Proem

As Boholanos we are always proud of our heritage. Pre-Spanish Boholanos could already build ships capable of reaching Thailand, Borneo, and even as far as Patan in the eastern part of India.

It may seem impossible, but it is true. And why not, the Sugboanon Bisaya language has no word for "impossible."

No Equivalent for Impossible

Do you know that the Sugboanon Bisaya language has no word equivalent for "impossible" in English? Nowadays we use the word "impossible," which is a Spanish word.

The nearest equivalent in our language is "makulì." However, the real meaning of makulì is very difficult and inconvenient. It is not really impossible. It is a situation in which you will not do it because it is inconvenient and nothing good would come out of it even if done.

After long years of studying the Bisayan language, I tried to rationalize why the Boholanos did not have a concept of impossible. Maybe it is the reason why Boholanos are very venturesome that even today they would travel to the farthest nook and corner of the earth.

No Word for Miracle

Do you know also that we do not have a word for "miracle?" nowadays we use the Spanish word "milagro." Even in our use of the word milagro, we usually use it in a sense that is not really miraculous. "Milagro uroy si Pedro, nitunghà karon.= What a surprise, Pedro has now attended." According to the dictionary "Diccionario Español-Bisaya" written by Fr. Juan Felix de la Encarnacion in 1852, the Bisayan word for "milagro" is katingalahan. We know that katingalahan is not an accurate equivalent. Katingalahan is more appropriate for the English words "surprising" or "strange." The other word that is similar in meaning to "miracle" is kahibulongan. Still it is not very accurate because kahibulongan is more appropriate for the English words "astonishing" or "amazing."
Implication

The Tagalog language has the word "himalâ" for miracle. However, the Bisayan language does not have a word for miracle.

In my analysis, the reason for this is that we do not have the concept of "impossible."If you do not have the idea of "impossible," how could you conceive the idea of "miracle?"

Even today, when we already have the words imposible and milagro you can still find many Boholanos who would dare to do things that other people would consider as impossible.

Mr. Libres of Guindulman, Bohol tried to construct a "perpetual machine" up to the time of his death. Engr. Ananias Putong, is still trying how to graphically "square a circle."

These are topics that scientific literature considers to be impossible.

Within our midst in Bohol, there are many people who walk on hot coal (baga), eat glasses, perform surgical operation with bare hands, or even try to run for President of the Philippines without money or organization.

To a Boholano, nothing is impossible for the simple reason that he does not have the equivalent word for impossible.