The Negrito peoples of the Philippines speak various Philippine languages. They have more in common with neighboring languages than with each other, [1] and are listed here merely as an aid to identification.
The following languages are grouped according to their geographic location, and not genetic classification.
Lobel (2013) [1] lists the following Black Filipino (i.e., Philippine Negrito) ethnolinguistic groups.
(Lobel (2010) [2] lists the following Negrito languages that are spoken on the eastern coast of Luzon Island, listed from north to south.)
Furthermore, Robinson & Lobel (2013) [3] argue that Dupaningan Agta, Pahanan Agta, Casiguran Agta, Nagtipunan Agta, Dinapigue Agta, and Paranan do not belong to the Northern Cordilleran branch, but rather a new branch that they call Northeastern Luzon , which they consider to be a primary branch of the Northern Luzon (Cordilleran) group.
Ethnologue adds the extinct and unclassified Katabaga of Catanauan, Quezon, southern Luzon. The language was originally listed by Garvan. [5] Katabaga is in fact a misspelling of Katabangan, the name that the people use to refer to themselves. Some people in the Bikol Region also use the term Katabangan to refer to mixed-blood Agta in the region. Lobel reports from a 2006 visit that the Katabangan speak only Tagalog. [6] According to Lobel (2013), based on their location, if the Katabangan did in fact once have their own language, it may have been related to Inagta Alabat-Lopez (see Inagta Alabat language) and Manide. Louward Allen Zubiri reports that there are 670 individuals in the Katabangan community, and that there are also families living in Mulanay, Gumaca, Lopez, and Alabat. He also reports on a handful of vocabulary items remembered by the Katabangan which offer evidence for a close relationship of their now-lost language with Manide and Inagta Alabat. [7]
Reid (1994) lists the following Negrito languages. [8]
Reid (2013) [10] considers the Philippine Negrito languages (highlighted in bold) to have split in the following fashion. Reid (2013) considers each Negrito language or group to be a first-order split in its respective branch, with Inati and Manide–Alabat as first-order subgroups of Malayo-Polynesian.
Lobel (2010) [2] lists the following percentage of unique vocabulary items out of 1,000 compared words in these Negrito languages, which Reid (1994) [8] suggests are lexical remnants from the pre-Austronesian substrata that these Negrito languages may have. Manide and Umiray Dumaget have the most unique vocabulary items.
Other Southeast Asian languages with high proportions of unique vocabulary of possible isolate origin include the Enggano language of Indonesia and the Kenaboi language of Malaysia.
Reid (1994) [8] lists the following reconstructed forms as possible non-Austronesian lexical elements in Philippine Negrito languages.
No. | Gloss | Reconstructed form | Attested branches |
---|---|---|---|
1. | rattan | *lati | North Agta, Alta |
2. | rat | *kuyəŋ | North Agta, Alta, Central Agta |
3. | ashamed | *aməs | North Agta, Alta, Central Agta |
4. | vein | *litid | North Agta, Alta, Central Agta |
5. | bury, inter | *tapuR | North Agta, Alta, Central Agta |
6. | pity, kindness | *Rəbi | North Agta, Arta, Alta |
7. | snake | *babak | Alta, Central Agta, Sinauna |
8. | thirst | *pələk | North Agta, Arta |
9. | hunt | *purab | North Agta, Arta |
10. | deer, buck | *b[ia]dut | North Agta, Arta |
11. | fingernail | *[l]usip | North Agta, Arta |
12. | penis | *g[ia]ləŋ | North Agta, Arta |
13. | wall | *gəsəd | North Agta, Arta |
14. | dog, puppy | *lapul | North Agta, Arta |
15. | fire | *dukut | North Agta, Arta |
16. | hair, feather | *pulug | North Agta, Arta |
17. | boil (v.) | *ləbut | North Agta, Alta |
18. | forget | *liksap | North Agta, Alta |
19. | summit | *taltay/*taytay | North Agta, Alta |
20. | forehead | *[l]aŋas | North Agta, South Agta |
21. | summit | *kurut | North Agta, South Agta |
22. | fragrant | *səlub | Arta, Alta |
23. | buttocks | *sula | Alta, Central Agta |
24. | fast | *paripari | Alta, Central Agta |
25. | know (s.o.) | *abuyan | Alta, Central Agta |
26. | leaf | *agid | Alta, Central Agta |
27. | man, male | *patud | Alta, Central Agta |
28. | see | *lawi[g] | Alta, Central Agta |
29. | wall | *sagbuŋ | Alta, Central Agta |
30. | shoulder | *sugbuŋ/*subuŋ(-an) | Alta, South Agta |
31. | run | *kaldit | Alta, South Agta |
32. | betel leaf | *li[t]lit | Alta, Ayta |
33. | waterfall | *gərəy | Central Agta, Sinauna |
34. | accompany | *ilan | North Alta, South Alta |
35. | know | *ənul | North Alta, South Alta |
36. | lazy | *b[ia]kət | North Alta, South Alta |
37. | pregnant | *tuyud | North Alta, South Alta |
38. | sleep | *puləd | North Alta, South Alta |
