Bontoc (Bontok) /bɒnˈtɒk/ is a macrolanguage native to the indigenous Bontoc people of the Mountain Province, in the northern part of the Philippines.

Specific languages

Ethnologue reports the following locations for each of the five Bontok languages. Speaker populations from the 2007 census, as quoted in Ethnologue.

LanguageLocation of speakersDialectsNo. of speakersRef
Central Bontok (Filipino: Finontok)Bontoc (Bontoc ili, Caluttit, Dalican, Guina-ang, Ma-init, Maligcong, Samoki, and Tocucan)Khinina-ang Finontok Sinamoki Jinallik Minaligkhong Tinokukan19,600
Eastern Bontok (Filipino: Finallig)Barlig (Barlig, Kadaklan, Lias)Finallig Kinajakran (Kenachakran) Liniyas6,170
Northern Bontok (Filipino: Sinadanga)Sadanga (Anabel, Bekigan, Belwang, Betwagan, Demang, Sacasacan, Saclit, and Sadanga Poblacion); Southern Kalinga9,700
Southern BontokBontoc (Talubin, Bayyo, and Can-eo)Tinoveng Kanan-ew2,760
Southwestern BontokBontoc (Alab, Balili, Gonogon, and villages in the Chico River valley, southwest of the municipal capital Bontoc, along Halsema Highway)Ina-ab Binalili Ginonogon2,470

Phonology

Consonant phonemes
LabialAlveolarPalatalVelarGlottal
Nasalmnŋ
Plosivep bt dk ɡʔ
Fricatives
Rhoticɻ~ɺ
Approximantj
  • The archiphoneme /r/ has [l], [ɻ], and [ɺ] as its allophones. The allophone [l] occurs word-initially, adjacent to /i/, as the second member of a consonant cluster consisting of a coronal consonant and /r/, and as the second member of any consonant cluster preceded by /i/. [ɻ] occurs in free variation with [l] word-initially, but otherwise occurs in complementary distribution with it. [ɺ] occurs in free variation with [l] and [ɻ] word-initially, and with [ɻ] elsewhere. These /r/ sounds are even applied to loanwords from Ilokano and Tagalog, and Spanish loanwords from the 2 languages.
  • The plosives /t/, /ɡ/, /b/, and /d/ have, respectively, [t̪] (representing an interdental consonant), [kʰ], [f], and [t͡s] as their syllable-initial allophones.
  • The voiced stop /b/ also has [b̪] and [v] as its allophones. Both of these allophones occur as the first member of a geminate cluster. They are in free variation.
  • The approximant /j/ has one allophone: [ɥ]. [ɥ] occurs after /o/.
Vowel phonemes
FrontBack
Highi
Mideo
Closea

/e/ becomes a slightly centralized [e̞] when in a syllable whose coda is /k/. When in the nucleus, /a/ and /o/ are slightly raised and /i/ is lowered.

There are two degrees of stress in Bontoc: primary and secondary. Primary stress is phonemic and secondary stress is predictable. Both types are right-oriented and occur on one of the last three syllables. Stress's effects include higher pitch, louder volume, and lengthening of the syllable nucleus, though these are all subject to certain rules pertaining to word prosody.

Example text

The Lord's Prayer

Ama id chaya machad-ayaw nan ngachanmo. Omali nan en-ap-apowam. Maangnen nan nemnemmo isnan lofong ay kag id chaya. Ichowam nan kanenmi isnan kawakawakas. Pakawanem nan fasolmi, tay pinakawanmi akhes nan finmasol ken chakami. Ad-im ogkhayen chakami isnan maawisanmi ay enfasol, mod-i ket isas alakam chakami isnan ngaag.
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Further reading

  • Clapp, W. C. (1908). . Bureau of Science: Division of Ethnology Publications, volume V, part III. Manila: Bureau of Printing.
  • Seidenadel, Carl Wilhelm (1909). . Chicago: Open Court Publishing Company.
  • Reid, Lawrence A. (1970). . Summer Institute of Linguistics: Publications in Linguistics, 27. Norman: The Summer Institute of Linguistics and the University of Texas at Arlington.
  • Reid, Lawrence Andrew (1976). Bontok–English Dictionary. Series C – No. 36. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics. doi:. hdl:.

External links

  • - online Bontoc Dictionary based on the speech community of Guina-ang, compiled by Lawrence A. Reid