oyayi
oyayî with stress marks
lullaby; cradle song
Usage Note
Oyayi is a native Tagalog word for a lullaby or song sung to soothe a baby to sleep. Traditional oyayi are an important part of Filipino oral literature with regional variations, and the genre is studied in Philippine folklore and music education as a tender expression of parental care.
Examples
" Inaawitan niya ng oyayi ang bata. "
Natural Translation
He/she sings a lullaby to the child.
Literal Translation
Singing-to he/she of lullaby the child.
" Inawitan ng ina ng oyayi ang kanyang sanggol. "
Natural Translation
The mother sang a lullaby to his/her baby.
Literal Translation
Sang of mother of lullaby the his/her baby.
" Habang dahan-dahang umuugoy ang duyan, marahan niyang inawit ang oyayi hanggang makatulog ang sanggol. "
Natural Translation
While the cradle gently rocked, he/she softly sang the lullaby until the baby fell asleep.
Literal Translation
While slowly rocking the cradle, gently he/she sang the lullaby until be-able-to-sleep the baby.
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