Visayans - Language

Language

Visayans refer to their respective languages as Binisaya or Bisaya. The table below lists the Philippine languages classified as Visayan by the Summer Institute of Linguistics. Although all of the languages indicated below are taxonomically classified as Visayan, not all speakers identify themselves as ethnically Visayan. The Tausūg, a Moro ethnic group, only use Bisaya to refer to the predominantly Christian lowland natives of which Visayans are widely considered to belong to. This is a similar case to the Ati to delineate ethnic Visayans from fellow Negritos.

Language Speakers Date/source
Aklanon 7005394545000000000394,545 1990 census
Ati 70031500000000000001,500 1980 SIL
Bantoanon(Asi) 7005200000000000000200,000 2002 SIL
Butuanon 700434547000000000034,547 1990 census
Caluyanon 700430000000000000030,000 1994 SIL
Capiznon 7005638653000000000638,653 2000
Cebuano 700720043502000000020,043,5021 1995 census
Cuyonon 7005123384000000000123,384 1990 census
Hiligaynon 70067000000000000007,000,0001 1995
Inonhan 700485829000000000085,829 2000 WCD
Kinaray-A 7005377529000000000377,529 1994 SIL
Malaynon 70038500000000000008,500 1973 SIL
Masbatenyo 7005350000000000000350,000 2002 SIL
Porohanon 700423000000000000023,000
Ratagnon 70002000000000000002 2000 Wurm
Romblomanon(Ini) 7005200000000000000200,000 1987 SIL
Sorsogon, Masbate 700485000000000000085,000 1975 census
Sorsogon, Waray 7005185000000000000185,000 1975 census
Surigaonon 7005344974000000000344,974 1990 census
Tausug 7005900000000000000900,0002,3 2000 SIL
Waray-Waray 70062437688000000002,437,688 1990 census
Total 33,463,654

1 Philippines only.
2 Philippines only; 1,022,000 worldwide.

Read more about this topic:  Visayans

Famous quotes containing the word language:

    The “sayings” of a community, its proverbs, are its characteristic comment upon life; they imply its history, suggest its attitude toward the world and its way of accepting life. Such an idiom makes the finest language any writer can have; and he can never get it with a notebook. He himself must be able to think and feel in that speech—it is a gift from heart to heart.
    Willa Cather (1873–1947)

    The angels are so enamored of the language that is spoken in heaven, that they will not distort their lips with the hissing and unmusical dialects of men, but speak their own, whether there be any who understand it or not.
    Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)

    The writer’s language is to some degree the product of his own action; he is both the historian and the agent of his own language.
    Paul De Man (1919–1983)