Philippine Negrito languages facts for kids
The Negrito peoples of the Philippines speak various Philippine languages. They have more in common with neighboring languages than with each other, and are listed here merely as an aid to identification.
Classification
The following languages are grouped according to their geographic location, and not genetic classification.
Lobel (2013)
Lobel (2013) lists the following Black Filipino (i.e., Philippine Negrito) ethnolinguistic groups.
- Northern Luzon
- Umiray Dumaget
- Remontado Dumagat
- Alta, Northern
- Alta, Southern
- Arta
- Casiguran Agta
- Nagtipunan Agta
- Dinapigue Agta
- Central Cagayan Agta
- Pahanan (Agta)
- Dupaningan Agta
- Atta (3-4 languages)
(Lobel (2010) lists the following Negrito languages that are spoken on the eastern coast of Luzon Island, listed from north to south.)
- Dupaningan Agta (Northern Luzon branch)
- Pahanan Agta
- Casiguran Agta
- Umiray Dumaget
- Remontado Dumagat
- Inagta Alabat
- Manide
- Inagta Partido
- Inagta Rinconada
Furthermore, Robinson & Lobel (2013) argue that Dupaningan Agta, Pahanan Agta, Casiguran Agta, Nagtipunan Agta, Dinapigue Agta, and Paranan do not belong to the Northern Cordilleran branch, but rather a new branch that they call Northeastern Luzon, which they consider to be a primary branch of the Northern Luzon (Cordilleran) group.
- Zambales Mountains
- Ayta Mag-indi
- Ayta Mag-anchi
- Ayta Abellen
- Ayta Ambala
- Ayta Bataan (a.k.a. Ayta Magbukun)
- Southern Luzon
- Inagta Rinconada
- Inagta Partido
- Manide
- Inagta Alabat (and Inagta Lopez)
- Southern Philippines
- Inata (possibly 2 dialects)
- Inati (Inete) (2 dialects?)
- Mamanwa
- Batak (5-8 dialects)
- Iraya (Mangyan)
- Ata/Tigwa/Matigsalug Manobo
- Extinct varieties
- Mount Iraya Agta (a.k.a. East Lake Buhi Agta)
- Dicamay Agta: spoken on the Dicamay River on the western side of the Sierra Madre near Jones, Isabela; reportedly exterminated by Ilokano homesteaders sometime between 1957 and 1974 (Headland 2003:7)
- Villa Viciosa Agta
Another Negrito language investigated by Lobel (2013) is Southern Binukidnon (Magahat).
Ethnologue adds the extinct and unclassified Katabaga of Catanauan, Quezon, southern Luzon. The language was originally listed by Garvan (1963: 8). Katabaga is in fact a misspelling of Katabangan, the name that the people use to refer to themselves. Some people in the Bikol Region also use the term Katabangan to refer to mixed-blood Agta in the region. Lobel (2013: 92) reports from a 2006 visit that the Katabangan speak only Tagalog. According to Lobel (2013), if the Katabangan did in fact speak one of the Philippine Negrito languages before, it would have been related to Agta of the Lopez-Guinayangan area (see Inagta Alabat language) or to Manide based on its present-day location.
Louward Allen Zubiri reports that there are 670 individuals in the Katabangan community. There are also families living in Mulanay, Gumaca, Lopez, and Alabat.
Reid (1994)
Reid (1994) lists the following Negrito languages.
- North Agta
- Northern Cagayan
- Central Cagayan
- Eastern Cagayan
- Southern Cagayan
- Southern Isabela
- Aurora
- Arta - 12 remaining speakers in Aglipay, Quirino, in 1990
- Alta
- North Alta - spoken in Aurora Province
- South Alta (Kabuluen) - spoken in Nueva Ecija and Bulacan Provinces
- Central Agta - spoken in eastern Luzon; includes Umiray
- South Agta
- Camarines Norte
- Camarines Sur
- Sinauna
- Ayta - 6 different languages spoken in the Zambales Mountains according to Wimbel (1986):
- Abelen
- Aberlen
- Magganchi
- Maggindi
- Ambala
- Magbeken Ayta
- Other Philippine Negrito languages
Reid (2013)
Reid (2013) considers the Philippine Negrito languages (highlighted in bold) to have split in the following fashion. Reid (2013) considers each Negrito language or group to be a first-order split in its respective branch, with Inati and Manide–Alabat as first-order subgroups of Malayo-Polynesian.
- Malayo-Polynesian (MP)
- diverse MP branches outside of the Philippines
- Bashiic, Kalamianic and other MP branches on the Philippines not comprising Negrito languages
- Manide–Alabat
- Inati
- Northern Luzon languages
- Arta
- Umiray Dumaget (?)
