro word
English meaning
yabboa
slash
godde
to tie
hålle
pull
meggai
many
N.B. Chamorro and Barrigada are not geminate. Rule 1 applies.
Rule 6: Unstressed Vowels in Open Syllables in CVCV and CVC
A.
The letters i and u will be used to represent unstressed vowels in open syllables (where C = consonant, V = vowel)
For example:
Chamorro word
English meaning
låhi
man
hågu
you
nå’i
give
lågu
north
The same rule applies to unstressed vowels in open syllables of poly-syllabic words except when the preceding is o or e.
For example:
Chamorro word
English meaning
sangåni
tell how
dalalaki
follow
but
Chamorro word
English meaning
triångolo
a triangle
dångkolo
big
proksemo
approximate
In the case of dångkolo, etc. the first o results from the preceding consonant cluster ngk (cf, Rule,6B); the final o results from the preceding o through vowel harmony.
B.
The unstressed vowels in open syllables following a sequence of consonants will be represented by e and o.
For example:
tatte, listo, ho’ye, halla, hamyo
N.B.The sounds represented by some of the vowels above may appear to be misrepresented (i.e., tatte
instead tatti). However, all of the examples under Rule 6 are unstressed vowels when their pronunciation may vary.
The “true” sounds are assumed to exist thus the vowels are stressed as in tatte-ku.*
C.
The letter a (ae) will be used in unstressed open syllables in both the CVCV and CVCCV constructions.
For example:
måta
D.
The following blends/digraphs will be considered as one consonant for spelling purposes.
For example:
br
dr
pl
brongko
prensa
pluma
brohas
preba
platu
bruha
prugrama
planta
bl
fl
tr
blangko
aflitu
trosu
tapbla
gofli’e’
trangka
misirapble
flecha
trongko
fr
kl
fresko
chångkletas
fruta
klasifika
fritada
mesklao
Rule 7: Unstressed Vowels in Closed Syllables
The vowels, e, o and a, will be used to represent the unstressed vowels in closed syllables, i.e., syllables which end with a consonant.
For example:
Chamorro word
English meaning
huyong
go out
halom
go in
lapes
pencil
li’e’
see
hakmang
eel
Rule 8: Stressed Vowels
All vowels will be used to represent stressed vowels in both closed and opened syllables when the quality of the sound in the word is clearly that which is associated with the vowels.
For example:
Chamorro word
English meaning
asut
blue
tisu
stiff
hatdin
garden
tubu
tube
yu’
l
leche
milk
hotno
oven
boti
boat
tåta
father
båtsala
pull
Rule 9: Spelling of Borrowed Words
A.
English, Spanish and Japanese words which have been assimilated into Chamorro will be spelled according to the general rules for Chamorro spelling. The spelling will reflect the changes in pronunciation.
For example:
Spanish
Chamorro
English
lavador
labadot
sink
verde
betde
green
paloma
paluma
dove
caballo
kabayu
horse
Japanese
Chamorro
English
zori
yore ́
thongs
dengke
dengkke ́
light
English
Chamorro
ice cream
aiskrim
cake
kek
chaser
chesa
B.
Recently borrowed English words will retain their English spelling and will be placed in single quotation when in print. When an English word contains Chamorro affixes, then it will be spelled according to the general rules for Chamorro spelling. Examples of the latter type are:
Chamorro word
English meaning
pumipiknik
on a picnic
bumabasketbo´
playing basketball
manekspleplen
explaining
Rule 10: Consonant Alternation
A.
When the pronunciation of consonants changes due to affixation, the spelling will be changed accordingly to represent the change in pronunciation. Most of the changes in consonants are used by the affixation of the prefix man–
For example:
Chamorro
English meaning
man– + po´lo = mamo´lo
to put
man– + taña = manaña´
to taste
man– + kåti = mangati
to cry
man– + såga = mañåga
to stay
man– + chålek = mañalek
to laugh
man– + fegge’ = mamegge’
to make a footprint
N.B. In some dialects of Chamorro the sounds are not assimilated. For example, in Rota, it is usually mansaga instead of mañaga.
B.
The following are examples of poly–syllabic words in which the initial consonant of the baseword is not deleted:
man– + pachakåti = manpachakåti
man– + pagamento = manpagamento
man– + pendehu = manpendehu
man– + pentura = manpentura
man– + piligru = manpiligru
C.
