ko-ol

Semantic Domain: Animals; Aquatic life; Food

Ko-ol is the Boie’nen cognate of Pilipino kuhol and related Philippine forms. The word should not be defined exclusively as the golden apple snail (Pomacea canaliculata), since that South American species was introduced into the Philippines only in the 1980s.

The traditional referent is more likely an indigenous edible freshwater snail, potentially including native Philippine Pila species. The exact zoological species represented historically by Boie’nen ko-ol requires specimen-based identification.

The modern invasive golden apple snail (Pomacea canaliculata) may also be called ko-ol by extension where speakers apply the inherited snail name to it.

Etymology:
An inherited Austronesian word. Compare Pilipino/Tagalog kuhól, Bikol kuhól, and Hiligaynon kuúl / koól, ultimately comparable with reconstructed Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kuhul, ‘edible snail species.’

The Boie’nen form ko-ol is phonologically noteworthy because it accords with the characteristic Boie’nen loss of historical /h/ and resulting vowel hiatus.

Compare:

• igi — tiny freshwater snail
• soso’ — another edible freshwater/river snail represented separately in the Boie’nen lexicon

Related Words:

• igi — See also
• soso’ — See also