Ilocano language

Ilocano, also known as Ilokano and Iloko, is a member of the Malayo-Polynesian branch of the Austronesian language family. It is the third largest language of the Philippines, after Tagalog and English. The name Ilocano come from i– ‘from’ +looc ‘bay’ + –ano Spanish ‘native of,’ thus ‘people of the bay’.

Ilocano is spoken as a first language by some 7 million people, primarily in Northern Luzon, La Union and Ilocos provinces, Cagayan Valley, Babuyan, Mindoro, and Mindanao. It is also spoken as a second language by possibly another 2 million speakers in the northern areas of Luzon as a lingua franca in trade, commerce, and everyday communication. 

Ilocanos became the first Filippino ethnic group to emigrate in large numbers to North America, settling in sizable communities in Hawai’i, California, the Pacific Northwest, and Alaska.  It is taught in some schools in Hawai’i and California.Like other Malayo-Polynesian languages, Ilocano has a fairly simple sound system. All syllables begin with at least one consonant and typically end in a vowel. Ilocano allows consonant clusters, mostly at the beginning of syllables. Clusters at the end of syllables are found only in loanwords. 

Grammar: 

The grammar of Ilocano is fairly typical of other Malayo-Polynesian languages such as Tagalog and Cebuano. Grammatical relations are expressed by prefixation, infixation, suffixation, circumfixation, encliticization, and reduplication. There are a number of prefixes and infixes, but only two suffixes.

Vocabulary: 

Ilocano lexicon is Austronesian in origin but the language also contains borrowings from Spanish and English. Spanish loanwords reflect over 300 years of Spanish domination, while English loanwords result from half-century of American hegemony over the Philippines. In addition, Ilocano has loanwords from Min Nan Chinese, Malay, Sanskrit, Arabic, Tamil, Persian, and other Austronesian languages. Most Sanskrit loanwords pertain to religious and intellectual concepts.

Examples: 

Good day! Naimbag nga aldaw!

How are you? Kumusta ka (informal), kumusta kayon (formal)?

Good bye! Dita kan (informal), dita kayon (formal)!

Thanks! Agya manak!

I’m sorry! Dispensar!

Yes Wen

No Saan, haan

Man, male Lalaki

Woman, female Babai

                                                        Article by, 
                                                      Vaishnavi. V
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