- Northeastern Luzon languages
- Cagayan Valley languages
- Ilokano
- Meso-Cordilleran languages
- North Alta
- South Alta
- South Cordilleran languages
- Central Cordilleran languages
- Central Luzon languages
- Remontado Dumagat (Sinauna Tagalog)
- Kapampangan
- Sambalic languages
- Ayta languages
- Sambal languages
- Central Philippine languages
- Mamanwa
- Tagalog
- Bikol
- Bisayan
- Mansaka
Unique vocabulary
Lobel (2010) lists the following percentage of unique vocabulary items out of 1,000 compared words in these Negrito languages, which Reid (1994) suggests are lexical remnants from the pre-Austronesian substrata that these Negrito languages may have. Manide and Umiray Dumaget have the most unique vocabulary items.
- Manide: 28.5%
- Umiray Dumaget: 23%
- Inate: 9%
- Mamanwa: 7%
- Batak: 1%
- Inagta Rinconada; Inagta Partido: 2%
Other Southeast Asian languages with high proportions of unique vocabulary of possible isolate origin include the Enggano language of Indonesia and the Kenaboi language of Malaysia.
Reid (1994)
Reid (1994) lists the following reconstructed forms as possible non-Austronesian lexical elements in Philippine Negrito languages.
| No. | Gloss | Reconstructed form | Attested branches |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | rattan | *lati | North Agta, Alta |
| 2. | rat | *kuyəŋ | North Agta, Alta, Central Agta |
| 3. | ashamed | *aməs | North Agta, Alta, Central Agta |
| 4. | vein | *litid | North Agta, Alta, Central Agta |
| 5. | bury, inter | *tapuR | North Agta, Alta, Central Agta |
| 6. | pity, kindness | *Rəbi | North Agta, Arta, Alta |
| 7. | snake | *babak | Alta, Central Agta, Sinauna |
| 8. | thirst | *pələk | North Agta, Arta |
| 9. | hunt | *purab | North Agta, Arta |
| 10. | deer, buck | *b[ia]dut | North Agta, Arta |
| 11. | fingernail | *[l]usip | North Agta, Arta |
| 12. | wall | *gəsəd | North Agta, Arta |
| 13. | dog, puppy | *lapul | North Agta, Arta |
| 14. | fire | *dukut | North Agta, Arta |
| 15. | hair, feather | *pulug | North Agta, Arta |
| 16. | boil (v.) | *ləbut | North Agta, Alta |
| 17. | forget | *liksap | North Agta, Alta |
| 18. | summit | *taltay/*taytay | North Agta, Alta |
| 19. | forehead | *[l]aŋas | North Agta, South Agta |
| 20. | summit | *kurut | North Agta, South Agta |
| 21. | fragrant | *səlub | Arta, Alta |
| 22. | buttocks | *sula | Alta, Central Agta |
| 23. | fast | *paripari | Alta, Central Agta |
| 24. | know (s.o.) | *abuyan | Alta, Central Agta |
| 25. | leaf | *agid | Alta, Central Agta |
| 26. | man, male | *patud | Alta, Central Agta |
| 27. | see | *lawi[g] | Alta, Central Agta |
| 28. | wall | *sagbuŋ | Alta, Central Agta |
| 29. | shoulder | *sugbuŋ/*subuŋ(-an) | Alta, South Agta |
| 30. | run | *kaldit | Alta, South Agta |
| 31. | betel leaf | *li[t]lit | Alta, Ayta |
| 32. | waterfall | *gərəy | Central Agta, Sinauna |
| 33. | accompany | *ilan | North Alta, South Alta |
| 34. | know | *ənul | North Alta, South Alta |
| 35. | lazy | *b[ia]kət | North Alta, South Alta |
| 36. | pregnant | *tuyud | North Alta, South Alta |
| 37. | sleep | *puləd | North Alta, South Alta |
| 38. | heavy | *dəgi | North Agta |
| 39. | thick | *bagəl | North Agta |
| 40. | bitter | *təkak | North Agta |
| 41. | butterfly | *lullu/*lilli | North Agta |
| 42. | dry in sun | *sarun | North Agta |
| 43. | hear | *tima[n, ŋ] | North Agta |
| 44. | hunt | *lagum | North Agta |
| 45. | mountain | *amugud | North Agta |
| 46. | old (obj.) | *ligid | North Agta |
| 47. | sun | *pamalak | North Agta |
| 48. | termite | *sarik | North Agta |
| 49. | throw (away) | *tugbak | North Agta |
| 50. | fingernail | *lu/*[l]udis | North Agta |
| 51. | run | *buyut | North Agta |
| 52. | wing | *kəpig | North Agta |
| 53. | throw | *b[ia]sag | North Agta |
| 54. | waterfall | *sənad | North Agta |
| 55. | shoulder | *dapi | North Agta |
| 56. | call | *dulaw | North Agta |
| 57. | sweat | *asub | North Agta |
| 58. | butterfly | *lumlum/*limlim | North Agta |
