Bisayan languages explained

Bisayan
Also Known As:	Bisayâ Binisayâ Visayan
Region:	Visayas, most parts of Mindanao, Mimaropa in the Philippines, Sabah in Malaysia, North Kalimantan in Indonesia and immigrant communities
Ethnicity:	Visayans
Familycolor:	Austronesian
Fam2:	Malayo-Polynesian
Fam3:	Philippine
Fam4:	Greater Central Philippine
Fam5:	Central Philippine
Protoname:	Proto-Bisayan
Child1:	Asi Cebuano Central Bisayan West Bisayan South Bisayan
Glotto:	bisa1268
Glottorefname:	Bisayan
Map:	Visayan languages map.png
Mapcaption:	Geographic extent of Bisayan languages based on Ethnologue and the National Statistics Office 2000 Census of Population and HousingCebuanCentral BisayanWest BisayanAsiSouth BisayanOther legend

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.

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). 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 1. South (spoken on the northeastern coast of Mindanao) Butuan-Tausug Tausug Butuanon Surigao Surigaonon Tandaganon 2. Cebuan (spoken in Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor, Eastern Negros, western Leyte and northern, southeastern and northwestern parts of Mindanao) Cebuan Cebuano Boholano 3. Central (spoken across most of the Visayan region) Warayan (spoken in eastern Leyte, Biliran and Samar) Waray Baybayanon Kabalian Southern Sorsogon (Gubat) Peripheral Hiligaynon (Ilonggo) (spoken in eastern Panay and Guimaras, Western Negros and south-central Mindanao) Capiznon Bantayanon Porohanon Masbate-Sorsogon Masbateño Central Sorsogon (Masbate) Romblon (also the name of the province) Romblomanon 4. Asi (spoken in northwestern Romblon Province) Asi 5. West Aklan (spoken in northwestern Panay) Aklanon/Inakeanon Malaynon Karayan Karay-a (spoken in western and inland Panay) North-Central (spoken on Tablas Island and the southern tip of Mindoro) Inonhan (language related to Karayan) Kuyan (spoken in the archipelagos west of Panay and Romblon as well as the southern tip of Mindoro) Ratagnon Cuyonon Caluyanon Caluyanon 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] Ethnologue classification Ethnologue classifies the 25 Bisayan languages into five subgroups: Language family No. of Languages Languages 1 Bantoanon 1 Cebuano Central Bisayan 1 Bantayanon Peripheral 5 Ati, Capiznon, Hiligaynon, Masbateño, Porohanon Romblon 1 Romblomanon Warayan 3 Baybayanon, Kabalian, Northern Sorsoganon Gubat 1 Southern Sorsoganon Samar-Waray 1 Waray South Bisayan 2 Surigaonon, Tandaganon Butuan-Tausug 2 Butuanon, Tausug West Bisayan 1 Caluyanon Aklan 2 Aklanon, Malaynon Karay-an 1 Karay-a Cuyan 2 Cuyonon, Ratagnon North-Central 1 Inonhan Total 25 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). Subgroup Language Other names Location(s) Banton Banton Island, Romblon Banton Sibale Banton Sibale (Maestre de Campo) Island, Romblon Banton Odionganon Corcuera Island dialect Odiongan area, Tablas Island, Romblon Western Alcantaranon Alcantara, Tablas Island, Romblon Western Dispoholnon San Andres (Despujols), Tablas Island Western Inunhan Look and Santa Fe, Tablas Island Western Ratagnun, Latagnun Ilin Island and Magsaysay, Occidental Mindoro Western Santa Teresa Barrio Santa Teresa of Magsaysay, Occidental Mindoro Western Bulalakawnon Bulalacao (San Pedro), southern Oriental Mindoro Western Semirara Island Group Western Cuyuno Cuyo Island, except Agutaya; coastal area around Puerto Princesa, Palawan; Culion and Busuanga Islands Western Akeanon, Aklano, Aklan