The Manobo languages are a group of languages spoken in the Philippines. Their speakers are primarily located around Northern Mindanao, Central Mindanao (presently called Soccsksargen) and Caraga regions where they are natively spoken. Some outlying groups make Manobo geographically discontiguous as other speakers can be located as far as the southern peninsula of Davao Oriental, most of Davao Occidental and coastal areas of Sultan Kudarat. The Kagayanen speakers are the most extremely remote and can be found in certain portions of Palawan.

Languages

Central

• East: Dibabawon, Rajah Kabunsuwan, Agusan

• South: Ata, Matigsalug (Tigwa); Obo

• West: Western Bukidnon, Ilianen

• North: Binukid, Kagayanen, Higaonon, Kinamigin

• South: Tagabawa, Sarangani, Cotabato

Classification

Elkins (1974:637) classifies the Manobo languages as follows.

Manobo

Northern

• Cagayano (of Cagayancillo Island)

• Kinamigin (of Camiguin Island), Binukid (of central Mindanao)

Southern

• Tagabawa

• Sarangani Manobo

• Tasaday, Cotabato Manobo

East-West-Central

Western

• Obo

• Ilianen Manobo

• Western Bukidnon Manobo, Livunganen (a dialect spoken in Libungan, north of Midsayap, Cotabato)

East-Central

Eastern

• Agusan Manobo

• Dibabawon Manobo

Central

• Ata of Davao

• Matig Salug, Tigwa Manobo

==Reconstruction== Elkins (1974) includes a reconstruction of Proto-Manobo, along with 197 reconstructed etyma.

The Proto-Manobo phonemes are (Elkins 1974:616):

1. Consonants

   Vowels

See also

• Lumad people

References