The Manobo languages are a group of languages spoken in the Philippines. Their speakers are primarily located around
Northern Mindanao
Northern Mindanao (; Maranao language, Maranao: ''Pangotaraan Mindanao''; ) is an Regions of the Philippines, administrative region in the Philippines, designated as Region X. It comprises five Provinces of the Philippines, provinces: Bukidnon, ...
,
Central Mindanao (presently called
Soccsksargen) and
Caraga
Caraga, officially the Caraga Administrative Region (or simply known as Caraga region) and designated as Region XIII, is an Regions of the Philippines, administrative region in the Philippines occupying the northeastern section of Mindanao. Th ...
regions
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...
where they are natively spoken. Some outlying groups make Manobo geographically discontiguous as other speakers can be located as far as the southern peninsula of
Davao Oriental
Davao Oriental (; ), officially the Province of Davao Oriental (; ), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Davao Region in Mindanao. Its capital is the city of Mati, Davao Oriental, Mati which is the most ...
, most of
Davao Occidental and coastal areas of
Sultan Kudarat
Sultan Kudarat, officially the Province of Sultan Kudarat (; Maguindanao language, Maguindanaon: ''Dairat nu Sultan Kudarat'', Jawi Alphabet, Jawi: دايرت نو سولتان كودرت; ; Ilocano language, Ilocano: ''Probinsia ti Sultan Ku ...
. The
Kagayanen speakers are the most extremely remote and can be found in certain portions of
Palawan
Palawan (, ), officially the Province of Palawan (; ), is an archipelagic province of the Philippines that is located in the region of Mimaropa. It is the largest province in the country in terms of total area of . The capital and largest c ...
.
Languages
*Central
**East:
Dibabawon,
Rajah Kabunsuwan,
Agusan
**South:
Ata,
Matigsalug (Tigwa);
Obo
**West:
Western Bukidnon,
Ilianen
*North:
Binukid,
Kagayanen,
Higaonon,
Kinamigin
*South:
Tagabawa,
Sarangani
Sarangani, officially the Province of Sarangani (; ; Maguindanao language, Maguindanaon: ''Dairat nu Sarangani'', Jawi Alphabet, Jawi: دايرت نو سرڠان; ), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the ...
,
Cotabato
Cotabato, formerly and still commonly referred to as North Cotabato and officially the Province of Cotabato, is a landlocked Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Soccsksargen Regions of the Philippines, regi ...
Classification
Elkins (1974:637) classifies the Manobo languages as follows.
*Manobo
**Northern
***''
Cagayano'' (of
Cagayancillo Island)
***''
Kinamigin'' (of
Camiguin Island), ''
Binukid'' (of central Mindanao)
**
***Southern
****''
Tagabawa''
****''
Sarangani
Sarangani, officially the Province of Sarangani (; ; Maguindanao language, Maguindanaon: ''Dairat nu Sarangani'', Jawi Alphabet, Jawi: دايرت نو سرڠان; ), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the ...
Manobo''
****''
Tasaday
The Tasaday () are an indigenous peoples of the Lake Sebu area in Mindanao, Philippines. They are considered to belong to the Lumad group, along with the other indigenous groups on the island. They attracted widespread media attention in 1971, ...
'', ''
Cotabato
Cotabato, formerly and still commonly referred to as North Cotabato and officially the Province of Cotabato, is a landlocked Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Soccsksargen Regions of the Philippines, regi ...
Manobo''
***East-West-Central
****Western
*****''
Obo''
*****''
Ilianen Manobo''
*****''
Western Bukidnon Manobo'', ''Livunganen'' (a dialect spoken in
Libungan, north of
Midsayap, Cotabato)
****East-Central
*****Eastern
******''
Agusan Manobo''
******''
Dibabawon Manobo''
*****Central
******''
Ata of Davao''
******''
Matig Salug'', ''Tigwa Manobo''
Reconstruction
Elkins (1974) includes a reconstruction of Proto-Manobo, along with 197 reconstructed etyma.
The Proto-Manobo phonemes are (Elkins 1974:616):
;Consonants
;Vowels
See also
*
Lumad people
References
*
{{Philippine languages
Greater Central Philippine languages