Visayan languages

Visayan Geographic
distribution: Visayasand Mindanao Genetic
classification: Austronesian
Malayo-Polynesian
  Borneo-Philippines
   Central Philippine
    Visayan Subdivisions: Asi
Cebuano
Central Visayan
Southern Visayan
Western Visayan

The Visayan languages of the Philippines, along with Tagalog and Bikol, are part of the Central Philippine language family. Most Visayan languages are spoken in the Visayas region but they are also spoken in the Bicol Region (particularly in Sorsogon and Masbate), islands south of Luzon such as those that make up Romblon, the northern and western areas of Mindanao, and the province of Sulu located southwest of Mindanao. Some residents of Metro Manila also speak Visayan.

Over thirty languages constitute the Visayan language family. The Visayan language with the most speakers is Cebuano, spoken by 20 million people as a native language in Central Visayas, northern and eastern parts of Mindanao. Two other well-known Visayan languages are Hiligaynon, spoken by 7 million in western Visayas and Waray-Waray spoken by 3 million in eastern Visayas.

Nomenclature

Native speakers of Visayan languages, especially Cebuano, Hiligaynon, and Waray-Waray not only refer to their language by their local name, but also by Bisaya or Binisaya, meaning Visayan 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 Visayan language family but spoken natively in places outside of the Visayas do not use the self-reference Bisaya or Binisaya. To speakers of Butuanon, Suriganon, and Masbatenyo, the term Visaya usually refers to Cebuano. Since Tausugs are mostly Muslims, they view the term Bisaya as a religious term referring to Christian Filipinos (mostly referring either to Cebuano or Hiligaynon as they are the neighboring languages). One must also recognize the distinction between this Bisaya language and people and that of the Malaysian Bisaya.

Geographic distribution

Regions in the Philippines where Visayan languages are predominantly spoken.

The Visayan languages are further divided into five subfamilies. The list below is by no means exhaustive. Asi and Cebuano constitute their own subfamilies. For a complete listing and information on all Bisayan languages, refer to http://www.ethnologue.com/show_family.asp?subid=92372

Asi - spoken in towns on Tablas Island as well as the islands of Banton, Simara, and Maestro de Campo in Romblon province..

Cebuano - includes Boholano.

Southern Visayan - Tausug, Butuanon, and Surigaonon (including Jaun-Jaun).

Central Visayan - includes Hiligaynon, Waray-Waray, Romblomanon, Ati, Capiznon, Masbatenyo, Porohanon, the Bisakol languages of Sorsogon and Northern Samar, and others.

Western Visayan - includes Kinaray-a (the major language of Antique), Aklan languages (Aklanon, Malaynon), Onhan, Caluyanon, Cuyonon, Ratagnon, and others.

Table of speakers

Language ISO 639
Lang Code Speakers Aklanonakl 394,545 (1990 census) Atiati 1,500 (1980 SIL) Bantoanon(or Asi) bno 200,000 (2002 SIL) Butuanonbtw 34,547 (1990 census) Caluyanonclu 30,000 (1994 SIL) Capiznoncps 638,653 (2000) Cebuanoceb 20,043,502 in the Philippines (1995 census) Cuyononcyo 123,384 (1990 census) Hiligaynonhil 7,000,000 in the Philippines (1995) Inonhanloc 85,829 (2000 WCD) Kinaray-Akrj 377,529 (1994 SIL) Malaynonmlz 8,500 (1973 SIL) Masbatenyomsb 350,000 (2002 SIL) Porohanonprh 23,000 Ratagnonbtn 2 to 3 (2000 Wurm) (Nearly extinct) Romblomanonrol 200,000 (1987 SIL) Sorsogon, Masbate bks 85,000 (1975 census) Sorsogon, Waray srv 185,000 (1975 census) Surigaononsul 344,974 (1990 census) Tausugtsg 900,000 in the Philippines (2000 SIL) (Population total all countries: 1,022,000) Waray-Waraywar 2,437,688 (1990 census) . . Total 33,463,654