Bikol languages

This article is about the various dialects of the Bicol Region. For the standardized dialect of Bikol based on theCanamanvariant often simply known as "Bikol", seeCentral Bikol.

Bikol
Geographic distribution	Bicol Region
Linguistic classification	Austronesian Malayo-Polynesian Philippine Greater Central Philippine Central Philippine Bikol
Proto-language	Proto-Bikol
Subdivisions	Coastal Bikol Inland Bikol Pandan Bikol
ISO 639-2/5	bik
ISO 639-3	bik
Glottolog	biko1240
Geographic extent of Bikol languages according to Ethnologue Bikol proper Bisayan languagesin the Bikol region

Geographic distribution of major Bikol languages and dialects acrossBicol region;classification based on Lobel (2013); Masbatenyo, Central Sorsogon, and Southern Sorsogon are Bisayan languages but heavily influenced by Bikol.

A speaker of Bicolano, recorded in the United States

TheBikol languagesorBicolano languagesare a group ofCentral Philippine languagesspoken mostly in theBicol Peninsulain the southeastern part ofLuzon,the neighboring island-province ofCatanduanes,and the island ofBuriasinMasbate.

Internal classification

Ethnologue

A poem written in a Bikol dialect.

Ethnologuegroups the languages of Bikol as follows:

• Bikol
  • Coastal Bikol (Northern)
    • Isarog Agta language
    • Mount Iraya Agta language
    • Central Bikol language(ISO 639-3bcl)
      • Canamandialect (standard)
      • Naga Citydialect
      • Partido dialect
      • Tabaco–Legazpi–Sorsogon (TLS) dialect
      • Daet dialect
    • Southern Catanduanes Bikol language
  • Inland Bikol (Southern)
    • Mount Iriga Agta language
    • Albay Bikol languages
      • Buhinon language
      • Libon language
      • West Miraya language
      • East Miraya language
    • Rinconada Bikol language
      • Highland/Sinabukid dialect
        • Agta variant
        • Iriga variant (standard)
      • Lakeside/Sinaranəw dialect
        • Baao variant
        • Bato variant
        • Bula–Pili variant
        • Nabua–Balatan variant
  • Northern Catanduanes Bikol(Pandan Bikol)

McFarland (1974)

Curtis McFarland gives the following classification for the Bikol languages.

Bikol	North Catanduanes Pandan(NorthCatanduanes) Inland Bikol Iriga(Rinconada) Albay Buhi(Buhi'non) Libon Oas(West Miraya) Daraga(East Miraya) Coastal Bikol Naga(Standard Bikol),Legazpi,and Partido Virac(SouthCatanduanes) San Pascual(NorthernBurias Island)

Lobel (2000)

Clockwise from top-left: A signage barring people from hanging around the area; A signage barring vendors inside the churchyard; A signage reminding people of proper waste disposal; and a signage barring swimmers inLake Bato.All are written in the Coastal Bikol language (Naga–Legazpi variant).

While McFarland (1974) splits Bikol into 11 dialects, Lobel (2000) splits Bikol into 12 different dialects (including Partido Bikol, which McFarland does not differentiate) and 4 main branches.

• Bikol
  • Northern Coastal Bikol
    • Central Standard– spoken primarily inNaga City,Cam. Sur,Tabaco&Legazpi,Albay andSorsogon City,Sorsogon. Also recognized (and sometimes understood) inDaet,Camarines Norte and many other areas of Camarines Sur,San Pascual,Masbate onBurias Island,first and second districts of Albay, southwestern coast of Catanduanes, and northeastern Sorsogon.
      • Daet area variant
      • Naga City area variant
      • Tabaco–Legazpi–Sorsogon area variant
      • Southwestern and northern town ofSan AndresandCaramoran,Catanduanes.
    • Partido– spoken in the Camarines Sur municipalities ofOcampo,Goa,Tigaon,Lagonoy,Sagñay,andSan Jose.This dialect has a mellow intonation and is heavily influenced by Rinconada Bikol.
    • Southern Catanduanes– spoken in the southern half of Catanduanes.
      • Viracarea variant
      • Batoarea variant
      • Barasarea variant
      • San Miguelvariant (transitional to North Catanduanes)
  • Southern Coastal andInland Bikol
    • Rinconada Bikol– spoken primarily inIriga City,Baao,Bula,Balatan,BaaoandNabua,Camarines Sur. Also in some parts of Ocampo, Buhi and Pili in Camarines Sur and in parts of Polangui, Albay.
      • Lakeside Rinconada dialect (lacks /ə/ vowel)
      • Highland Rinconada dialect (with /ə/ vowel)
    • Buhinon– spoken inBuhi,Camarines Sur. Contains features from both the Bikol of Polangui, Albay and the Iriga variant of Rinconada Bikol.
    • Libon– spoken inLibon,Albay.
    • West Miraya– spoken inLigao City,Polangui,Oas,andPio Duran,Albay.
    • East Miraya– spoken inGuinobatan,Camalig,Daraga&Jovellar,Albay andDonsol&Pilar,Sorsogon.
      • Central (Guinobatan)
      • Far East (Camalig,Daraga)
      • Southeast (Jovellar, Albay,Donsol,Pilar)
  • Northern Catanduanes
    • Pandan Bikol– spoken by about 80,000 people or the northern half of Catanduanes.
      • Bagamanocarea variant
      • Caramoranarea variant (transitional to South Catanduanes)
      • Gigmotoarea variant (transitional to South Catanduanes)
      • Pandanarea variant
      • Panganibanarea variant
      • Vigaarea variant
  • Bisakol
    • Northern Sorsogon– spoken inSorsogon City,Castilla,CasiguranandJuban.
      • Castillaarea variant (mixed with Bikol-Legazpi)
      • Casiguran–Jubanarea variant
    • Southern Sorsogon(also known as Gubat language) – spoken inGubat;Barcelona,Bulusan,Santa Magdalena,Matnog,Irosin,andBulan.
    • Masbateño– spoken inMasbate City,Mobo,Uson,Dimasalang,Palanas,Masbate,Aroroyon the island of Masbate, all ofTicao Island,andClaveriaon the southern half of Burias Island.
      • Standard Masbateño
      • Ticao Islandvariant

Some dialects of Southern Bikol have theclose central unrounded vowel/ɨ/as a reflex ofProto-Austronesian*ə.However, Proto-Austronesian*əis realized as/o/inLibon.Two Bikol dialects have unique additional consonants, namely Southern Catanduanes, which has aninterdentallateralconsonant/l̟/(also transcribed asl̪͆),and Buhi-non, which has thevoiced velar fricative/ɣ/.

See also

• Vocabulario de la lengua Bicol

References

Sources

• Lobel, Jason William; Tria, Wilmer Joseph S.; Carpio, Jose Maria Z. (2000).An satuyang tataramon / A Study of the Bikol Language.Naga City, Philippines: Lobel & Tria Partnership, Co.: Holy Rosary Minor Seminary.
• McFarland, Curtis D. (1974).The Dialects of the Bikol Area(PDF)(Ph.D. thesis). Yale University. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2020-10-31.

External links

• Translate Bikol,an online English–Bikol and Bisakol languages translator.
• A Bikol language databaseis available through theKaipuleohonearchive.