Waray language

For other uses, see Waray language (disambiguation).

Waray
Waray-Waray, Samar-Leyte Visayan
Winaray, Samareño, Lineyte-Samarnon, Binisayâ nga Winaray, Binisayâ nga Samar-Leyte, "Binisayâ nga Waray"
Native to	Philippines
Region	Eastern Visayas, some parts of Masbate, and some parts of Sorsogon
Ethnicity	Waray people
Native speakers	2.6 million (2005 census)
Language family	Austronesian Malayo-Polynesian Philippine Central Philippine Visayan Central Visayan Waray
Dialects	Standard Waray (Tacloban dialect), Northern Samar dialect, Calbayog dialect, Culaba-Biliran dialect, Abuyog dialect and other 20 identified dialects and subdialects
Writing system	Latin; Historically Baybayin
Official status
Recognised minority language in	Philippines
Regulated by	Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino Historically regulated by the Sanghiran san Binisaya ha Samar ug Leyte
Language codes
ISO 639-2	war
ISO 639-3	war
Glottolog	wara1300
Areas where Waray-Waray is spoken

Waray is the fifth-most-spoken native regional language of the Philippines, native to Eastern Visayas. It is the native language of the Waray people and second language of the Abaknon people of Capul, Northern Samar and some Cebuano-speaking peoples of eastern and southern parts of Leyte island. It is the third most spoken language among the Visayan languages, only behind Cebuano and Hiligaynon.

Terminology

The language name comes from the word often heard by non-speakers, "waray" (meaning "none" or "nothing" in Waray); similarly, Cebuanos are known in Leyte as "mga Kana" and their language as "Kana" (after the oft-heard word "kana", meaning "that" in the Cebuano language).

During the Spanish period, texts refer to the language as simply being a dialect of "Visayan" (most linguists today consider many of these "Visayan dialects, e.g. Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Karay-a, etc., to be distinct languages). Domingo Ezguerra's 1663 (reprinted 1747) Arte de la lengua bisaya de la provincia de Leyte refers to the "Visayan tongue of the province of Leyte", Figueroa's Arte del idioma Visaya de Samar y Leyte refers to the "Visaya language of Samar and Leyte". Antonio Sanchez's 1914 "Diccionario español-bisaya" (Spanish-Visayan Dictionary) refers to the speech of "Sámar and Leyte".

Dialects

Linguist Jason Lobel (2009) considers there are 25 dialects and subdialects of Waray-Waray.

• Tacloban: "standard" dialect: the dialect used in television and radio broadcasts and in education
• Abuyog, Leyte: heavy Cebuano influence
• Culaba, Biliran: heavy Cebuano influence
• Catbalogan: "original" dialect: Pure Waray, central part of Samar Island
• Calbayog: mixture of the Tacloban dialect and the dialect of Northern Samar
• Allen, Northern Samar: mostly Southern Sorsoganon mixed with Northern Samarenyo. Dialects in neighboring towns have also borrowed extensively from Southern Sorsoganon.

Waray is characterized by a unique sound change in which Proto-Bisayan *s becomes /h/ in a small number of common grammatical morphemes. This sound change occurs in all areas of Samar south of the municipalities of Santa Margarita, Matuginao, Las Navas, and Gamay (roughly corresponding to the provinces of Samar and Eastern Samar, but not Northern Samar), as well as in all of the Waray-speaking areas of Leyte, except the towns of Javier and Abuyog. However, this sound change is an areal feature rather than a strictly genetic one (Lobel 2009).

Most Waray dialects in northeastern and eastern Samar have the close central unrounded vowel /ɨ/ as a reflex of Proto-Austronesian *e.

Usage

Waray is one of the many regional languages found in the Philippines and used in local government. It is widely used in media particularly in television and radio broadcasts, however, not in print media because most regional newspapers are published in English.

The language is used in education from kindergarten to primary level as part of the Philippine government's K-12 program since 2012 in which pupils from Kindergarten to third grade are taught in their respective indigenous languages.

