sirena
siréna with stress marks
foghorn; siren; mermaid
Usage Note
Sirena comes from Spanish sirena and covers three related meanings: the mythological mermaid, an emergency siren, and a ship's foghorn. The mermaid sense is especially vivid in Philippine culture, appearing in folk stories, coastal murals, and fishing-community festivals along the archipelago.
Examples
" Umugong ang sirena ng ambulansya. "
Natural Translation
The ambulance siren wailed.
Literal Translation
Wailed the siren of ambulance.
" Narinig nila ang sirena ng ambulansya. "
Natural Translation
They heard the siren of the ambulance.
Literal Translation
Heard they the siren of ambulance.
" Sa mga kuwentong-bayan ng mga mangingisda, sinasabing maganda raw ang sirenang lumilitaw tuwing kabilugan ng buwan. "
Natural Translation
In the fishermen's folk tales, they say the mermaid that appears during the full moon is beautiful.
Literal Translation
In the folk-tales of the fishermen, said-allegedly beautiful the mermaid that appears every fullness of moon.
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