How do you write Jacob in Filipino script?

4 Comments

1. Matthew says:

   September 16, 2009 at 12:09 am

   @Alan – LOS is right, there was a Filipino (actually Tagalog) script. It’s actually a syllabary, meaning each character represents a syllable. It was the writing system that people in what would later become the Philippines used before the arrival of the Spaniards.

   Jacob is not a Tagalog name so it does not lend itself very well to being written in the old Tagalog script. In fact, there’s no character for "J".

   You have at least two options:

   1. Tagalize the name first, so "Jacob" becomes "Hakob". To write it in Filipino script you will use the character for the syllables "HA" "KO" (which is the character for "KA" but with a diacritic to indicate that the final vowel sound is "O" or "U") and "B" (which is the character for "BA" but with a diacritic to remove the final vowel "A" sound).

   2. Approximate the sound using Tagalog syllables such that "Jacob" will be written as "DI" "YE" "Y" "KO" "B".

   The base characters are "A" "E/I" "O/U" "BA" "KA" "DA/RA" "GA" "HA" "LA" "MA" "NA" "NGA" "PA" "SA" "TA" "WA" "YA."

   To change the final vowel sound to "E/I" put a diacritic at the top. Put a diacritic below the character to change the final vowel sound to "O/U". In original Tagalog, free standing consonants are not written. In the case of the name "JACOB," the "B" sound will have no written character ("JACOB" will be written as "HA" "KO" or "DI" "YE" "KO"). An innovation made by a Spaniard friar in the 16th century made possible writing a free standing consonant — a cross below the character cancels the final "A" vowel sound.

   I hope this helps
2. SMARTii3 says:

   September 16, 2009 at 12:09 am

   Whatever you named him that should be the tattoo
3. Alan says:

   September 16, 2009 at 12:09 am

   There is no filipino script, they use the English alphabet.
4. L☺s says:

   September 16, 2009 at 12:09 am

   Alan: THERE’s a Filipino Script…..It’s called "Baybayin" or "Alibata".

   Filipino Script → http://brownnationculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/brandon_vera.jpg

   I don’t think Jacob can be translated into Filipino script because it’s not a Filipino name but you can try it with this website.

   → http://www.baybayin.com/

   - I doubt it’s going to work because the translator has limitations and it may result in an error…

   - I suggest contacting/consulting Filipino tattoo artists themselves.

   - Perhaps signing up and e-mailing the person who runs the website

   Hope This Helped.