The Manobo languages are a group of languages spoken in the Philippines. Their speakers are primarily located around
Northern Mindanao
Northern Mindanao ( tl, Hilagang Mindanao; ceb, Amihanang Mindanao; Maranao: ''Pangotaraan Mindanao'') is an administrative region in the Philippines, designated as Region X. It comprises five provinces: Bukidnon, Camiguin, Misamis Occidental, ...
,
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 zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...
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 ( Cebuano: ''Sidlakang Dabaw''; tl, Silangang Davao), officially the Province of Davao Oriental, is a province in the Philippines located in the Davao Region in Mindanao. Its capital is city of Mati, and it borders the province of ...
, most of
Davao Occidental
Davao Occidental ( Cebuano: ''Kasadpang Dabaw''; Filipino: ''Kanlurang Davao''), officially the Province of Davao Occidental, is a province in the Philippines located in the Davao Region in Mindanao. Its capital is the municipality of Malita. To ...
and coastal areas of
Sultan Kudarat
Sultan Kudarat, officially the Province of Sultan Kudarat ( hil, Kapuoran sang Sultan Kudarat; Maguindanaon: ''Dairat nu Sultan Kudarat'', Jawi: دايرت نو سلطان كودرت; ceb, Lalawigan sa Sultan Kudarat; tl, Lalawigan ng Sul ...
. The
Kagayanen speakers are the most extremely remote and can be found in certain portions of
Palawan
Palawan (), officially the Province of Palawan ( cyo, Probinsya i'ang Palawan; tl, Lalawigan ng 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 ...
.
Languages
*Central
**East:
Dibabawon,
Rajah Kabunsuwan,
Agusan
**South:
Ata,
Matigsalug
The Matigsalug are an indigenous group who live in the Tigwa-Salug Valley in San Fernando in Bukidnon province, Philippines. ''"Matigsalug"'' means "people along the Salug River" (now known as the Davao River). Although often classified under th ...
(Tigwa);
Obo
Obo is the capital of Haut-Mbomou, one of the 14 Prefectures of the Central African Republic, prefectures of the Central African Republic. It is close to the Pole of inaccessibility#Africa, African Pole of Inaccessibility.
Poste Airport is loca ...
**West:
Western Bukidnon,
Ilianen
*North:
Binukid,
Kagayanen,
Higaonon
Higaonon is a Manobo language spoken on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. It is partially (80%) intelligible with Binukid.
Higaonon is spoken in the Butuan River basin of north-central Mindanao, comprising northwestern Agusan del Sur P ...
,
Kinamigin
*South:
Tagabawa,
Sarangani,
Cotabato
Cotabato or North Cotabato ( hil, Aminhan Cotabato; ceb, Amihanang Cotabato; Maguindanaon: ''Pangutaran Kutawatu'', Jawi: ڤڠوترن كوتاواتو; fil, Hilagang Cotabato), officially the Province of Cotabato, is a landlocked province in ...
Classification
Elkins (1974:637) classifies the Manobo languages as follows.
*Manobo
**Northern
***''
Cagayano'' (of
Cagayancillo Island)
***''
Kinamigin'' (of
Camiguin
Camiguin, officially the Province of Camiguin ( ceb, Probinsya sa Camiguin; tl, Lalawigan ng Camiguin; Kamigin: ''Probinsya ta Kamigin''), is an island province in the Philippines located in the Bohol Sea, about off the northern coast of Mi ...
Island), ''
Binukid'' (of central Mindanao)
**(core branch)
***Southern
****''
Tagabawa''
****''
Sarangani Manobo''
****''
Tasaday
The Tasaday () are a Philippine indigenous people of the Lake Sebu area in Mindanao. 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, when ...
'', ''
Cotabato
Cotabato or North Cotabato ( hil, Aminhan Cotabato; ceb, Amihanang Cotabato; Maguindanaon: ''Pangutaran Kutawatu'', Jawi: ڤڠوترن كوتاواتو; fil, Hilagang Cotabato), officially the Province of Cotabato, is a landlocked province in ...
Manobo''
***East-West-Central
****Western
*****''
Obo
Obo is the capital of Haut-Mbomou, one of the 14 Prefectures of the Central African Republic, prefectures of the Central African Republic. It is close to the Pole of inaccessibility#Africa, African Pole of Inaccessibility.
Poste Airport is loca ...
''
*****''
Ilianen Manobo''
*****''
Western Bukidnon Manobo'', ''Livunganen'' (a dialect spoken in
Libungan
Libungan, officially the Municipality of Libungan (Maguindanao language, Maguindanaon: ''Inged nu Libungan'', Jawi Alphabet, Jawi: ايڠايد نو ليبوڠن; Iranun language, Iranun: ''Inged a Libungan'', ايڠايد ا ليبوڠن; hil, ...
, north of
Midsayap
Midsayap, officially the Municipality of Midsayap ( Maguindanaon: ''Inged nu Midsayap'', Jawi: ايڠايد نو ميدسايڤ; Iranun: ''Inged a Midsayap'', ايڠايد ا ميدسايڤ; hil, Banwa sang Midsayap; ceb, Lungsod sa 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
The Lumad are a group of Austronesian indigenous people in the southern Philippines. It is a Cebuano term meaning "native" or "indigenous". The term is short for Katawhang Lumad (Literally: "indigenous people"), the autonym officially adopte ...
References
*
{{Austronesian languages
Greater Central Philippine languages