| Bisayan | |
|---|---|
| Bisayâ Binisayâ Visayan | |
| Geographic distribution | Visayas, most parts ofMindanao,Mimaropa in thePhilippines,Sabah inMalaysia,North Kalimantan inIndonesia andimmigrant communities |
| Ethnicity | Visayans |
| Linguistic classification | Austronesian |
| Proto-language | Proto-Bisayan |
| Subdivisions | |
| Language codes | |
| Glottolog | bisa1268 |
Geographic extent of Bisayan languages based onEthnologue and theNational Statistics Office 2000 Census of Population and Housing Cebuan Central Bisayan West Bisayan Asi South Bisayan Other legend Widespread/L2 use ofCebuano Widespread/L2 use ofHiligaynon | |
TheBisayan languages orVisayan languages[1] are a subgroup of theAustronesian languages spoken in thePhilippines. They are most closely related toTagalog and theBikol languages, all of which are part of theCentral Philippine languages. Most Bisayan languages are spoken in the wholeVisayas section of the country, but they are also spoken in the southern part of theBicol Region (particularly inMasbate andSorsogon where several dialects ofWaray are spoken), islands south ofLuzon, such as those that make upRomblon, most of the areas ofMindanao and the province ofSulu located southwest of Mindanao. Some residents ofMetro Manila also speak one of the Bisayan languages.
Over 30 languages constitute the Bisayan language family. The Bisayan language with the most speakers isCebuano, spoken by 20 million people as a native language inCentral Visayas, parts ofEastern Visayas, and most ofMindanao. Two other well-known and widespread Bisayan languages areHiligaynon (Ilonggo), spoken by 9 million in most ofWestern Visayas andSoccsksargen; andWaray-Waray, spoken by 6 million inEastern Visayas region. Prior to colonization, the script and calligraphy of most of the Visayan peoples was thebadlit, closely related to the Tagalogbaybayin.
Native speakers of most Bisayan languages, especiallyCebuano,Hiligaynon andWaray, not only refer to their language by their local name, but also byBisaya orBinisaya, meaningBisayan language. This is misleading or may lead to confusion as different languages may be calledBisaya by their respective speakers despite their languages beingmutually unintelligible.
However, languages that are classified within the Bisayan language family but spoken natively in places outside of theVisayas do not use the self-referenceBisaya orBinisaya. To speakers ofCuyonon,Surigaonon,Butuanon andTausug, the termVisayan usually refers to either Cebuano or Hiligaynon.
There have been no proven accounts to verify the origins ofBisaya. However, there is an ethnic group inMalaysia andBrunei who call themselveswith the same name. However, theseethnic groups in the Philippines must not be confused with those inBorneo.
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.
| *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 | *qitlug (MOST: ˈʔit.log) | *bagquh (Ceb: ˈbag.ʔo) |
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 adialect 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 ofRomblon has the most linguistic diversity, as languages from three primary Bisayan branches are spoken there:Romblomanon from Central Bisayan,Inunhan from Western Bisayan andBanton (which has an independent Bisayan branch).
Notably,Baybayanon andPorohanon haveWarayan 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 byitalics.

The auxiliary language ofEskayan is grammatically Bisayan, but has essentially no Bisayan (or Philippine) vocabulary.
Magahat andKarolanos, both spoken in Negros, are unclassified within Bisayan.[4]
Zorc (1977: 14–15) lists the following names and locations of Bisayan languages. The recently documented languagesKarolanos,Magahat, andKabalian are not listed in Zorc (1977).
| 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 andSanta Fe,Tablas Island |
| Western | Datagnon | Ratagnun, Latagnun | Ilin Island andMagsaysay, Occidental Mindoro |
| Western | Santa Teresa | Barrio Santa Teresa ofMagsaysay, Occidental Mindoro | |
| Western | Bulalakawnon | Bulalacao (San Pedro), southernOriental Mindoro | |
| Western | Semirara | Semirara Island Group | |
| Western | Cuyonon | Cuyuno | Cuyo Island, exceptAgutaya; coastal area aroundPuerto Princesa, Palawan;Culion andBusuanga Islands |
| Western | Aklanon | Akeanon, Aklano, Aklan | Aklan and northernCapiz,Panay Island |
| Western | Pandan | Pandan area, Antique, including theBuruanga,Aklan area ofPanay | |
| Western | Kinaray-a | Antiqueño, Hinaray-a, Sulud, Panayano | most ofAntique,Panay Island; most inland areas ofIloilo andCapiz; southernGuimaras Island off ofIloilo |
| Western | Gimaras | Guimaras Island, Iloilo | |
| Central | Romblomanon | Niromblon, Sibuyanon | Romblon andSibuyan Island;San Agustin area,Tablas Island |
| Central | Bantayan | Bantayan Island | |
| Central | Capiznon | Capiz and northeasternIloilo, Panay Island | |
| Central | Hiligaynon | Ilonggo | most ofIloilo,Panay Island; westernGuimaras andNegros Occidental |
| Central | Kawayan | Cauayan, Negros Occidental | |
| Central | Masbate | Masbate | Masbate andTicao Island |
| Central | Camotes | Camotes Island, between Cebu and Leyte | |
| Central | Northern Samar | Samareño, Waray-Waray | northern Samar |
| Central | Samar-Leyte | Samareño, Waray-Waray, Sinamar | centralSamar; northern half ofLeyte |
| Central | Waray | Samareño, Waray-Waray, Binisayâ | southernSamar Island,Eastern Samar |
| Central | Sorsogon | Sorsogonon, Bikol | northernSorsogon,Bikol |
| Central | Gubat | Sorsogonon | southernSorsogon, Bikol (includingGubat) |
| Cebuan | Cebuano | Sugbuanon, Sugbuhanon, Cebuan, Sebuano | Cebu Island;Negros Oriental;eastern Visayas and the coastal areas of northern and easternMindanao |
| Cebuan | Boholano | Bol-anon | Bohol Island |
| Cebuan | Leyte | Kanâ, Leyteño | central westernLeyte; immigrants toDinagat 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 andMadrid,Surigao del Sur | |
| Southern | Naturalis | Tandag andTago,Surigao del Sur | |
| Southern | Tausug | Moro, Taw Sug | Jolo Island; southern and westernPalawan |
The following comparisons are from data gathered by Zorc (1997).
| 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 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 | 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 | 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 | ||||
| Proto-Bisayan | |
|---|---|
| Reconstruction of | Bisayan languages |
Reconstructed ancestors | |
David Zorc's reconstruction of Proto-Bisayan had 15consonants and 4vowels (Zorc 1977:201).[2] Vowel length, primary stress (penultimate and ultimate), and secondary stress (pre-penultimate) are also reconstructed by Zorc.
| Bilabial | Dental | Palatal | Velar | Glottal | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plosive | Voiceless | p | t | k | ʔ | |
| Voiced | b | d | ɡ | |||
| Nasal | m | n | ŋ | |||
| Fricative | s | h | ||||
| Lateral | l | |||||
| Approximant | w | j | ||||
| Height | Front | Central | Back | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Close | i/i/ | u/u/ | |||||
| Mid | ə/ə/ | ||||||
| Open | a/a/ |