Waray is also used in the Mass in the Roman Catholic Church and in the worship services of different Christian sects in the region. Bibles in Waray are also available.

Phonology

Consonants

Waray has a total of 16 consonant phonemes: /p, t, k, b, d, ɡ, m, n, ŋ, s, h, w, l, ɾ, j, ʔ/.

Vowels

Waray has three native vowel phonemes: /a/ [a], /i/ [ɛ~i], and /u/ [o~ʊ, u]. Two more /e, o/ are used in Spanish loanwords.

The use of /u/ instead of an /o/ or /ɔ/ does not change the meaning. Since they are in free variation, usage varies in different dialects or sociolects.

Writing system

Waray, like all Philippine languages today, is written using the Latin script. There is no officially-approved orthography for the language and different writers may use differing orthographic styles. In general, it has become common to write the language following the current orthographic conventions of Filipino.

Vocabulary

Numbers

Native numbers are used for numbers one through ten. From eleven onwards, Spanish numbers are exclusively used in Waray today, their native counterparts being almost unheard of by the majority of native speakers (except for gatos for hundred and yukot for thousand). Some, specially the old ones, are spoken alongside the Spanish counterparts.

English	Native Waray	Derived from Spanish	Spanish
one	usá	uno	un / uno (m) una (f)
two	duhá	dos	dos
three	tuló	tres	tres
four	upat	kuwatro	cuatro
five	limá	singko	cinco
six	unom	sais/says	seis
seven	pitó	syete	siete
eight	waló	otso	ocho
nine	siyám	nuebe/nuybe	nueve
ten	napúlô	dies/dyis	diez
eleven	napúlô kag-usá	onse	once
twelve	napúlô kagduhá	dose	doce
thirteen	napúlô kagtuló	trese	trece
fourteen	napúlô kag-upat	katorse	catorce
fifteen	napúlô kaglimá	kinse	quince
sixteen	napúlô kag-unom	disisays/disisais	dieciséis
seventeen	napúlô kagpitó	disisyete	diecisiete
eighteen	napúlô kagwaló	disiotso	dieciocho
nineteen	napúlô kagsiyám	disinuybe	diecinueve
twenty	karuhaàn	baynte	veinte
twenty one	karuhaàn kag-usà	baynte uno	veintiuno
twenty two	karuhaàn kagduhà	baynte dos	veintidós
thirty	katluàn	traynta	treinta
forty	kap-atàn	kuwarenta	cuarenta
fifty	kalim-àn	singkwenta	cincuenta
sixty	kaunmàn	saysenta/sisenta	sesenta
seventy	kapituàn	setenta	setenta
eighty	kawaluàn	otsenta/ochienta	ochenta
ninety	kasiyamàn	nobenta	noventa
one hundred	usa ka gatòs	syen	cien
one thousand	usa ka yukòt	mil	mil
one million	usa ka milyòn	milyon	un millón

Some common words and phrases

Below are examples of the Waray spoken in Metropolitan Tacloban and the nearby areas:

• Can you understand Waray?: Nakakaintindi / Nasabut ka hin Winaray? (hin or hiton)
• Good morning (noon / afternoon / evening): Maupay nga aga (udto / kulop / gab-i)
• Thank you: Salamat
• I love you: Hinihigugma ko ikaw or Ginhihigugma ko ikaw or Pina-ura ta ikaw
• Where are you from? : Taga-diin ka? or Taga-nga-in ka?
• What is your name? : Ano it imo ngaran?
• Who are you?: Hin-o ka?
• How are you? : Kumusta ka na?
• I'm fine / In God's will: Kalu-oy sa Diyos
• How much is this? : Tagpira ini?
• I like this / that: Karuyag ko ini / iton.
• I can't understand: Diri ako nakakaintindi or Diri ako nakakasabut
• I don't know: Diri ako maaram or Ambot
• What: Ano
• Who: Hin-o
• Where: Hain or Di-in or "Ngain"
• When (future): San-o
• When (past): Kakan-o
• Why: Kay ano
• How: Gin-aano?/Patiunan-o?
• Yes: Oo
• No: Dire or Diri
• There: Adto or Didto or Ngadto
• Here: Didi or Nganhi or Dinhi
• Up: Igbaw
• Down: Ubos
• Top: Bawbaw
• Bottom: Ilarom or Sirong
• Right: Tu-o
• Left: Wala
• Far: Harayo
• Near: Hirani
• Front or in front: Atubang or Atubangan
• Night: Gab-i
• Day: Adlaw
• Nothing: Waray
• Good: Maupay
• Beautiful: Mahusay
• Handsome: Gwapo
• Boy: Lalaki
• Girl: Babayi
• Gay: Bayot
• Lesbian: Tomboy/Lesbyana
• I'm a friend of...: Sangkay ako ni...
• I'm lost here: Nawawara ak didi.
• Maybe: Bangin
• I wish...: Kunta

