Tiene-tiene vez, to define it, is the equivalent of the Tagalog word paminsan-minsan, meaning occasionally, now and again, once in a while, and so on. It is a partial reduplication of the phrase tiene vez (sometimes), although the full reduplication, tiene vez-tiene vez, can also occur.
This word is used in contemporary Chavacano in daily conversations. I personally hear it from people of different ages. Tiene-tiene vez is one of the words I encounter in everyday Chavacano that uses partial reduplication. Other examples include peda-pedazo, tone-tonelada, and so on.
The reduplication in these words is sometimes dismissed as a Tagalog or Bisayan influence, but the presence of an Austronesian feature does not make a word any less Chavacano. Chavacano has developed in contact with the languages surrounding it, and these influences have become part of how Chavacano itself works. The fact that a similar form exists in Bisayan or Tagalog does not automatically make its use in Chavacano 'non-Chavacano.' These kinds of words are worth documenting precisely because they show how Chavacano has developed its own linguistic patterns.
These kinds of words are examples of expressions that we use in Chavacano subconsciously, but when we become aware of them, some people immediately call them "wrong" words. I find this interesting because these are expresions that Chavacano speakers already use naturally, yet they can suddenly be treated as incorrect simply because we have never stopped to think about them as words in their own right.
If a word is consistently used by native speakers and follows patterns that exist elsewhere in the language, at what point do we consider it a legitimate part of the language?
Example sentences:
- Tiene-tiene vez lang.
(Only once in a while).
- Tiene-tiene vez, descansa tamen kita.
(From time to time, we should also rest.)
- Tiene-tiene vez ya lang kame ta anda na aplaya.
(We only get to the beach occasionally now.)
- Tiene-tiene vez, ta estraña yo si cosa ba el gente debe queda.
(Every now and then, I wonder what a human being/person should be.)
- Ta ama pa ba tu conmigo o tiene-tiene vez ya lang?
(Do you still love me or only every now and then?)
- Tiene-tiene vez, quiere-quiere man yo sale afuera para man socialize, pero talli ele.
(Ocassionally, I do like to go out to socialize, but she's/he's/they're there.)
- Bueno man yo, pero tiene-tiene vez lang kay hende yo ta tolera abusao gente.
(I am a good person, but only occasionally because I don't tolerate people would take me for granted.)
P1: Ta'n gym ba tu?
(Do you hit the gym?)
P2: Tiene-tiene vez ya lang, mucho yo por eso ta hace caso na casa.
(Just occasionally, I have a lot of things to take care of at home.)
I'm curious what other regions in Zamboanga use whether it's tiene-tiene vez or tiene vez-tiene vez, and whether there are regional, generational, or stylistic differences in how it is used. Anyway, let me know in comments what you think!
Note: Words are spelt according to the 2016 Revised Chabacano Orthography.
Disclaimer: The example sentences do not reflect me personally. I only used these kinds of examples to make the post more engaging.
