Bisayan languages

Last updated
Bisayan
Bisayâ
Binisayâ
Visayan
Geographic
distribution
Visayas, most parts of Mindanao, Mimaropa in the Philippines, Sabah in Malaysia, North Kalimantan in Indonesia and immigrant communities
Ethnicity Visayans
Linguistic classification Austronesian
Proto-languageProto-Bisayan
Subdivisions
  • Asi
    Cebuan
    Central Bisayan
    West Bisayan
    South Bisayan
Language codes
ISO 639-3
Glottolog bisa1268
Visayan languages map.png
Geographic extent of Bisayan languages based on Ethnologue and the National Statistics Office 2000 Census of Population and Housing

Cebuan

   Cebuano

Central Bisayan

   Waray
   Kabalian
   Capiznon
   Porohanon
   Ati

West Bisayan

   Cuyonon
   Caluyanon
   Aklanon
   Karay-a
   Inonhan
   Ratagnon

Asi

   Asi

South Bisayan

   Butuanon
   Tausug

Other legend

  Widespread/L2 use of Cebuano
  Widespread/L2 use of Hiligaynon

The Bisayan languages or Visayan languages [1] are a subgroup of the Austronesian languages spoken in the Philippines. They are most closely related to Tagalog and the Bikol languages, all of which are part of the Central Philippine languages. Most Bisayan languages are spoken in the whole Visayas section of the country, but they are also spoken in the southern part of the Bicol Region (particularly in Masbate and Sorsogon where several dialects of Waray are spoken), islands south of Luzon, such as those that make up Romblon, most of the areas of Mindanao and the province of Sulu located southwest of Mindanao. Some residents of Metro Manila also speak one of the Bisayan languages.

Contents

Over 30 languages constitute the Bisayan language family. The Bisayan language with the most speakers is Cebuano, spoken by 20 million people as a native language in Central Visayas, parts of Eastern Visayas, and most of Mindanao. Two other well-known and widespread Bisayan languages are Hiligaynon (Ilonggo), spoken by 9 million in most of Western Visayas and Soccsksargen; and Waray-Waray, spoken by 6 million in Eastern Visayas region. Prior to colonization, the script and calligraphy of most of the Visayan peoples was the badlit, closely related to the Tagalog baybayin.

Nomenclature

Native speakers of most Bisayan languages, especially Cebuano, Hiligaynon and Waray, not only refer to their language by their local name, but also by Bisaya or Binisaya, meaning Bisayan language. This is misleading or may lead to confusion as different languages may be called Bisaya by their respective speakers despite their languages being mutually unintelligible.

However, languages that are classified within the Bisayan language family but spoken natively in places outside of the Visayas do not use the self-reference Bisaya or Binisaya. To speakers of Cuyonon, Surigaonon, Butuanon and Tausug, the term Visayan usually refers to either Cebuano or Hiligaynon.

There have been no proven accounts to verify the origins of Bisaya. However, there is an ethnic group in Malaysia and Brunei who call themselves with the same name. However, these ethnic groups in the Philippines must not be confused with those in Borneo.

Evidence

David Zorc lists the following innovations as features defining the Bisayan languages as a group (Zorc 1977:241). [2] Tausug is noted to have diverged early from the group and may have avoided some sound changes that affected the others.

  1. *lC, *Cl > *Cl (where C is any consonant not *h, *q, or *l)
  2. *qC, *Cq > *Cq (MOST) *qC, *Cq > *qC (Tausug, and most Bikol languages)
Reflexes of PCPh and PPh
*qaldaw*qalsəm*qitlug*baqguh
Tagalic*qaːdaw

(Tag: ˈʔaː.raw)

*qaːsəm

(Tag: ˈʔaː.sim)

*qitlug

(Tag: ʔit.ˈlog)

*baːguh

(Tag: ˈbaː.go)

Bikol*qaldaw

(Naga: ˈʔal.daw)

*qalsəm

(Naga: ˈʔal.som)

*qitlug

(Iriga: ʔit.ˈlog)

*baqguh (Naga: ˈbaʔ.go)
Bisayan*qadlaw

(ALL: ˈʔad.law)

*qasləm

(Kin: ˈʔas.ləm, Ceb: ˈʔas.lum)

*qitlug

(MOST: ˈʔit.log)

*bagquh (Ceb: ˈbag.ʔo)

Internal classification

David Zorc gives the following internal classification for the Bisayan languages (Zorc 1977:32). [2] The five primary branches are South, Cebuan, Central, Banton, and West. However, Zorc notes that the Bisayan language family is more like a dialect continuum rather than a set of readily distinguishable languages.

The South Bisayan languages are considered to have diverged first, followed by Cebuan and then the rest of the three branches. Also, in the Visayas section, the province of Romblon has the most linguistic diversity, as languages from three primary Bisayan branches are spoken there: Romblomanon from Central Bisayan, Inunhan from Western Bisayan and Banton (which has an independent Bisayan branch).

