piman

Expressing Sympathy or Dismay

Level 2

Piman! expresses an emotional response; a following statement explains the situation.

How It Works

Piman! is listed under sympathy and dismay, with meanings such as “Poor thing!” and “Too bad!” Rubino describes interjections as having their own intonation unit and relatively higher intonation than ordinary utterances. The examples here place the exclamation before a separate statement explaining the situation.

Compare Nabannog ni Rosa., “Rosa is tired,” with Piman! Nabannog ni Rosa. The statement identifies Rosa and her condition; the exclamation adds the speaker’s sympathetic response. There is no agreement ending to add to piman in this illustrated use. In the money example, -na identifies a singular possessor without specifying gender. In the crying example, nagsangit reports a completed action.

Choose “Poor thing!” when responding sympathetically to someone and “Too bad!” when expressing dismay at a situation. The supplied passage supports this independent exclamation; it does not establish clause-internal placement, request softening, or a general politeness function.

Examples (3)

  1. Piman! Nabannog ni Rosa.

    Poor Rosa! She is tired.

    The separate exclamation expresses sympathy for Rosa; the adjective predicate states her condition.

  2. Piman! Awan ti kuartana.

    Too bad! He or she has no money.

    Awan expresses absence of possession. The singular possessor -na does not specify gender; Piman! expresses the speaker’s response.

  3. Piman! Nagsangit ti ubing.

    Poor child! The child cried.

    Nagsangit reports completed crying. The preceding independent exclamation adds sympathy.