Cebuano language

Cebuano is an Austronesian language spoken by many people in the southern part of the Philippines. It is mainly used by the Bisaya people and some other ethnic groups. People often call it Bisayâ or Binisayâ, which means "Visayan" in English. But it is different from other Bisayan languages.

Cebuano is spoken on islands such as Cebu, Bohol, and Siquijor, as well as parts of Negros, Leyte, Northern Mindanao, and Zamboanga del Norte. Over time, it has also become common in places like the Davao Region and Cotabato.

Even though Tagalog has the most native speakers today, Cebuano was very common from the 1950s to the 1980s. It is the main language, or lingua franca, in Central Visayas and many parts of Mindanao and Palawan. The name Cebuano comes from the island of Cebu, where the standard form of the language comes from. It has its own special code, ceb, used to identify it.

Nomenclature

The word Cebuano comes from the island Cebu and the word "ano", meaning "people". This shows the influence of Spain’s time as a ruler of the Philippines. Many people who speak Cebuano, especially on the island of Cebu, call their language Bisayâ.

Not everyone likes the name Cebuano. Some speakers from places like Leyte, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, Caraga, and Zamboanga Peninsula prefer to call their language Binisayâ instead. They feel this better represents their history and culture. However, some experts still use the name Cebuano for the language spoken in areas such as Cebu, Negros Occidental, Bohol, Leyte, and parts of Mindanao. Important studies by experts like R. David Paul Zorc help us understand these languages better. During the time when Spain ruled the Philippines, people called many different languages, including Hiligaynon, Cebuano, Waray, Kinaray-a, and Aklanon, simply Visaya.

Geographical distribution

Cebuano is spoken by about 1.72 million households in the Philippines, and around 6.5% of the country’s people use it at home. Other studies suggest that up to 15.9 million people speak it.

You can hear Cebuano in several places, including the islands of Cebu, Bohol, and Siquijor. It is also spoken in parts of Negros Oriental, the northeastern area of Negros Occidental, southern Masbate, and western parts of Leyte and Biliran. In the southern part of the country, known as Mindanao, Cebuano is common in cities and towns in the Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, and Caraga. It is also spoken in some remote areas of Quezon Province in Luzon because of its closeness to Burias Island in Masbate.

People from different places may call the language by different names. For example, speakers from Cebu usually just call it "Cebuano," while those from Bohol may say "Boholano" or "Bol-anon." In Leyte, it is sometimes called Kanâ, meaning “that.” In Mindanao and Luzon, people often refer to it as Binisayâ or Bisayà.

History

The Cebuano language comes from an old language called Proto-Philippine language, which itself came from an even older language called Proto-Malayo-Polynesian. This means Cebuano is related to many languages in places like Maritime Southeast Asia, such as Indonesian and Malay.

The first known records of Cebuano were made by Antonio Pigafetta, an Italian explorer who traveled with Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. He wrote down some words in the language. Even though there was a way to write Cebuano, it wasn’t used very often. Spanish writers talked about a writing system called the Visayan script, but there aren’t many examples of it from long ago. Later, a Spanish priest named Francisco Encina wrote a book about the language’s grammar in the 1700s, but it wasn’t published until the 1800s.

The first known book written in Cebuano was called "Maming" by Vicente Yap Sotto in 1901. Before that, there were other writings, but they were more like guides on behavior instead of stories.

Phonology

Vowels

The Cebuano language has five vowel sounds. Here’s what they sound like:

• /a/ sounds like the “a” in “father”.
• /ɛ/ sounds like the “e” in “bed”.
• /i/ sounds like the “i” in “machine”.
• /o/ sounds like the “o” in “forty”.
• /u/ sounds like the “u” in “flute”.

Sometimes, the letters can sound a little different depending on the word.

Consonants

Cebuano consonants are mostly like English ones, but there are a few special rules. For example, the sound /ŋ/ (like the “ng” in “ngano”) can appear at the start of a word. The glottal stop (a small pause in sound) is often not written but can change the meaning of a word.

Stress

Stress in Cebuano can change the meaning of a word. For example, “dapít” means “near,” while “dápit” means “place.” The stress usually falls on certain syllables, but it can vary.

Grammar

Main articles: Cebuano grammar and Austronesian alignment

Cebuano has its own special rules for speaking, called grammar. These rules help people use the language correctly. The grammar of Cebuano is part of a bigger group of languages called Austronesian languages, which share similar patterns and structures.

