Native speakers 30,000 (2007) Glottolog kaga1256 | ISO 639-3 cgc | |
Language family AustronesianMalayo-PolynesianPhilippineMindanaoManoboNorthKagayanen |
Distribution
Kagayanen is spoken in the following areas (Ethnologue).
Phonology
[h] occurs only in loan words, proper names, or in words that have [h] in the cognates of neighboring languages. Outside of loanwords, /d/ becomes [r] between vowels.
Comparative and historical evidence suggests that /ð̞/ and /l/ were in complementary distribution before a split occurred with pressure from contact with English, Spanish, and Tagalog.
/i/ ranges between [i] and [e], except in unstressed syllables (as well as before consonant clusters) where it lowers to [ɪ] or [ɛ]. Similarly, /u/ lowers to [ʊ] in unstressed syllables, before consonant clusters, and word-finally. It is otherwise [u].
References
Kagayanen language Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA