sak-anan

Cebuano

Etymology

From sak-an +‎ -an.

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: sak‧a‧nan
• IPA^(key): /ˌsak ˈʔanan/ [ˌs̪ak ˈʔaː.n̪an̪]

Noun

sak-anan (Badlit spelling ᜐᜃ᜔ᜀᜈᜈ᜔)

1. inn

   Synonym: balay abtanan

2. apartment; boarding house

Usage notes

• This term preserves a historical cultural fact of the Visayan people: traditional houses were elevated on stilts for ventilation and flood protection. Because one had to climb a ladder to enter, the verb saka (to ascend) became synonymous with entering a home or staying as a guest. Thus, a sak-anan is literally "a place where one goes up [to stay]."