39. | heavy | *dəgi | North Agta |
40. | thick | *bagəl | North Agta |
41. | bitter | *təkak | North Agta |
42. | butterfly | *lullu/*lilli | North Agta |
43. | dry in sun | *sarun | North Agta |
44. | hear | *tima[n, ŋ] | North Agta |
45. | hunt | *lagum | North Agta |
46. | mountain | *amugud | North Agta |
47. | old (obj.) | *ligid | North Agta |
48. | sun | *pamalak | North Agta |
49. | termite | *sarik | North Agta |
50. | throw (away) | *tugbak | North Agta |
51. | fingernail | *lu/*[l]udis | North Agta |
52. | run | *buyut | North Agta |
53. | wing | *kəpig | North Agta |
54. | throw | *b[ia]sag | North Agta |
55. | waterfall | *sənad | North Agta |
56. | shoulder | *dapi | North Agta |
57. | call | *dulaw | North Agta |
58. | sweat | *asub | North Agta |
59. | butterfly | *lumlum/*limlim | North Agta |
60. | sit | *tugkuk | North Agta |
61. | thirst | *g[ia]mtaŋ | North Agta |
62. | urine | *sitəb | North Agta |
63. | walk | *sugut | North Agta |
64. | hear | *sanig | North Agta |
65. | rattan | *karat | North Agta |
66. | run | *gutuk | North Agta |
67. | salt | *b[ia]gəl | North Agta |
68. | afternoon | (ma-)*lutəp | Arta |
69. | arrive | *digdig | Arta |
70. | bone | *sagnit | Arta |
71. | butterfly | *pippun | Arta |
72. | drink | *tim | Arta |
73. | ear | *ibəŋ | Arta |
74. | lime | *ŋusu | Arta |
75. | man, male | *gilaŋ(-an) | Arta |
76. | mosquito | *buŋur | Arta |
77. | old (man) | *dupu | Arta |
78. | one | *sipaŋ | Arta |
79. | rain | *punəd | Arta |
80. | run | *gurugud | Arta |
81. | say, tell | *bud | Arta |
82. | sleep | *idəm | Arta |
83. | two | *təlip | Arta |
84. | burn | *təmuk | North Alta |
85. | call | *ŋuk | North Alta |
86. | collapse | *bəwəl | North Alta |
87. | depart | *əg[ʔk]aŋ | North Alta |
88. | fruit | *ian | North Alta |
89. | hear | *tibəŋ | North Alta |
90. | hit, strike | *pu[ʔk]na | North Alta |
91. | lie down | *ədsaŋ | North Alta |
92. | locust | *pəsal | North Alta |
93. | long | *lə[ʔk]aw | North Alta |
94. | penis | *gəyət | North Alta |
95. | put, place | *dətun | North Alta |
96. | red | *silit | North Alta |
97. | seek | *alyuk | North Alta |
98. | stand | *payuŋ | North Alta |
99. | wait | *tanud | North Alta |
100. | ant | *il[əu]m | South Alta |
101. | black | *lit[əu]b | South Alta |
102. | blow (v.) | *uswa | South Alta |
103. | burn | *tiduk | South Alta |
104. | bury, inter | *laba | South Alta |
105. | butterfly | (ma-)*lawak | South Alta |
106. | buttocks | *timuy | South Alta |
107. | call | *gawi | South Alta |
108. | carabao | *uduŋ(-an) | South Alta |
109. | cry | *kəbi | South Alta |
110. | deep | *tanaw | South Alta |
111. | fall (v.) | *pagpag | South Alta |
112. | fight/quarrel | *itaw | South Alta |
113. | fingernail | *lunu | South Alta |
114. | loincloth | *g[ia]nat | South Alta |
115. | long (time) | *təwali | South Alta |
116. | other (diff.) | *kalad | South Alta |
117. | put, place | *bənu | South Alta |
118. | rain | *dəsu | South Alta |
119. | sit | *laŋad | South Alta |
120. | stand | *piad | South Alta |
121. | tail | *lambuŋ | South Alta |
122. | three | *saŋay | South Alta |
123. | tree, wood | *lab[ia]t | South Alta |
124. | true | *kuduR | South Alta |
125. | vagina | (i-)*plaŋ | South Alta |
126. | widow, widower | (na-)*dit | South Alta |
127. | wind | *kabu(-an) | South Alta |
128. | bone | *kaks(-an) | Central Agta |
129. | call | *ulaŋ | Central Agta |
130. | climb | *dawit | Central Agta |
131. | crocodile | (maŋ-)*atu | Central Agta |
132. | feather | *putput | Central Agta |
133. | hair | *sapuk | Central Agta |
134. | hunt | *ikag | Central Agta |
135. | ladle | *lukuy | Central Agta |
136. | long (time) | *luy | Central Agta |
137. | no, not | *eyen | Central Agta |
138. | pound | *buntul | Central Agta |
139. | rain | *tapuk | Central Agta |
140. | run | *g[ia]kan | Central Agta |
141. | sand | *laŋas | Central Agta |
142. | sit | *lipa | Central Agta |
143. | sleep | *pida | Central Agta |
144. | stand | *[uə]di | Central Agta |
145. | sweat | *aldut/*ald[ia]t | Central Agta |
146. | vagina | *kin(-an) | Central Agta |
147. | water, river | *urat | Central Agta |
148. | white | *lapsay | Central Agta |
149. | fire | *adiŋ | South Agta |
150. | mosquito | *kubuŋ | South Agta |
151. | shoulder | *mugmug(-an) | South Agta |
152. | sleep | *lubat | South Agta |
153. | child | *ubun | Sinauna |
154. | leaf | *hayin | Sinauna |
155. | sit | *səna | Sinauna |
156. | stone | *igaŋ | Sinauna |
157. | wind | *rugus | Sinauna |
158. | see | *ələw | Ayta |
Reid considers the endonym *ʔa(R)ta, meaning 'person', to have been a native Negrito word that was later borrowed into Austronesian with the meaning 'dark-skinned person'. [10]
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