Bantoanon Language

Banton 2003 Project

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Bantoanon Language

Bantoanons are gifted with a unique language more popularly known as the Asi Language. This language, also spoken in the municipalities of Concepcion (Sibale), Corcuera (Simara), Calatrava and Odiongan, is classified under the same level as Cebuano, one of the major Philippine Languages, in the Austronesian hierarchy of languages.

Currently, efforts are being exerted so that the Bantoanon Language will finally be considered as one of the literary languages of the Philippines given its wealth of oral and written literature.

Austronesian Family Tree

	:: Austronesian									1
		:: Formosan								2
		:: Malayo-Polynesian								2
			:: Central-Eastern							3
			:: Western							3
				:: Sundic (Malay, Indonesian, Javanese)						4
				:: Chamarro (Guam)						4
				:: Borneo						4
				:: Sulawesi (Indonesian)						4
				:: Philippines						4
					:: Northern Philippines					5
					:: Southern Philippines					5
					:: Central Philippines					5
						:: Tagalog				6
						:: Bikol				6
						:: Bisayan				6
							:: ASI (Bantoanon)			7
							:: Cebuano			7
							:: Central			7
								:: Waray		8
								:: Romblomanon		8
								:: Peripheral		8
									:: Hiligayon, Porohanon, Masbatenyo, Capiznon	9
							:: West			7
								:: Kinaray-a		8
								:: Aklanon, Malaynon		8
								:: Caluyanon		8
								:: Onhan		8
								:: Cuyonon, Ratagnon		8
							:: South			7

Philippine Language Tree

Language distribution
in the province of Romblon

Speaking the Language

Communicating with the townsfolk will never be a problem if you know English or Filipino. While they love their language, they are fluent in Filipino and are pretty good in understanding and speaking English. Nevertheless, you might want to speak some Bantoanon words and phrases:

Common Greetings, Questions & Answers:

Numbers

E	Good morning / afternoon / evening / day.
F	Magandang umaga / hapon / gabi / araw.
B	Mayong aga / hapon / gab-i/ adlaw.

E	Where are you going?	E	Where are you from?
F	Saan ka pupunta?	F	Saan ka galling?
B	Pariin ka?	B	Riin ka gihalin?

E	What�s your name?	E	I am �
F	Anong pangalan mo?	F	Ako si �
B	Nio ka imo ngayan?	B	Ako si �

E	How are you?	E	I�m fine. Thank you.
F	Kumusta ka?	F	Mabuti. Salamat.
B	Kumusta ka?	B	Maado. Salamat.

E	I love you.	E	Good-bye.
F	Mahal kita.	F	Paalam.
B	Palangga ka nako.	B	Malargoy.

E	Anyone in (the house)?	E	Come in.
F	Tao po.	F	Tuloy po kayo.
B	Tagbalay.	B	Saka.

E	Help! (Emergency).	E	Come here.
F	Saklolo!	F	Halika / Halikayo.
B	Tabang!	B	Aliy / Aliy kamo.

Legend
E	English
F	Filipino
B	Bantoanon

E	1	one	2	two	3	three
F		isa		dalawa		tatlo
B		usa		ruha		tatlo

E	4	four	5	five	6	six
F		apat		lima		anim
B		ap-at		lima		an-um

E	7	seven	8	eight	9	nine
F		pito		walo		siyam
B		pito		wayo		sidam

E	10	ten	-ty	tens	hundred
F		sampu		pu	daan
B		sampuyo		puyo	gatos

E	thousand	million	Townsfolk usually use Spanish in counting money e.g. Twenty-Five Centavos � Veinte Cinco Centimos
F	libo	milyon
B	libo	milyon

(Note that for Bantoanons, asking a question e.g. as to where you are going, is regard

ed as a greeting.)

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