Boie'nen (Old Buhi Language)

tobli

Sense 1

English: Translation

Tobli; the large woody leguminous vine traditionally used by the Boie’nen as a natural fish poison. Although commonly referred to locally as a “tree,” it is botanically a robust climbing vine.** **Its roots contain rotenone, a naturally occurring compound traditionally used to stun fish and as a botanical insecticide.

Part of Speech

noun

Sense 2

English: Translation

To stun or poison fish by applying crushed tubli roots to a body of water, causing the fish to become temporarily incapacitated and float to the surface for easy collection.** **Traditionally practiced in rivers, streams, and other inland waters. Fish collected in this manner are generally considered safe for consumption after normal preparation.

Part of Speech

verb

Scientific Name

Derris elliptica (now often Paraderris elliptica) or Derris philippinensis

Notes

USAGE

Nanobli sira sa sowong’.

“They used tubli to stun fish in the river.”

Tinobli nira yo isra’.

“They stunned the fish with tubli.”

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FIGURATIVE USE

By semantic extension, tobli also refers to anything so overpowering that it figuratively “stuns” or incapacitates a person.

Natobli ako nyo otot mo.

“I got gassed by your fart.”

Nakakatobli a otot mo.

“Your fart is enough to knock someone out!”

TOBLI Verbal Paradigm

Form	Morphological Formula	Function	Meaning
nanobli	naN- + tobli	AF Perfective	deliberately used tubli to stun fish
nangagpanobli	nangag- + panobli	AF Plural Perfective	the actors deliberately used tubli to stun fish
nipanobli	ni- + panobli	AF Progressive	is presently using tubli to stun fish
nangagipanobli	nangagi- + panobli	AF Plural Progressive	the actors are presently using tubli to stun fish
magipanoblien	magi- + panobli + -en	AF Contemplated	will or are about to use tubli to stun fish
magitoblien	magi- + tobli + -en	AF Contemplated	will use tubli to stun fish; usually a simpler or more casual expression
nangagiparapanobli	nangagi- + para- + panobli	AF Progressive Habitual	are habitually or customarily using tubli to stun fish
nangagiparapatobli	nangagi- + para- + pa- + tobli	AF Progressive Habitual Causative	are habitually causing others to use tubli to stun fish

Linguistic History

MORPHOLOGICAL OBSERVATION The tobli family illustrates a productive characteristic of Boie’nen verbal morphology whereby a derived Actor Focus stem (panobli) functions as a new lexical base for further derivation. Consequently, higher-order aspectual, plural, habitual, and contemplated forms may be built either directly from the lexical root (tobli) or from the derived stem (panobli), with subtle semantic differences. Forms derived from panobli generally denote the established activity or practice of traditional tubli fishing, whereas forms derived directly from tobli tend to emphasize the individual act of applying tubli.