Writing system

Main article: Filipino alphabet

The Cebuano language is written with the Latin alphabet, following rules similar to those used in Filipino. It uses 20 letters: 5 vowels and 15 consonants. Some letters like c, f, j, q, v, x, and z are used only in words borrowed from other languages. The letter "ñ" is used for Spanish names, like in Santo Niño. The combination "Ng" is also part of the alphabet, representing a special sound found in many Philippine languages.

While there isn’t one official way to spell Cebuano words, most books and papers follow the spelling rules of Standard Cebuano. This standard is based on dialects from Carcar and Dalaguete in Cebu and was used by the Catholic Church when they first wrote down the language. Sometimes, different areas change the spelling to match how they actually say the words. For example, the word for "deep" is spelled lalom in Standard Cebuano but becomes lawom in some city areas of Cebu.

Other small changes can happen too, like switching 'i' and 'u' with 'e' and 'o' in certain places, depending on the local way of speaking. Different books and articles might also have their own special rules for spelling and writing.

Vocabulary

Cebuano shares many words with other languages. Early trade brought words from Malay, like "sulát" meaning "to write." It also has words from Sanskrit and Arabic, which came to Cebuano through Malay traders.

The most influence on Cebuano vocabulary came from Spanish. Many everyday words, especially numbers and money terms, have Spanish roots. English words are also common, especially among educated speakers. For example, people might say "mag-buy" instead of the Cebuano way to say "to buy."

Numbers

Main article: Cebuano numbers

Cebuano has its own way of counting, but it also uses Spanish and English numbers. The native system is used for simple counting, while Spanish-influenced words are used for money and time. For numbers 11 and above, many speakers use the Spanish system, but both can be used.

Cebuano counts in tens. For example, 20 is said as ka-duhá-an, meaning "the second set of ten." Numbers like 11 are said as "napulò ug usá" meaning "ten and one." Bigger numbers follow similar patterns.

Sample text

Here is a translation of a important human rights message:

Cebuano

Ang tanáng katawhan gipakatawo nga adunay kagawasan ug managsama sa kabililhon. Silá gigasahan sa pangisip ug tanlag ug kinahanglang mag-ilhanáy sa usá'g-usá dihâ sa diwà sa panág-higsuonáy.

Translation:

English

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

And here is a special prayer:

Cebuano (taken from the official prayer of Minor Basilica of the Holy Child of Cebu)

Amahán namò nga anaa sa mga langit, pagdaygon ang imong ngalan, umabót kanamò ang imong gingharian, matuman ang imong pagbuót, dinhí sa yutà maingón sa langit. Ang kalan-on namò sa matag adlaw, ihatag kanamò karóng adlawa.
Ug pasayloa kamí sa among mga salâ, ingón nga nagapasaylo kamí sa mga nakasalâ kanamò. Ug dilì mo kamí itugyan sa panuláy, hinunua luwasá kamí sa daután. Amen.

Translation:

English (taken from Matthew 6: 9-13 from the New International Version)

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Amen.

Sample phrases

Source:

Additional words

• Handuraw, "the power to imagine," "to reminisce," or "flashback"

Dialects

Cebuano is spoken over a large area of the Philippines, so it has many regional dialects. These dialects can differ in sounds and words depending on where they are spoken. The use of English, which is important for business and school, has also brought new ways to say old Cebuano words. Mixing English and Cebuano, called Bislish, is common among younger people who are educated.

There are four main groups of dialects in Cebuano, besides the standard forms spoken in urban areas. These groups are Boholano, Leyte, Mindanao, and Negros. Each group has its own special features. For example, the Boholano dialect, spoken in Bohol and some nearby places, changes certain sounds in unique ways. The Mindanao dialect is common in many parts of southern Philippines and has its own regional differences. The Negros dialect keeps some older sounds and word forms that other dialects do not use. In Luzon, Cebuano speakers often mix in words from Tagalog, another Philippine language, making their speech easy to recognize.

Example text

Here is the first article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Cebuano:

Ang tanang katawhan gipakatawo nga may kagawasan ug managsama sa kabililhon. Sila gigasahan sa salabutan ug tanlag og mag-ilhanay isip managsoon sa usa'g-usa diha sa diwa sa ospiritu.

And here it is in English:

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Universal Declaration of Human Rights