The pronunciation of the first person singular possessive pronoun hu is determined by the stem to which it is attached. For example, it is pronounced tu when it follows a stem ending with t, as in pachot–tu, my mouth. It is pronounced su when it follows a stem ending with s, as in lassas–su, my skin. And, it is pronounced ku when it follows a stem that ends withh a vowel preceded by two consonants, as in leblu–ku, my book. However, for purposes of spelling, only hu and ku will be used.
Rule 11: Excresent Consonants
A.
When additional consonants are added through affixation, they will be represented in the spelling system. The underlined in the following are examples of excrescent consonants.
n – elepblo –måmi = lepblo n + måmi = lepblon–måmi, our book
n – såga ñaihon = såga n + ñaihon = såganñaihon, stay a while
g – hånao –i = håna g u –i = hanågue, for someone’s behalf
y – sångan –i = sågan i y –i = sanganiyi, tell for someone
´– a ågang = å ´ + ågang = å’ågang, be calling
Note: Rule 6 applies here
Rule 12: Superfluous Consonants
When the pronunciation of the consonant t before ch is predictable, and a mid-vowel follows ch, only ch will be written.
For example:
leche
eskabeche
ganggoche
pacha
noche
ocho
Rule 13: Geminate Consonants and syllable-final h
Although the pronunciation of geminate consonants and syllable-final h varies among different speakers of Chamorro, they will be included in the spelling.
For example:
Chamorro word
English meaning
tommo
knee
sahnge
strange
låggua
parrot fish
mamåhlao
be bashful
fåtto
come
hålla
pull
meggai
many
mohmo
chew for
Rule 14: Vowel Harmony
A.
Vowel Fronting
When the pronunciation of a vowel is changed due to vowel fronting, this change will be reflected in the spelling
For example:
Chamorro word
+vowel
English meaning
foggon
i feggon
the stove
guma´
i gima´
the house
suni
i suni
the taro
B.
Vowel Raising
When the syllable construction (cvc) of a word is changed through affixation, the vowel changed – raising – will be reflected in the spelling in consistence with Rule 8.
For example:
CVC – CVCV – Rule 8
fugo’ –i = fugu´i
toktok –i = toktuki
C.
Vowel Lowering
When the syllable construction of a word is changed through semantics construction the vowels change – lowering – will be reflected in the spelling in consistence with Rule 7.
For example:
CVCV – CVCVC – Rule 7
suni + n = sunen–måmi
låhi + n = låhen Maria
N.B. Vowel lowering occurs when excrescent consonant n is added to words that have CV structure at the end. (see above).*
Rule 15: Free Words
A.
All content words (adjectives, verbs, nouns) will be written as a separate word in Chamorro.
For example:
Content word
English meaning
kareta
car
dångkolo
big
fugo’
squeeze
B.
The following function words (articles, particles, etc.) will be written as separate words in Chamorro:
Function Word
Example Phrase
English Meaning
i
i palao´an
the woman
ni’
ni’ palao´an
from, which (relational term) woman
si
si Juan
(honorific) John
as
as Juan
(located at) John
nu
nu guaho
me
na
dångkolo na taotao
big man
ha’
hu tungo´ ha´
i already know
fan
nangga fan, un råtu
wait a minute, please
ni
ni håyi
no one
u
para u hånao
he will go
bai
para bai hu hånao
i will go
C.
Exceptions: The word gof functions as an intensifier and derivational prefix.
For example:
gof
*
Ha gof li´e´i patgon.
He/ She sees the child very well.
(derivational)
Ha gofli´e i patgon.
He/She loves the child very much.
The words gai and tai function both as derivational prefixes and as a function words.
For example:
tai
(derivational)
Tai taiguenao macho’gue-ña i che’cho’.
That’s not the way to do the work.
(function word)
Tai magagu i patgon.
The child does not have clothes.
gai
(derivational)
Gai’ase´nu guaho.
Have mercy on me.
(function word)
Gai salape´ i palao’an.
The woman has money.
D.
Function words sen, sin, tai, and gai. The spelling of these words change when they are infixized with –um – and prefixed with man–.