| 59. | sit | *tugkuk | North Agta |
| 60. | thirst | *g[ia]mtaŋ | North Agta |
| 61. | urine | *sitəb | North Agta |
| 62. | walk | *sugut | North Agta |
| 63. | hear | *sanig | North Agta |
| 64. | rattan | *karat | North Agta |
| 65. | run | *gutuk | North Agta |
| 66. | salt | *b[ia]gəl | North Agta |
| 67. | afternoon | (ma-)*lutəp | Arta |
| 68. | arrive | *digdig | Arta |
| 69. | bone | *sagnit | Arta |
| 70. | butterfly | *pippun | Arta |
| 71. | drink | *tim | Arta |
| 72. | ear | *ibəŋ | Arta |
| 73. | lime | *ŋusu | Arta |
| 74. | man, male | *gilaŋ(-an) | Arta |
| 75. | mosquito | *buŋur | Arta |
| 76. | old (man) | *dupu | Arta |
| 77. | one | *sipaŋ | Arta |
| 78. | rain | *punəd | Arta |
| 79. | run | *gurugud | Arta |
| 80. | say, tell | *bud | Arta |
| 81. | sleep | *idəm | Arta |
| 82. | two | *təlip | Arta |
| 83. | burn | *təmuk | North Alta |
| 84. | call | *ŋuk | North Alta |
| 85. | collapse | *bəwəl | North Alta |
| 86. | depart | *əg[ʔk]aŋ | North Alta |
| 87. | fruit | *ian | North Alta |
| 88. | hear | *tibəŋ | North Alta |
| 89. | hit, strike | *pu[ʔk]na | North Alta |
| 90. | lie down | *ədsaŋ | North Alta |
| 91. | locust | *pəsal | North Alta |
| 92. | long | *lə[ʔk]aw | North Alta |
| 93. | put, place | *dətun | North Alta |
| 94. | red | *silit | North Alta |
| 95. | seek | *alyuk | North Alta |
| 96. | stand | *payuŋ | North Alta |
| 97. | wait | *tanud | North Alta |
| 98. | ant | *il[əu]m | South Alta |
| 99. | black | *lit[əu]b | South Alta |
| 100. | blow (v.) | *uswa | South Alta |
| 101. | burn | *tiduk | South Alta |
| 102. | bury, inter | *laba | South Alta |
| 103. | butterfly | (ma-)*lawak | South Alta |
| 104. | buttocks | *timuy | South Alta |
| 105. | call | *gawi | South Alta |
| 106. | carabao | *uduŋ(-an) | South Alta |
| 107. | cry | *kəbi | South Alta |
| 108. | deep | *tanaw | South Alta |
| 109. | fall (v.) | *pagpag | South Alta |
| 110. | fight/quarrel | *itaw | South Alta |
| 111. | fingernail | *lunu | South Alta |
| 112. | loincloth | *g[ia]nat | South Alta |
| 113. | long (time) | *təwali | South Alta |
| 114. | other (diff.) | *kalad | South Alta |
| 115. | put, place | *bənu | South Alta |
| 116. | rain | *dəsu | South Alta |
| 117. | sit | *laŋad | South Alta |
| 118. | stand | *piad | South Alta |
| 119. | tail | *lambuŋ | South Alta |
| 120. | three | *saŋay | South Alta |
| 121. | tree, wood | *lab[ia]t | South Alta |
| 122. | true | *kuduR | South Alta |
| 123. | widow, widower | (na-)*dit | South Alta |
| 124. | wind | *kabu(-an) | South Alta |
| 125. | bone | *kaks(-an) | Central Agta |
| 126. | call | *ulaŋ | Central Agta |
| 127. | climb | *dawit | Central Agta |
| 128. | crocodile | (maŋ-)*atu | Central Agta |
| 129. | feather | *putput | Central Agta |
| 130. | hair | *sapuk | Central Agta |
| 131. | hunt | *ikag | Central Agta |
| 132. | ladle | *lukuy | Central Agta |
| 133. | long (time) | *luy | Central Agta |
| 134. | no, not | *eyen | Central Agta |
| 135. | pound | *buntul | Central Agta |
| 136. | rain | *tapuk | Central Agta |
| 137. | run | *g[ia]kan | Central Agta |
| 138. | sand | *laŋas | Central Agta |
| 139. | sit | *lipa | Central Agta |
| 140. | sleep | *pida | Central Agta |
| 141. | stand | *[uə]di | Central Agta |
| 142. | sweat | *aldut/*ald[ia]t | Central Agta |
| 143. | water, river | *urat | Central Agta |
| 144. | white | *lapsay | Central Agta |
| 145. | fire | *adiŋ | South Agta |
| 146. | mosquito | *kubuŋ | South Agta |
| 147. | shoulder | *mugmug(-an) | South Agta |
| 148. | sleep | *lubat | South Agta |
| 149. | child | *ubun | Sinauna |
| 150. | leaf | *hayin | Sinauna |
| 151. | sit | *səna | Sinauna |
| 152. | stone | *igaŋ | Sinauna |
| 153. | wind | *rugus | Sinauna |
| 154. | see | *ələw | Ayta |
Reid (2013: 334) considers the endonym *ʔa(R)ta, meaning 'person', to have been a native Negrito word that was later borrowed into Austronesian with the meaning 'dark-skinned person'.
