Native to Philippines ISO 639-3 bvy | Native speakers 10,000 (2009) Glottolog bayb1234 | |
Region Leyte province (City of Baybay) Language family Austronesian
Malayo-Polynesian
Philippine
Central Philippine
Visayan
Central Visayan
Warayan
Baybay | ||
The Baybay language, also known as Baybayanon, Utudnon or Leyte, is a distinct regional language that was spoken on the island of Leyte in the Philippines before the arrival of Waray-Waray and then later, Boholano and Cebuano. It is still spoken around the city of Baybay. It is part of Visayan language family and is closely related to other Philippine languages.
Contents
Classification
Baybayanon was originally a Warayan language that has been relexified and overlaid by a Cebuano (Leyteño) superstratum (Rubino 2005). The Warayan substratum is characterized by Baybayanon's more Waray-like deictics, and various other features.
Locations
Utudnon is spoken by about 10,000 people in 5 barangays of Baybay municipality, central Leyte, namely Utúd (also called Utod or Guadalupe), Gábas, Kilím, Pátag, and Pangasúgan.