Aklan and northern Capiz, Panay Island Western Pandan Pandan area, Antique, including the Buruanga, Aklan area of Panay Western Antiqueño, Hinaray-a, Sulud, Panayano most of Antique, Panay Island; most inland areas of Iloilo and Capiz; southern Guimaras Island off of Iloilo Western Gimaras Guimaras Island, Iloilo Central Niromblon, Sibuyanon Romblon and Sibuyan Island; San Agustin area, Tablas Island Central Bantayan Island Central Capiz and northeastern Iloilo, Panay Island Central Ilonggo most of Iloilo, Panay Island; western Guimaras and Negros Occidental Central Kawayan Cauayan, Negros Occidental Central Masbate and Ticao Island Central Camotes Camotes Island, between Cebu and Leyte Central Northern Samar Samareño, Waray-Waray northern Samar Central Samar-Leyte Samareño, Waray-Waray, Sinamar central Samar; northern half of Leyte Central Samareño, Waray-Waray, Binisayâ southern Samar Island, Eastern Samar Central Sorsogonon, Bikol northern Sorsogon, Bikol Central Sorsogonon southern Sorsogon, Bikol (including Gubat) Cebuan Sugbuanon, Sugbuhanon, Cebuan, Sebuano Cebu Island; Negros Oriental; eastern Visayas and the coastal areas of northern and eastern Mindanao Cebuan Bol-anon Bohol Island Cebuan Kanâ, Leyteño central western Leyte; immigrants to Dinagat Island Southern Butuan, Agusan del Norte area Southern Jaun Bisayâ Surigao del Norte Southern Jaun-Jaun Siargaonon Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte Southern Kantilan Cantilan and Madrid, Surigao del Sur Southern Naturalis Tandag and Tago, Surigao del Sur Southern Moro, Taw Sug Jolo Island southern and western Palawan Comparisons The following comparisons are from data gathered by Zorc (1997). Personal-noun case markers Subgroup Variety Singular Plural NOM ERG OBL NOM ERG OBL Banton Banton si ni kang sa na kaná Banton Sibale si ni kang sína nína kína Banton Odionganon si ni kang sa na kaná Western, Inonhan Alcantaranon Western, Inonhan Dispoholnon si ni kay sánday nánday kánday Western, Inonhan Looknon si ni kay sánday nánday kánday Western, Kuyan, Ratagnon Datagnon si ni ki sánda nánda kanánda Western, Kuyan, Ratagnon Santa Teresa si ni kay sánday nánday kánday Western, Inonhan Bulalakawnon si ni kay sánday nánday kánday Western, Kuyan, Caluyanon Semirara si ni kay sánday nánday kánday Western, Kuyan Cuyonon si ni ki sanda nanda kanda Western Aklanon si ni kay sánda(y) nánda(y) kánda(y) Western, Kinaray-a Pandan si ni kay sánday nánday kánday Western, Kinaray-a Kinaray-a si ni kay sánday nánday kánday Western, Kinaray-a Gimaras Central Romblomanon si ni kay siná niná kiná Central, Peripheral Bantayan Central, Peripheral Capiznon si ni kay sánday nánday kánday Central, Peripheral Hiligaynon si ni kay silá ni níla ni sa íla ni Central, Peripheral Kawayan Central, Peripheral Masbate si ni kan sinda ninda kanda Central, Peripheral Camotes Central, Warayan, Waray Northern Samar si ni kan sirá nirá kánda Central, Warayan, Waray Samar-Leyte si ni kan sirá níra kánda Central, Warayan, Waray Waray hi ni kan hirá níra kánda Central, Peripheral Sorsogon (Central Sorsoganon) si ni kan sirá nirá kánda Central, Warayan Gubat (South Sorsoganon) si ni kan sirá nirá kánda Cebuan Cebuano si ni kang silá sisiláng níla niníang sa íla ni,sa ílang Cebuan Boholano si ni kang síla níla kaníla Cebuan Leyte silang nilang sa ilang Southern, Butuan-Tausug Butuanon si ni kang síla níla kánda Southern, Surigaonon Surigaonon si ni kay síla níla kaníla Southern, Surigaonon