Kabalian language

The Kabalian (Cabalian) language, Kinabalian, is spoken in the municipality of San Juan in the province of Southern Leyte in the Philippines. It is closely related to Waray-Waray.

Native speakers refer to the language as Cabalianon or Kinabalianon. This language shares certain characteristics with Cebuano, Boholano, and Surigaonon mainly because of the seafaring livelihood of pre-Hispanic inhabitants of Cabalian, documented by Spanish explorers. Waray did not make inroads into the southern portion of Leyte because of the mountains separating the north and south portions of the island. This is coherent under the principle of mountains divide; seas unite in the spread of Philippine languages.

The heaviest influence on Cabalianon is Surigaonon, owing to the contact between Cabalian and Surigao in the early Spanish period. Cabalianons, as well as the natives of Sogod, regularly travelled to Surigao and Butuan to obtain gold, a fact recorded by the Augustinian Friar Agustín María de Castro in the Osario venerable.

Kabalian (la) is spoken in six villages in San Juan (Cabalian) town, Southern Leyte Province. These barangays are located in the eastern portion of the town. The predominance of Cabalianon in this side of the town is due to the fact that migrants from Cebu and Bohol settled in the western portion of the town, particularly Pong-oy, as well as in Himatagon, the business hub of Saint Bernard, formerly a part of Cabalian, resulting in the gradual disappearance of the language in these parts.

Although Kabalian is a Warayan language, it has mixed elements of Boholano, Cebuano and Surigaonon, a similar pattern which is also found in Baybayanon. However, Kabalian is not mutually intelligible with either Waray-Waray, Boholano, Cebuano or Surigaonon. Kabalian speakers do not ethnically or linguistically identify themselves with speakers of either of these languages.

Vocabulary

Interrogatives

• Sin-o? Who?
• Kanin-o? To whom?
• Uno? What?
• Giuno? How? (past)
• Unhon/unohon? How? (future)
• Haman? Where? (for person or object)
• Ngain? Where? (for place)
• Diin? Where? (for directions or origin)
• Kanus-a? When?
• Ngaman? Why?
• Amo baja? Really?
• Tagpila? How much?

Haman, ngain, and diin mean 'where'. They have distinct uses in Kabalianon.

Haman is used when asking about a person or object.

• Haman si Papa? (Where is Papa?)
• Haman gibutang an gunting? (Where was the scissor put?)

Ngain is used when asking about a place.

• Ngain man (ki)ta mularga? (Where are we going to?)
• Ngain man kaw pasingud? (Where are you going?)

Diin is used when asking about directions or origin.

• Diin man ini dapita? (Where is this place?)
• Taga Diin man kaw? (Where are you from?)
• Diin man kaw gikan? (Where were you?)

Phrases and vocabulary

• Kumusta! (Hello)
• Maajong buntag (Good morning)
• Maajong udto (Good noon)
• Maajong hapon (Good afternoon)
• Maajong gabii (Good evening or good night)
• Maajong adlaw (Good day)
• Ajoajo (Goodbye)
• Pag-amping (Take care)
• Salamat (Thank you)
• Ajaw (Don't)
• Waya (Nothing)
• Dili (No)
• Oo (Yes)
• Baga(n) (Maybe)
• Bayu (I don't know)

Comparison between Cabalianon, Surigaonon, Cebuano, and Waray

References