K-center to launch book on Kapampangan grammar
By Ian Ocampo Flora
ANGELES CITY -- The Holy Angel University's Center for Kapampangan Studies will be launching translations of two books written by early Spanish missionaries in hopes of making documents on Kapampangan studies accessible to scholars and students alike.
According to Robert Tantingco, director of the Center for Kapampangan Studies, the book translations would enable researchers and Kapampangans in understanding the ancient meanings of early Kapampangan words.
"These books are important because they give us a glimpse of words at the time before they were 'adulterated' by other languages," Tantingco said.
The books were originally done by brilliant lexicographer of the Agustinian Order, Fray Diego Bergano, OSA. The translations of Bergano's Arte de la Lengua Pampanga (1729) and Bocabulario de Pampango en Romance y Diccionario de Romance en Pampango (1732), grammar and dictionary books, respectively, were done separately by two Kapampangan priests, Fr. Edilberto Santos and Fr. Venancio Samson.
The books also provide a glimpse into anthropological notes including ancient beliefs and practices of Kapampangans, according to Tantingco. The books will also give readers "trivial" information on the role of crocodiles in the life of the ancients Kapampangans and even some information on their "sex practices and beliefs."
These information, Tantingco said, had been eroded from usage by "traumatic events" like the coming of the Spaniards, revolution, wars and modernization to name a few.
"We are expecting that this book will spark an explosion of studies in this field," Tantingco added.
The launching will be on August 24 at the San Agustin Monastery in
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