Bisayan languages — Safekipedia Discoverer

Where spoken	The Visayas, parts of Mindanao, and some areas in Malaysia and Indonesia
Ethnic group	Visayans
Language family	Austronesian Malayo-Polynesian
Subdivisions	Asi, Cebuan, Central Bisayan, West Bisayan, South Bisayan

The Bisayan languages or Visayan languages are a subgroup of the Austronesian languages spoken in the Philippines. They are closely related to Tagalog and the Bikol languages, all part of the Central Philippine languages. These languages are mainly spoken in the Visayas region, but also in parts of the Bicol Region, islands south of Luzon like Romblon, and wide areas of Mindanao and Sulu. Even some people in Metro Manila speak a Bisayan language.

There are over 30 languages in the Bisayan family. The most widely spoken is Cebuano, used by about 20 million people in Central Visayas, parts of Eastern Visayas, and much of Mindanao. Other important Bisayan languages include Hiligaynon (Ilonggo), spoken by around 9 million in Western Visayas and Soccsksargen, and Waray-Waray, spoken by about 6 million in Eastern Visayas. Before colonization, many Visayan peoples used the badlit script, which was similar to the Tagalog baybayin.

Nomenclature

Native speakers of Bisayan languages, such as Cebuano, Hiligaynon, and Waray, often call their language Bisaya or Binisaya, meaning "Bisayan language." However, this can be confusing because different Bisayan languages might sound very different from each other and not be understood by speakers of other Bisayan languages.

Some Bisayan languages spoken outside the Visayas region, like Cuyonon, Surigaonon, Butuanon, and Tausug, usually refer to Visayan as either Cebuano or Hiligaynon. The exact origin of the word Bisaya is unknown, though there is an ethnic group in Malaysia and Brunei who share the same name. It's important not to confuse these groups with ethnic groups in the Philippines or those in Borneo.

Evidence

David Zorc identified specific features that help define the Bisayan languages as a group. One feature involves certain sound combinations changing over time. For example, sounds like "*lC" and "*Cl" often shifted to become "*Cl", where "C" stands for any consonant except *h, *q, or *l. Another feature involves how sounds like "*qC" and "*Cq" changed, with most shifting to "*Cq". However, the language Tausug split off early and might have avoided some of these changes, as did some Bikol languages.

These patterns help linguists understand how Bisayan languages evolved and relate to each other.

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

Bisayan Languages Tree Chart

David Zorc organized the Bisayan languages into five main groups: South, Cebuan, Central, Banton, and West. These languages form more of a dialect continuum than separate, clear languages.

The South Bisayan languages were the first to diverge, followed by Cebuan and then the others. The area of Romblon has many different Bisayan languages spoken there. There are 36 different varieties listed, including Cebuano, Waray, Hiligaynon (Ilonggo), and Aklanon/Inakeanon, among others, spoken across the Visayas and parts of Mindanao.

Names and locations

Zorc (1977: 14–15) listed the names and locations of the Bisayan languages. Three recently found languages, Karolanos, Magahat, and Kabalian, were not included in that list. These languages are spoken mainly in the Visayas area of the Philippines, but also in some parts of nearby regions.

Subgroup	Language	Other names	Location(s)
Banton	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	Looknon	Inunhan	Look and Santa Fe, Tablas Island
Western	Datagnon	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		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
Western	Pandan		Pandan area, Antique, including the Buruanga, Aklan area of Panay
Western	Kinaray-a	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	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	Ilonggo	most of Iloilo, Panay Island; western Guimaras and Negros Occidental
Central	Kawayan		Cauayan, Negros Occidental
Central	Masbate	Masbate	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	Waray	Samareño, Waray-Waray, Binisayâ	southern Samar Island, Eastern Samar
Central	Sorsogon	Sorsogonon, Bikol	northern Sorsogon, Bikol
Central	Gubat	Sorsogonon	southern 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, Leyteño	central western Leyte; immigrants to Dinagat Island
Southern	Butuanon		Butuan, Agusan del Norte area
Southern	Surigaonon	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	Tausug	Moro, Taw Sug	Jolo Island; southern and western Palawan

Comparisons

The Bisayan languages, also known as Visayan languages, are a group of languages spoken mainly in the Visayas region of the Philippines. They are closely related to Tagalog and the Bikol languages, all belonging to the Central Philippine languages family. These languages are spoken not only in the Visayas but also in parts of the Bicol Region, some islands south of Luzon like Romblon, and many areas in Mindanao including Sulu.

Scholars have collected data to compare how these languages mark personal nouns and common names in different cases, showing their similarities and differences. This helps linguists understand how the Bisayan languages are related to each other and to other Philippine languages.

Main article: Visayan languages

Subgroup	Variety	Singular			Plural
Subgroup	Variety	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 si siláng	níla ni níang	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	sinda	ninda	kanda
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

Subgroup	Variety	NOM			ERG
		Indefinite	Definite		Indefinite	Definite
			Past		Past	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	sin	san	sa
Central, Warayan, Waray	Waray	in	an	hin	han	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		hong	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

David Zorc studied the ancient sounds of the Proto-Bisayan language. He found that it had 15 different consonants and 4 vowels. He also looked at how the sounds were stressed and lengthened in words.

**Proto-Bisayan Consonants**
		Bilabial	Dental	Palatal	Velar	Glottal
Plosive	Voiceless	p	t		k	ʔ
Plosive	Voiced	b	d		ɡ
Nasal		m	n		ŋ
Fricative			s			h
Lateral			l
Approximant		w		j

**Proto-Bisayan Vowels**
Height	Front	Central	Back
Close	i /i/		u /u/
Mid		ə /ə/
Open		a /a/