Philippine Negrito languages facts for kids

The Negrito peoples of the Philippines speak many different Philippine languages. These languages are often more similar to the languages spoken by their neighbors than they are to other Negrito languages. This article helps identify them.

Understanding Negrito Languages

The languages of the Negrito people are grouped here by where they are spoken, not by how they are related to each other through history.

Languages Listed by Lobel (2013)

Dr. Lobel, a language expert, listed these Negrito languages in 2013. They are grouped by their location in the Philippines.

Lobel also listed these Negrito languages spoken along the eastern coast of Luzon Island, from north to south:

• Dupaningan Agta
• Pahanan Agta
• Casiguran Agta
• Umiray Dumaget
• Remontado Dumagat
• Inagta Alabat
• Manide
• Inagta Partido
• Inagta Rinconada

Experts Robinson and Lobel (2013) believe that some of these languages, like Dupaningan Agta and Casiguran Agta, belong to a new group called Northeastern Luzon.

Zambales Mountains

• Ayta Mag-indi
• Ayta Mag-anchi
• Ayta Abellen
• Ayta Ambala
• Ayta Bataan (also known as Ayta Magbukun)

Southern Luzon

• Inagta Rinconada
• Inagta Partido
• Manide
• Inagta Alabat (and Inagta Lopez)

Southern Philippines

• Inata (may have 2 dialects)
• Inati (Inete) (may have 2 dialects)
• Mamanwa
• Batak (5-8 dialects)
• Iraya (Mangyan)
• Ata/Tigwa/Matigsalug Manobo

Languages That Are No Longer Spoken

Some Negrito languages have unfortunately died out:

• Mount Iraya Agta (also known as East Lake Buhi Agta)
• Dicamay Agta: This language was spoken near the Dicamay River. It disappeared between 1957 and 1974, reportedly due to new settlers.
• Villa Viciosa Agta

Another Negrito language studied by Lobel (2013) is Southern Binukidnon (Magahat).

The Ethnologue also mentions the extinct Katabaga language from Catanauan, Quezon. This name was a mistake; the people called themselves Katabangan. Today, the Katabangan people speak only Tagalog. If they once spoke a Negrito language, it might have been related to the Agta language of the Lopez-Guinayangan area or to Manide.

There are about 670 Katabangan people today. Some families also live in Mulanay, Gumaca, Lopez, and Alabat.

Languages Listed by Reid (1994)

Another language expert, Reid, listed these Negrito languages in 1994:

• North Agta
  • Northern Cagayan
  • Central Cagayan
  • Eastern Cagayan
  • Southern Cagayan
  • Southern Isabela
  • Aurora
• Arta - Only 12 people spoke this language in 1990 in Aglipay, Quirino.
• Alta
  • North Alta - Spoken in Aurora Province.
  • South Alta (Kabuluen) - Spoken in Nueva Ecija and Bulacan Provinces.
• Central Agta - Spoken in eastern Luzon; includes Umiray.
• South Agta
  • Camarines Norte
  • Camarines Sur
• Sinauna
• Ayta - Six different languages spoken in the Zambales Mountains:
  • Abelen
  • Aberlen
  • Magganchi
  • Maggindi
  • Ambala
  • Magbeken Ayta

Other Philippine Negrito Languages

• Ata Manobo - Spoken in Mansalinao, Davao.
• Batak - Spoken in Palawan.
• Inati
• Mamanwa - Spoken in Agusan.

How Negrito Languages Are Related (Reid 2013)

Reid (2013) suggests that the Philippine Negrito languages (shown in bold) developed in a special way. He believes each Negrito language or group is a main branch in its language family. For example, Inati and Manide–Alabat are main subgroups of the larger Malayo-Polynesian language family.

• Malayo-Polynesian (MP)
  • Other MP branches outside the Philippines
  • Other MP branches in the Philippines not including Negrito languages
  • Manide–Alabat
  • Inati
  • Northern Luzon languages
    • Arta
    • Umiray Dumaget (?)
    • Northeastern Luzon languages
    • Cagayan Valley languages
    • Ilokano
    • Meso-Cordilleran languages
      • North Alta
      • South Alta
      • South Cordilleran languages
      • Central Cordilleran languages
  • Central Luzon languages
    • Remontado Dumagat (Sinauna Tagalog)
    • Kapampangan
    • Sambalic languages
      • Ayta languages
      • Sambal languages
  • Central Philippine languages
    • Mamanwa
    • Tagalog
    • Bikol
    • Bisayan
    • Mansaka

Unique Words in Negrito Languages

Lobel (2010) found that some Negrito languages have many unique words. These words might be very old, coming from languages spoken before the Austronesian people arrived in the Philippines. This idea was suggested by Reid (1994).

The languages with the most unique words are:

• Manide: 28.5% unique words
• Umiray Dumaget: 23% unique words
• Inate: 9% unique words
• Mamanwa: 7% unique words
• Batak: 1% unique words
• Inagta Rinconada; Inagta Partido: 2% unique words

Other languages in Southeast Asia with many unique words include the Enggano language in Indonesia and the Kenaboi language in Malaysia.

Old Words from Reid (1994)

Reid (1994) also listed some words that might be very old and not from the Austronesian language family. These words are found in different Negrito languages. For example, the word for 'rattan' might be `*lati`, found in North Agta and Alta languages. The word for 'rat' might be `*kuyəŋ`, found in North Agta, Alta, and Central Agta.

Reid (2013) also thinks that the word *ʔa(R)ta, which means 'person' in Negrito languages, was later borrowed by Austronesian speakers to mean 'dark-skinned person'.