Jaun-Jaun si ni kan síla si níla ni díla ni Southern, Surigaonon Kantilan Southern, Tandaganon Naturalis Southern, Butuan-Tausug Tausug hi hi kan hinda hinda kanda Common-name case markers Subgroup Variety NOM ERG OBL Indefinite Definite Indefinite Definite Past Nonpast Past Nonpast Future Banton Banton -y kag it ittong sa Banton Sibale -y kag it itkag sa Banton Odionganon -y kag it ittong sa Western, Inonhan Alcantaranon ang it tang sa Western, Inonhan Dispoholnon ang it kang sa Western, Inonhan Looknon ang it tang sa Western, Kuyan, Ratagnon Datagnon ang ang sa Western, Kuyan, Ratagnon Santa Teresa ang kang sa Western, Inonhan Bulalakawnon ang it tang sa Western, Kuyan, Caluyanon Semirara ang kang sa Western, Kuyan Cuyonon ang i i-ang sa Western Aklanon -y ro~do it ku sa Western, Kinaray-a Pandan ang it kang sa Western, Kinaray-a Kinaray-a ang ti kang sa Western, Kinaray-a Gimaras ang ti kang sa Central Romblomanon ang ning nang sa Central, Peripheral Bantayan ang sing sang sa Central, Peripheral Capiznon ang sing sang sa Central, Peripheral Hiligaynon ang sing sang sa Central, Peripheral Kawayan ang sing sang sa Central, Peripheral Masbate an sin san sa Central, Peripheral Camotes in an sin san sa Central, Warayan, Waray Northern Samar in an si(n) sa(n) sa Central, Warayan, Waray Samar-Leyte in an it sin san sit sa Central, Warayan, Waray Waray in an it hin han hit ha Central, Peripheral Sorsogon (Central Sorsoganon) an sin san sa Central, Warayan Gubat (South Sorsoganon) an sin san sa Cebuan Cebuano -y ang ug sa sa Cebuan Boholano ang ug sa sa Cebuan Leyte ang ug sa sa Southern, Butuan-Tausug Butuanon ang hung sa Southern, Surigaonon Surigaonon ang nang sa Southern, Surigaonon Jaun-Jaun an nan sa Southern, Surigaonon Kantilan ang nang sa Southern, Tandaganon Naturalis ang nang sa Southern, Butuan-Tausug Tausug in sin ha Reconstruction Proto-Bisayan Familycolor: Austronesian Ancestor: Proto-Austronesian Ancestor2: Proto-Malayo-Polynesian Ancestor3: Proto-Philippine Target: Bisayan languages David Zorc's reconstruction of Proto-Bisayan had 15 consonants and 4 vowels (Zorc 1977:201). 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 Voiceless pronounced as /p/ pronounced as /t/ pronounced as /k/ pronounced as /ʔ/ Voiced pronounced as /b/ pronounced as /d/ pronounced as /ɡ/ Nasal pronounced as /m/ pronounced as /n/ pronounced as /ŋ/ Fricative pronounced as /s/ pronounced as /h/ Lateral pronounced as /l/ Approximant pronounced as /w/ pronounced as /j/ Proto-Bisayan Vowels! colspan="2" Height Front Central Back Close i pronounced as //i// u pronounced as //u// Mid ə pronounced as //ə// Open a pronounced as //a// See also Bisalog Bislish Bisakol languages Classical Cebuano Visayans External links "Bisayan" on Ethnologue, (23rd ed., 2020).

Notes and References

1. Book: Adelaar, Alexander . 2005 . The Austronesian languages of Asia and Madagascar: a historical perspective . Adelaar . Alexander . Himmelmann . Nikolaus . The Austronesian languages of Asia and Madagascar . 1–42 . London . Routledge., page 16.
2. Book: Zorc, David Paul . The Bisayan Dialects of the Philippines: Subgrouping and Reconstruction . 1977 . Dept. of Linguistics, Research School of Pacific Studies, Australian National University . 0858831570 . Canberra, Australia . 10.15144/PL-C44 . free . registration .
3. Book: Lobel, Jason . Concise Encyclopedia of Languages of the World . Elsevier . 2009 . Oxford . 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.