Other common words

Technical terms

• Gold - bulawan
• Steel - puthaw
• Car - awto / sarakyan/ kotse" / "sasakyan
• Airplane - edro / eroplano
• Airport - lupadan or landingan

Astronomical terms

• Earth - kalibutan
• Moon - bulan; Indonesian - bulan
• Sun - adlaw
• Star - bituon Indonesian - bintang

Natural terms

• Wind - hangin; Indonesian - angin
• Fire - kalayo
• Land - tuna; Indonesian - tanah
• Water - lawod/tubig
• Nature - libong
• Mountain - bukid; Indonesian - bukit
• Sea - dagat
• Ocean - kalawdan Indonesian = laut i.e. ka-laut-an
• Island - puro/isla Indonesian - pulau
• Archipelago - kapuruan; Indonesian - kepulauan
• River - salog
• Lake - danaw; Indonesian - danau

Parts of the house

• House - balay or payag
• Room - kwarto or sulod
• Bedroom - sulod-katurugan
• Kitchen - kusina
• Outdoor Kitchen - abuhan
• Dining Room - kaunan
• Bathroom - kubeta/kasilyas/karigu-an

Members of the family

• Father - amay/tatay/papa
• Mother - iroy/nanay/mama
• Son/Daughter - anak
• Brother - bugto nga lalaki
• Sister - bugto nga babayi
• Grandparent - apoy/lolo (male) / lola (female)
• Cousin - patod
• Nephew/Niece - umangkon
• Son-in-Law/Daughter-in-Law - umagad
• Brother-in-Law/Sister-in-Law - bayaw(male) / hipag (female)
• Father-in-Law/Mother-in-Law - ugangan
• Oldest Child - suhag
• Youngest Child - puto or pudo

Fashion words

• Jeans - saruwal
• Clothes - bado / duros
• Belt - paha

Food

• Bread - tinapay
• Rice - kan-on / luto
• Viand - sura
• Coffee - kape
• Vinegar - suoy

Animals

• Dog - ayam/ iru/ ido
• Cat - uding/ misay
• Rat - yatot
• Crocodile - buwaya
• Bird - tamsi
• Snake - halas
• Carabao - karabaw
• Crab - masag
• Lobster - tapusok

Loanwords and Cognates

Waray has borrowed vocabulary extensively from other languages, especially from Spanish. These words are being adopted to fill lexical gaps of the recipient language. Spanish colonialization introduced new systems to the Philippine society.

Common Waray Waray words and its foreign and local origin

Indonesian/Malay Cognates

• Mulay (English: to play)- from Indonesian mulai
• Balay (English: house) - from Indonesian balai
• Sarapati (English: pigeon) - from Indonesian merpati
• Kapuruan (English: archipelago) - from Indonesian/Malay kepulauan
• Posporo (English: match) - from Indonesian/Malay posporo
• Mata (English: eyes) - from Indonesian/Malay mata
• Bulan (English: moon/month) - from Indonesian/Malay bulan
• Ini (English: this/these) - from Indonesian/Malay ini
• Kamo (English: you [plural]) - from Indonesian/Malay kamu