For example:
sen + –um– = sumen = sumen dångkolo
sin + –um– = sumin = sumin magågu
tai + –um– = tumai = tuimai salape´
gai + –um– = gumai = gumai salape´
man– + sen = mansen = mansen dångkolo
man– + sin = mansin = mansin maga´gu
man– + tai = mantai = mantai salape´
man– + gai = manggai = manggai salape´
For the purpose of spelling, these function words should not be combined with any other content word.
For example:
manggai kareta – – prefixed function manggai, content word, kareta
Rule 16: Affixes
A.
The following list contains prefixes of Chamorro which will be written as part of the word to which they are attached:
Chamorro
English meaning
a– umapacha
touch each other
acha– achalokka’
same height
an– ansopbla
left over
chat– chatbunita
slightly pretty
e– & o –esapataos
shop for shoes
otenda
go shopping
fa’ – fa´na´an´
to name
ga’ – ga´maigo´
likes to sleep
ge’ ge´papa
further down
ha – hapoddong
prone to falling
hat – hattalom
move in
ka – kama’gas
having some authority
ke – kehatsa
about to lift
la– lage´hilo´
further up
ma – mataitai
was read (passive marker only)
man – manaitai yu´
I prayed ( Indirect object marker)
man – manhaspok
They are full (plural subject marker)
mi – misalape´
lots of money
mina’– mina’tres
third
na’– na’gasgas
to make clean
san – sanme´na
toward the front
tai – taiguenao
like that
tak – takhilo´
way up high
talak – talakhiyong
look towards the outside
ya yamo´nana
way up front
Note: The classifiers na´, ga´, gimen and iyo will be written as separate words or with a clitic when used with a possessive pronoun.
For example:
Chamorro
English meaning
na´galågu
dog food
ga´–ña guaka
his/her cow
gimen – hu kafe
my coffee
iyon påtgon
thing belonging to a child
B.
Infixes
1.
The following infixes –um– and –in– will be written as part of the word:
hugåndo = humugåndo
huyong = humuyong
na´i = nina´i
magof = minagof
2.
Reduplicated syllables and infixes will be written as a part of the word even though the resulting words may contain an unusually large number of letters. Words will be divided on the basis of the rules presented in this paper, not on the basis of length. Some examples of the long words resulting from multiple affixation and reduplication are given here:
ma’añao = manachachama’ñao
ge’hilo’ = na’lage’hilulu’i
guaiya = manmangguaguaiya
3.
The syllable, la is frequently inserted into Chamorro words that represent sounds as in kalaskas –pangpang–,´palångpang påkpak, paspas–palaspas.
C.
Suffixes
The following list contains the suffixes of Chamorro which will be written as part of a word to which they are attached. The first item on the list is called discontinuous affix. The prefix fan– is dependent upon the suffix –yan to give a complete meaning of the word.
For example:
Chamorro
English meaning
fan– –yan = fanbinaduyan
place of deer
–yan = fama’gasiyan
place for washing
–on = guaså’on
sharpener
–yon = guaiyayon
lovable
–ñaihon = såganñaihon
stay for a while
–guan = pinalakse’guan
slip of the tongue
–ña = bunitaña
prettier
–i = sangani
to tell to someone
–yi = sanganiyi
to tell to someone for someone’s behalf
–an = minigu’an
having secretions from the eye
N.B. The –an suffix has an allomorph variant –guan as in paguan ( from pao + –a) This is not the same as the –guan suffix. Other suffixes also have allomorphs variants. The most common is –gue for the suffix –i as in hanågue.
Rule 17: Clitics
The clitics will be used to show the special relationship that possessive pronoun directional words and others have with the stem to which they are attached.
For example:
Possessive
Chamorro
English meaning
rilos–hu
my watch
rilos–mu
your watch
rilos–ña
his/her watch
rilos–ta
our (ind.) watch
rilos–mami
our (exc.) watch
rilos–miyu
your (plural) watch
rilos–niha
their watch
Directional
Chamorro
English meaning
hanao–guato
on your way over go to
chule´–magi
bring it on your way over here
po’lon-guato
drop it on your way there
N.B. The same mark used to represent a clitic will also be used to hyphenate syllables when breaking a word.
The development of an orthography for any language is a difficult and lengthy process. It involves the making of choices in areas where historians, linguists and educators may legitimately disagree. The preparation of an orthography for the Chamorro language was no exception and, in fact, generated numerous discussions, some of which were emotionally-charged.