Notably, Baybayanon and Porohanon have Warayan substrata, indicating a more widespread distribution of Waray before Cebuano speakers started to expand considerably starting from the mid-1800s. [3]

A total of 36 varieties are listed below. Individual languages are marked by italics.

Bisayan Languages Tree Chart Bisayan Languages Tree Chart.png
Bisayan Languages Tree Chart

The auxiliary language of Eskayan is grammatically Bisayan, but has essentially no Bisayan (or Philippine) vocabulary.

Magahat and Karolanos, both spoken in Negros, are unclassified within Bisayan. [4]

Names and locations

Zorc (1977: 14–15) lists the following names and locations of Bisayan languages. The recently documented languages Karolanos, Magahat, and Kabalian are not listed in Zorc (1977).

SubgroupLanguageOther namesLocation(s)
Banton Banton Banton Island, Romblon
BantonSibaleBanton Sibale (Maestre de Campo) Island, Romblon
BantonOdionganon Corcuera Island dialect Odiongan area, Tablas Island, Romblon
WesternAlcantaranon Alcantara, Tablas Island, Romblon
WesternDispoholnon San Andres (Despujols), Tablas Island
Western Looknon Inunhan Look and Santa Fe, Tablas Island
Western Datagnon Ratagnun, Latagnun Ilin Island and Magsaysay, Occidental Mindoro
WesternSanta TeresaBarrio Santa Teresa of Magsaysay, Occidental Mindoro
WesternBulalakawnon Bulalacao (San Pedro), southern Oriental Mindoro
Western Semirara Semirara Island Group
Western Cuyonon Cuyuno Cuyo Island, except Agutaya; coastal area around Puerto Princesa, Palawan; Culion and Busuanga Islands
Western Aklanon Akeanon, Aklano, Aklan Aklan and northern Capiz, Panay Island
WesternPandan Pandan area, Antique, including the Buruanga, Aklan area of Panay
Western Kinaray-a Antiqueño, Hinaray-a, Sulud, Panayanomost of Antique, Panay Island; most inland areas of Iloilo and Capiz; southern Guimaras Island off of Iloilo
WesternGimaras Guimaras Island, Iloilo
Central Romblomanon Niromblon, Sibuyanon Romblon and Sibuyan Island; San Agustin area, Tablas Island
Central Bantayan Bantayan Island
Central Capiznon Capiz and northeastern Iloilo, Panay Island
Central Hiligaynon Ilonggomost of Iloilo, Panay Island; western Guimaras and Negros Occidental
CentralKawayan Cauayan, Negros Occidental
Central Masbate Masbate Masbate and Ticao Island
CentralCamotes Camotes Island, between Cebu and Leyte
CentralNorthern SamarSamareño, Waray-Waray northern Samar
CentralSamar-LeyteSamareño, Waray-Waray, Sinamarcentral Samar; northern half of Leyte
Central Waray Samareño, Waray-Waray, Binisayâsouthern Samar Island, Eastern Samar
Central Sorsogon Sorsogonon, Bikolnorthern Sorsogon, Bikol
Central Gubat Sorsogononsouthern Sorsogon, Bikol (including Gubat)
Cebuan Cebuano Sugbuanon, Sugbuhanon, Cebuan, Sebuano Cebu Island; Negros Oriental; eastern Visayas and the coastal areas of northern and eastern Mindanao
Cebuan Boholano Bol-anon Bohol Island
Cebuan Leyte Kanâ, Leyteñocentral western Leyte; immigrants to Dinagat Island
Southern Butuanon Butuan, Agusan del Norte area
Southern Surigaonon Jaun Bisayâ Surigao del Norte
SouthernJaun-JaunSiargaonon Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte
SouthernKantilan Cantilan and Madrid, Surigao del Sur
SouthernNaturalis Tandag and Tago, Surigao del Sur
Southern Tausug Moro, Taw Sug Jolo Island; southern and western Palawan

Comparisons

The following comparisons are from data gathered by Zorc (1997).

Personal-noun case markers

SubgroupVarietySingularPlural
NOMERGOBLNOMERGOBL
Banton Banton sinikangsanakaná
BantonSibalesinikangsínanínakína
BantonOdionganonsinikangsanakaná
Western, InonhanAlcantaranon
Western, InonhanDispoholnonsinikaysándaynándaykánday
Western, Inonhan Looknon sinikaysándaynándaykánday
Western, Kuyan, Ratagnon Datagnon sinikisándanándakanánda
Western, Kuyan, RatagnonSanta Teresasinikaysándaynándaykánday
Western, InonhanBulalakawnonsinikaysándaynándaykánday
Western, Kuyan, Caluyanon Semirara sinikaysándaynándaykánday
Western, Kuyan Cuyonon sinikisandanandakanda
Western Aklanon sinikaysánda(y)nánda(y)kánda(y)
Western, Kinaray-aPandansinikaysándaynándaykánday
Western, Kinaray-a Kinaray-a sinikaysándaynándaykánday
Western, Kinaray-aGimaras
Central Romblomanon sinikaysináninákiná
Central, Peripheral Bantayan
Central, Peripheral Capiznon sinikaysándaynándaykánday
Central, Peripheral Hiligaynon sinikaysilá niníla nisa íla ni
Central, PeripheralKawayan
Central, Peripheral Masbate sinikansindanindakanda
Central, Peripheral Camotes
Central, Warayan, WarayNorthern Samarsinikansiránirákánda
Central, Warayan, WaraySamar-Leytesinikansiránírakánda
Central, Warayan, Waray Waray hinikanhiránírakánda
Central, Peripheral Sorsogon (Central Sorsoganon)sinikansiránirákánda
Central, Warayan Gubat (South Sorsoganon)sinikansiránirákánda
Cebuan Cebuano sinikangsilá si