Spanish

• Abandonada (Spanish: Abandonado/a) – abandoned
• Abaniko (Spanish: Abanico) – fan
• Abriha (Spanish: Abrir, Filipino: Abrihin) – to open
  • Abrelata (Spanish: Abrelatas) – tin-opener/can opener
• Abril (Spanish: Abril) – April
• Abogado (Spanish: Abogado) – lawyer, attorney
• Aborido (Spanish: Aburrido) – bored (used in Tagalog as 'anxious, confused')
• Akasya (Spanish: Acacia) – acacia tree
• Aksidente (Spanish: Accidente) – accident
• Adurnuha (Spanish: Adornar, Filipino: Adurnuhan) – to decorate
• Agrabiyado (Spanish: Agraviado) – being aggrieved
• Aginaldo (Spanish: Aguinaldo) – Christmas gift
• Agosto (Spanish: Agosto) – August
• Ahensiya (Spanish: Agencia) – agency
• Ahente (Spanish: Agente) – agent
• Alahas (Spanish: Alhaja) – jewel
• Alambre (Spanish: Alambre) – wire
• Alkansiya (Spanish: Alcancía) – piggy bank
• Alpilir (Spanish: Alfiler) – pin
• Alsaha (Spanish: Alzar, Filipino: Alsahin) – Ambisyoso (Spanish: Ambicioso) – ambitious
• Ambisyon (Spanish: Ambición) – ambitionArbularyo (Spanish: Herbolario) - Medicine man (from "Herbo" -herb)
• Arina (Spanish: Harina) – flour
• Arkitekto (Spanish: Arquitecto) – architect
• Armado (Spanish: Armado) – armed
• Armibal (Spanish: Almíbar) – syrup
• Artista (Spanish: Artista) – artist (used in Waray Waray as 'actor/actress')
• Ariyos (Spanish: Arreos) – tack (used in Waray Waray as 'earrings')
• Asintado (Spanish: Asentado) – settled
• Asero (Spanish: Acero) – steel
• Asno (Spanish: Asno) – donkey
• Asoge (Spanish: Azogue) – mercury
• Asosasyon (Spanish: Asociación) – association
• Asukal (Spanish: Azúcar) – sugar
• Asul (Spanish: Azul) – blue
• Asyatiko (Spanish: Asiatico) – Asian
• Intyendeha (Spanish: Atender) – to attend to
• Atrasado (Spanish: Atrasado) – overdue, slow (clock), backward (used in Waray Waray as 'late')
• Ayudaha (Spanish: Ayudar, Filipino: Ayudahan) – to help
• Banyo/Kasilyas (Spanish: Baño) – bathroom, toilet
• Baraha (Spanish: Baraja) – deck of playing cards
• Baratilyo (Spanish: Baratillo) – flea market (used in Waray Waray as 'bargain sale')
• Barato (Spanish: Barato) – cheap
• Barbero (Spanish: Barbero) – barber
• Barbula (Spanish: Válvula) – valve
• Bareta (Spanish Bareta) – bar
• Bagahe (Spanish: Bagaje) – baggage
• Baho (Spanish : Vaho) – steam (used in Waray Waray as 'foul smell')
• Bintana (Spanish: Ventana) – window
• Bintilador (Spanish: Ventilador) – electric fan
• Birhen (Spanish: Virgen) – virgin
• Bisagra (Spanish: Bisagra) – hinge
• Bisikleta (Spanish: Bicicleta) – bicycle
• Bisitaha (Spanish: Visitar) – to visit
• Botika/Botica/Parmasya/Farmacia - drugstore, pharmacy
• Conbensido (Spanish: Convencido) - convinced
• Demanda (Spanish: Demanda) – demand
• Demokrasiya (Spanish: Democracia) – democracy
• Demonyo (Spanish:Demonio) – demon, evil spirit
• Huygo (Spanish:Juego)- game (used in Waray Waray as 'gambling'
• Hugador (Spanish:Jugador)- game (used in Waray Waray as 'gambler'
• Dentista (Spanish: Dentista) – dentist
• Departamento (Spanish: Departamento) – department, bureau
• Depensa (Spanish: Defensa) – defense
• Deposito (Spanish: Depósito) – depot (fuel), deposit (money)
• Desisyon (Spanish: Decisión) – decision

