Maranao language

The Maranao language, also called Wikang Mëranaw in Filipino and باسا أ مراناو in Jawi script, is spoken by the Maranao people. This language is mainly used in the provinces of Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte, including the cities of Marawi and Iligan in the Philippines. Some people also speak it in places like Sabah and Malaysia.

Maranao is part of the Austronesian language family and is closely related to the Iranun language. It is one of the languages spoken by the Moros in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Learning about Maranao helps us understand the rich culture and history of these communities.

Distribution

Maranao is spoken in several places in the Philippines. It is mainly used in the provinces of Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte, including their cities Marawi and Iligan. Some people also speak Maranao in parts of Maguindanao del Norte, Cotabato, Bukidnon, and Zamboanga del Sur. All these places are on the island of Mindanao in the southern part of the Philippines.

Writing system

Maranao was historically written using special letters called Jawi, also known as Batang-a-Arab. Today, it uses Latin letters, similar to how we write in English and Filipino.

The main letters used in Maranao are:

A, B, D, E, G, H, I, K, L, M, N, NG, O, P, R, S, T, U, W, Y

Sometimes, letters are pronounced a little differently. For example, double vowels like in kapaar are said as two separate sounds. The way some sounds are written has changed over time, and different writers might choose different ways to spell certain words, especially online.

Phonology

The Maranao language has a unique set of sounds. It includes four main vowel sounds that can change slightly depending on the surrounding letters. Some vowels in Maranao come from words borrowed from Spanish, Tagalog, Cebuano, or Malay.

Maranao also has many consonant sounds. Special "heavy" consonants can change the sound of the vowels that follow them. There are rules about when and how these changes happen. Some consonant sounds in Maranao have changed over time from older forms of the language.

Grammar

Maranao has its own special ways of showing meaning with words. Unlike Tagalog, which uses three markers, and Iloko, which uses two, Maranao uses four markers: (so/ko/o/sa).

Maranao also has its own pronouns, which can stand alone or attach to other words. There are many common words in Maranao that have similarities to other Philippine languages.

Sample texts

Here are some sentences showing how the Maranao language works:

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Maranao:

Langon a taw na inimbawata a ndudon so kapaar ago ndatadatar sa bantogan ago kabnar. Bigan siran sa kabnar ago gagaw na aya patot a di kapakasusurota o omani isa ko kapakiphapagariya.

Cebuano:

Ang tanáng tawo kay gipakatawo nga may kagawasan ug managsama sa kaligdong. Silá gigasahan og pangisip ug tanlag ug mag-ilhanáy sa usá'g usá sa diwà managsoon.

Tagalog:

Ang lahát ng tao'y isinilang na malayà at pantáy-pantáy sa karangalan at mga karapatán. Silá'y pinagkalooban ng katwiran at budhî at dapat magpalagayan ang isa't isá sa diwà ng pagkákápatiran.

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.

Noun phrases

These phrases were taken from Alonto's Maranao Drills.
Legend: topic, direct object, indirect object, possessive, verb

Time and Space

Verbs and Time

Negatives

Manga, A, Aden, Da

Object-focus Sentences