siláng

níla ni

níang

sa íla ni,

sa ílang

Cebuan Boholano sinikangsílanílakaníla
Cebuan Leyte silangnilangsa ilang
Southern, Butuan-Tausug Butuanon sinikangsindanindakanda
Southern, Surigaonon Surigaonon sinikaysílanílakaníla
Southern, SurigaononJaun-Jaunsinikansíla siníla nidíla ni
Southern, SurigaononKantilan
Southern, TandaganonNaturalis
Southern, Butuan-Tausug Tausug hihikanhindahindakanda

Common-name case markers

SubgroupVarietyNOMERGOBL
IndefiniteDefiniteIndefiniteDefinite
PastNonpastPastNonpastFuture
Banton Banton -ykagitittongsa
BantonSibale-ykagititkagsa
BantonOdionganon-ykagitittongsa
Western, InonhanAlcantaranonangittangsa
Western, InonhanDispoholnonangitkangsa
Western, Inonhan Looknon angittangsa
Western, Kuyan, Ratagnon Datagnon ang#angsa
Western, Kuyan, RatagnonSanta Teresaangkangsa
Western, InonhanBulalakawnonangittangsa
Western, Kuyan, Caluyanon Semirara angkangsa
Western, Kuyan Cuyonon angii-angsa
Western Aklanon -yro~doitkusa
Western, Kinaray-aPandanangitkangsa
Western, Kinaray-a Kinaray-a angtikangsa
Western, Kinaray-aGimarasangtikangsa
Central Romblomanon angningnangsa
Central, Peripheral Bantayan angsingsangsa
Central, Peripheral Capiznon angsingsangsa
Central, Peripheral Hiligaynon angsingsangsa
Central, PeripheralKawayanangsingsangsa
Central, Peripheral Masbate ansinsansa
Central, Peripheral Camotes inansinsansa
Central, Warayan, WarayNorthern Samarinansi(n)sa(n)sa
Central, Warayan, WaraySamar-Leyteinanitsinsansitsa
Central, Warayan, Waray Waray inanithinhanhitha
Central, Peripheral Sorsogon (Central Sorsoganon)ansinsansa
Central, Warayan Gubat (South Sorsoganon)ansinsansa
Cebuan Cebuano -yangugsasa
Cebuan Boholano angugsasa
Cebuan Leyte angugsasa
Southern, Butuan-Tausug Butuanon anghongsa
Southern, Surigaonon Surigaonon angnangsa
Southern, SurigaononJaun-Jaunannansa
Southern, SurigaononKantilanangnangsa
Southern, TandaganonNaturalisangnangsa
Southern, Butuan-Tausug Tausug insinha

Reconstruction

Proto-Bisayan
Reconstruction ofBisayan languages
Reconstructed
ancestors

David Zorc's reconstruction of Proto-Bisayan had 15 consonants and 4 vowels (Zorc 1977:201). [2] Vowel length, primary stress (penultimate and ultimate), and secondary stress (pre-penultimate) are also reconstructed by Zorc.

Proto-Bisayan Consonants
Bilabial Dental Palatal Velar Glottal
Plosive Voicelessptkʔ
Voicedbdɡ
Nasal mnŋ
Fricative sh
Lateral l
Approximant wj
Proto-Bisayan Vowels
Height Front Central Back
Close i/i/u/u/
Mid ə/ə/
Open a/a/

See also

References

  1. Adelaar, Alexander (2005). "The Austronesian languages of Asia and Madagascar: a historical perspective". In Adelaar, Alexander; Himmelmann, Nikolaus (eds.). The Austronesian languages of Asia and Madagascar. London: Routledge. pp. 1–42., page 16.
  2. 1 2 3 Zorc, David Paul (1977). The Bisayan Dialects of the Philippines: Subgrouping and Reconstruction . Canberra, Australia: Dept. of Linguistics, Research School of Pacific Studies, Australian National University. doi: 10.15144/PL-C44 . ISBN   0858831570.
  3. Lobel, Jason (2009). Concise Encyclopedia of Languages of the World. Oxford: Elsevier. pp. 914–917.
  4. Lobel, Jason William. 2013. Philippine and North Bornean languages: issues in description, subgrouping, and reconstruction. Ph.D. dissertation. Manoa: University of Hawai'i at Manoa.