The Central Philippine languages are the most geographically widespread demonstrated group of languages in the Philippines, being spoken in southern Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao, and Sulu. They are also the most populous, including Tagalog (and Filipino), Bikol, and the major Visayan languages Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Waray, Kinaray-a, and Tausug, with some forty languages all together..
Classification
Overview The languages are generally subdivided thus (languages in italics refer to a single language): Kasiguranin–Tagalog (at least three dialects found in southern Luzon) Bikol (six languages in the Bicol Peninsula and two from Catanduanes) Bisayan (eighteen languages spoken in the whole Visayas, as well as southeastern Luzon, northeastern Mindanao and Sulu) Mansakan (eleven languages of the Davao Region)
There are in addition several Aeta hill-tribal languages of uncertain affiliation: Ata, Sorsogon Ayta, Tayabas Ayta, Karolanos (Northern Binukidnon), Magahat (Southern Binukidnon), Sulod, and Umiray Dumaget.
Most of the Central Philippine languages in fact form a dialect continuum and cannot be sharply distinguished as separate languages. Blust (2009) notes that the relatively low diversity found among the Visayan languages is due to recent population expansions.Blust, Robert A. The Austronesian Languages. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University, 2009. , .
Zorc (1977) The expanded tree of the Central Philippine languages below is given in David Zorc's 1977 Ph.D. dissertation.Zorc, David Paul. The Bisayan Dialects of the Philippines: Subgrouping and Reconstruction. Canberra, Australia: Dept. of Linguistics, Research School of Pacific Studies, Australian National University, 1977, p. 33. The Visayan subgrouping is Zorc's own work, while the Bikol subgrouping is from McFarland (1974)McFarland, Curtis D. The Dialects of the Bikol Area. Ph.D. dissertation. New Haven: Dept. of Liunguistics, Yale University, 1974. and the Mansakan subgrouping from Gallman (1974).Gallman, Andrew Franklin. A Reconstruction of Proto-Mansakan. M.A. dissertation. Arlington, Texas: Dept. of Liunguistics, University of Texas at Arlington, 1974.
Individual languages are marked by italics, and primary branches by bold italics.
Central Philippine Tagalog Standard Filipino Marinduque Lubang Bikol Pandan (North Catanduanes) Inland Bikol Iriga (Rinconada Bikol) Albay Bikol Coastal Bikol (including the Naga City dialect) Central Bikol Virac (South Catanduanes) Visayan South (spoken on the eastern coast of Mindanao) Butuan–Tausug Tausug Butuanon Surigao Surigaonon, Jaun-Jaun,Word list: Zorc, R. David. 1972. Jaun-Jaun notes. Kantilan,Word list: Zorc, R. David. 1972. Kantilan notes. NaturalisWord list: Zorc, R. David. 1972. Naturalis notes. Cebuan (spoken in Cebu, Bohol, western Leyte, northern Mindanao, and eastern Negros) Cebuan Cebuano, Boholano, Leyte Central (spoken across most of the Visayan region) Warayan Waray–Samar Waray, Samar-Leyte Northern Samar Gubat (South Sorsogon) Peripheral Sorsogon (North), Masbate Camotes Bantayan Hiligaynon (Ilonggo), Capiznon, Kawayan Romblon Romblomanon Banton/Asi (spoken in northwestern Romblon Province) Banton Banton, Odionganon,Word list: Zorc, R. David. 1972. Odionganon notes. Simara, Calatrava, SibaleWord list: Zorc, R. David. 1972. Sibalenhon (Bantu-anon) notes. West Aklan (spoken in northern Panay) Aklanon Kinarayan (spoken in Panay) Pandan,Word list: Zorc, R. David. 1972. Pandan notes. Kinaray-a, Gimaras North-Central (spoken on Tablas Island and the southern tip of Mindoro) Bulalakaw,Word list: Zorc, R. David. 1972. Bulalakawnon notes. Dispoholnon,Word list: Zorc, R. David. 1972. Dispoholnon notes. Looknon,Word list: Zorc, R. David. 1972. Loocnon notes. Alcantaranhon Kuyan (spoken in the archipelagos west of Panay and Romblon, as well as the southern tip of Mindoro) Datagnon,Word list: Zorc, R. David. 1972. Datagnon notes. Santa Teresa,Word list: Zorc, R. David. 1972. Santa Teresa notes. SemiraraWord list: Zorc, R. David. 1972. Semirara notes. KuyononWord list: Zorc, R. David. 1972. Kuyonon notes.Word list: Zorc, R. David. 1972. Kuyonon (dialects) notes. Mansakan North Mansakan Kamayo (North) and Kamayo (South) Davaw Davawenyo (Davaweño) Eastern Mansakan Isamal Caraga (Karaga) Kabasagan, Boso, Mansaka, Mandayan Western Mansakan Kalagan and Tagakaolo Mamanwa Mamanwa
Gallman (1997) Andrew Gallman (1997) rejects Zorc's classification of the Mansakan languages and Mamanwa as primary branches of the Central Philippine languages coordinate to the Bisayan languages. Instead, he groups Mansakan, Mamanwa and the Southern Bisayan languages together into an "East Mindanao" subgroup, which links up with the remaining Bisayan branches in a "South Central Philippine" subgroup:Gallman, Andrew Franklin. 1997. Proto East Mindanao and its internal relationships. Philippine Journal of Linguistics, Special monograph issue, no. 44. Manila: Linguistic Society of the Philippines.
Central Philippine Tagalog Bikol South Central Philippine West Bisayan Banton Central Bisayan Cebuan East Mindanao North East Mindanao Mamanwa Surigaonon Butuanon-Tausug Central East Mindanao Kamayo Davawenyo (Banganga) Davawenyo (Digos) South East Mindanao Mandaya (Kabasagan) Mandaya (Caraga) Mansaka, Mandaya (Maragusan), Mandaya (Boso) (Branch) Mandaya (Islam) Kalagan (Kaagan), Kalagan (Tagakaulu)
Greater Central Philippine (Blust)
Blust (1991) notes that the central and southern Philippines has low linguistic diversity. Based on exclusively shared lexical innovations, he posits a Greater Central Philippine subgroup that puts together the Central Philippine branch with South Mangyan, Palawan, Danao, Manobo, Subanon and Gorontalo–Mongondow languages, the latter found in northern Sulawesi.
References