Balangao language

Balangao or Balangaw is an Austronesian language spoken in northern Luzon, Philippines. Balangaw is spoken throughout the municipality of Natonin, with the exception of the barangays of Maducayan and Saliok (where Majukayong Kalinga is spoken) and Barangay Banao (predominantly Kachakran-speaking ). It is also spoken in parts of the neighboring municipality of Paracelis by Balangao settlers.

Phonology

Balangao has the following phoneme inventory:

The central vowels /a/ and /ɨ/ each have a lowered and a raised allophone, viz. ~ for /a/, and ~ for /ɨ/.

The voiced stops /b/, /d/ and /g/ have voiceless allophones , , in syllable position.

Dialects

The Balangao language consists of two primary dialects: Balangao (the prestige variety) and Ha'ki (Shetler,1976). While both dialects are mutually intelligible, they are distinguished by minor lexical differences and distinct phonological shifts.

• Balangao dialect: This is the standard variety used in traditional music, media, and liturgical translations. A defining phonological feature is the realization of the final /a/ as a schwa (ë), a trait shared with the neighboring Mayoyao variety of the Ifugao language.
• Ha'ki dialect: This variety is characterized by the palatalization of the voiceless labiodental fricative /f/ to /fʲ/ (orthographically fy). This feature is a linguistic reflex shared with the neighboring Finallig (Eastern Bontoc) language. This palatalization typically occurs following the vowel /a/.

Phonological comparison

The primary difference lies in the palatalization of the initial consonant in certain roots.

Lexical differences

In usage, these demonstratives function as follows:

• Balangao: Wacha anchichay tataku. (There are those people.)
• Ha'ki: Wacha chéycha tataku. (There are those people.)

Sample text

References