• Diyos/a (Spanish: Dios/a) – god/goddess
• Doble (Spanish: Doble) – double
• Doktor/a (Spanish: Doctor/a) – doctor
• Don (Spanish: Don) – Mr. (used in Waray Waray to address a rich man)
• Donya (Spanish: Doña) – Mrs. (used in Waray Waray to address a rich woman)
• Dos (Spanish: Dos) – two
• Dose (Spanish: Doce) – twelve
• Dosena (Spanish: Docena) – dozen
• Drama (Spanish: Drama) – drama
• Droga (Spanish: Droga) – drugs
• Karsonsilyo/Carsoncillo (Spanish: Carsoncillo) – boxer shorts (used in Waray Waray as 'shorts')
• Marigoso (Spanish: Amargoso) - bittermelon
• Padre (Spanish: Padre) - father (used in Waray Waray as a title for a Roman Catholic priest)

Portuguese

• Porta (Portuguese: Porta) - door
• Multo (Portuguese: Morto) - ghost

Nahuatl

• Achuete (Nahuatl: Achiotl; Mexican Spanish: Achiote) – annatto seeds used to give food a reddish color
• Kakao/Kakaw (Cacao) (Nahuatl: Cacahuatl) – cacao or cocoa
• Sayote (Nahuatl: Chayotli; Mexican Spanish: Chayote) – a Mexican squash
• Tiyangge (Nahuatl: Tianquiztli; Mexican Spanish: Tianguis) – seasonal markets
• Tsokolate (Nahuatl: Xocolatl) – chocolate

Chinese

• Bakya (Fukien Chinese) – native wooden sandals
• Bihon – Vermicelli (made of rice flour)
• Bitsin (Fukien Chinese: Bi chhin) – monosodium glutamate
• Jueteng (Fukien Chinese) – illegal numbers game
• Lumpia (Fukien Chinese) – spring rolls

English

• Basket/Batulang – basket
• Basketbol – basketball
• Basketbulan - basketball court
• Bilib - believe
• Bilyar - billiard
• Bilyaran - billiard hall
• Chiki - check
• Dyipi – jeep
• Elementari – elementary
• Ekonomiks - economics
• Eksport – export
• Ekpres - express
• Erkon - air con
• Greyd – grade
• Groseri – grocery
• Hai Skul – High School
• Iskor – score
• Iskrin – screen
• Ispiker - speaker
• Keyk – cake
• Kostomer/Kustomer – customer
• Kompyuter – computer
• Kondisyoner - conditioner
• Kontrol - control
• Krim - cream
• Kukis - cookies
• Lider – leader
• Losyon - lotion
• Manedyer – manager
• Masel – muscle
• Makroekonomiks - macroeconomics
• Maikroekonomiks - microeconomics
• Isparkol - sparkle

Cebuano

• Bana (Cebuano: Bana) - husband

See also

• Waray people
• Waray literature
• Waray Wikipedia
• Visayan languages
• Languages of the Philippines
• Samar
• Leyte

Further reading

• Dictionary English Waray-Waray/Tagalog (2005) by Tomas A. Abuyen, National Book Store, 494 pp., ISBN 971-08-6529-3.
• Rubino, Carl. Waray-Waray. In Garry, Jane and Carl Rubino (eds.), Facts About the World's Languages, An Encyclopedia of the World's Languages: Past and Present (2001), pp. 797-800.

External links

• Radyo Waraynon – Waraynon Internet Radio Station
• Waray Museum Blog featuring Waray literature
• Waray lessons
• Bansa.org Waray Dictionary
• Waray dictionary, literary database & teaching resource
• Waray-Waray Dictionary by Andras Rajki – with Bicol, Cebuano, Hiligaynon &c. cognates and some Proto-Malayo-Polynesian etymologies
• SEAlang Library Waray Resources