Multilingual Snake

Originally, there was a much larger province called Cotabato (historical province), established in the early 20th century (after the American colonial government reorganized Mindanao) covering a vast area of Mindanao.  Over decades, this “empire-size” Cotabato was gradually subdivided: in 1966 the creation of South Cotabato trimmed its territory.  Then on November 22, 1973, under Presidential Decree No. 341, the remaining portion was split into three: North Cotabato, Maguindanao, and Sultan Kudarat. 

But the name “North Cotabato” did not last permanently. On March 7, 1984, the national legislature — then the interim parliament, Batasang Pambansa — passed Batas Pambansa Blg. 660 titled “An Act Changing the Name of the Province of North Cotabato to Cotabato.”  Under Section 1 of that Act, the “Province of North Cotabato shall hereafter be known as the Province of Cotabato.”  The name change took effect immediately upon approval, and the law was published in the Official Gazette on February 4, 1985. 

In effect, this restored the traditional name “Cotabato” to the province — though the “old Cotabato” of pre-1966 was already much larger.  The renaming by BP 660 thus reaffirmed a historical identity for the reduced but still significant province, decades after the original Cotabato was subdivided.

Aden antu a galat i ginawa nin 👌🏻

Mindanao Art is a platform for cultural preservation, especially for those whose ethnic materials are often neglected. I am beyond grateful, not just as a translator but also as a cultural preserver, for the opportunity that has been given to me. Although I am not a native Iranun, my love for the Bangsa is immeasurable, and I am committed to serving the community.

To my partner for Moro Cultural Works - Guialil Macal, let’s work for the Bangsamoro Community and rewrite the history of our ancestors. To sir Karlo Antonio David Galay, thank you for trusting us. And to the Bansil Iranun Binalodan, shukran and congratulations!

Maguindanaons have Inaul, Maranaos have Landap, and
Iranuns have Binalodan. And these are 𝘵𝘢𝘮𝘶𝘬 of our Bangsa so let’s protect it.

𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗨𝗔𝗚𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 | 𝗢𝗟𝗗 𝗠𝗔𝗚𝗨𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗔𝗡𝗔𝗢𝗡

The Maguindanaon language is spoken by over 1.5 million speakers across Southern Philippines. The language is closely related to the Maranao and Iranun spoken in Lanao provinces and some parts of Maguindanao. The modern Maguindanaon language consists of several dialects (variants) including Ilud, Laya, Biwang, Suk, Kawanan, and the variant which is spoken in the coastal areas of Davao City.

Old Maguindanaon on the other hand, is the language of literature and old texts including Bayok, Dayunday, Tudtulan, Pangitaban, Pananalun, etc. and it consist of highly archaic vocabulary and as well as morpho-syntactic structure that is closely-related to Maranao. One thing for sure is that, the language never went extinct, nevertheless, it evolved into the Maguindanaon we use today in daily discourses that eventually developed numerous variants of its own.

Both Maranao and Maguindanaon have been deeply shaped by major Asian languages such as Malay, Arabic, and Sanskrit. These linguistic influences contributed to the development of what we now call the Danao languages.

The table below lists several words that are still commonly found in Maranao but have become somewhat archaic in Maguindanaon, where they are mostly reserved for literary works and formal contexts.

✍🏻 Multilingual Snake

SOCIOLINGUISTICS | THE IRANUNʼS BʼTI, ULE, AND ORAK: NOT JUST SEXUAL PARTS

The Iranun are one of the ethnic groups native to the island of Mindanao. Closely related to the Maranao and Maguindanaon, this tribe inhabits most parts of Parang, Buldon, Matanog, Barira, Sultan Mastura, and Sultan Kudarat in Maguindanao del Norte, as well as portions of Alamada, Banisilan, Carmen, and Pigcawayan in North Cotabato. They are recognized as one of the earliest settlers in Alamada and Banisilan, as evidenced by their centralized sultanates even before the coming of Maguindanaon, Ilonggo, Cebuano and Ilocano. As of 2020, the Iranun population exceeds 300,000 in the Philippines and around 50,000 in Malaysia, highlighting the historical connection between Mindanao and Borneo.

Certain terminologies within the Iranun language technically refer to the human external ge****ls (e.g., B'ti/Ule: va**na; Orak: testicles/pen*s). Surprisingly, these are not regarded as taboo. In fact, they are also used as affectionate terms for young women and men.

🧕BʼTI/ULE: is used for young women, often expressing endearment, respect, or familiarity. It may be used by parents, older relatives, or suitors to convey warmth and affection. Its counterparts include “Bai” in Maguindanaon and “Inday” in Visayan languages but these latter terms do not pertain to sexual organs.

👳‍♂️ ORAK: is the equivalent for young men, conveying similar tones of tenderness and kinship. In many Iranun households, the eldest son is referred to as “Orak” to highlight his authority and role within the family.

The underlying insight here is that the Iranun community not only honors its younger generation but also regards reproductive organs as sacred, hence their use in affectionate naming. It appears that these terms are not viewed as vulgar, but rather as expressions of love and kinship within the tribe.

Ultimately, recognizing linguistic phenomena like this in Mindanao deepens our understanding of cultural identity and heritage. While our languages, norms, and values may differ, we share meaningful commonalities — and we must learn to appreciate them all.

✍️ | Multilingual Snake
📷 | (Cropped) Kadayawan sa Davao 2024

we donʼt talk about bone.

ANTHROPOLINGUISTICS | KINARAY-A vs. HILIGAYNON

Kinaray-a and Hiligaynon are both part of the Visayan language subgroup, alongside Cebuano (Sinugbuánong Binisayâ), Waray, Tausug, and others. These languages are primarily spoken in Panay Island in Western Visayas, as well as parts of Region XII in Mindanao. Due to their shared geographic and cultural background, Kinaray-a is often mistakenly considered a dialect of Hiligaynon—despite being a distinct language with its own roots.

Prof. Genevieve Asenjo, PhD, posits that “Kinaray-a is the mother tongue [of Panay], older than Hiligaynon.” Similarly, John Iremil Teodoro, Secretary-General of UMPIL, notes that Hiligaynon is a relatively newer language, possibly having developed within the last three centuries.

Below are my key points for distinguishing these two living Philippinic languages:

A. Collocations (Associations) – If we ask someone, whether a native speaker or not, what word(s) can be used to describe Hiligaynon, the majority would likely say “malambing”. This quality is clearly reflected in their everyday conversations. Meanwhile, if we ask a speaker of Kinaray-a what comes to mind when describing their language, there’s a high likelihood we’ll hear the word “garagəmə” (English: crispy/crunchy). This is attributed not only to their distinct accentuation, but also to the phonological features unique to the language.

B. Phonology
As previously stated, Kinaray-a is often described as “garagəmə”, a term that captures its crisp phonological texture. This perception stems in part from the frequent use of the phoneme /r/, which commonly has an /l/ counterpart in Hiligaynon.

🔄 Consonantal Shift: /r/ vs. /l/
Hiligaynon: Tulog | Kinaray-a: Turog
Hiligaynon: Wala | Kinaray-a: Wara
Hiligaynon: Law-ay | Kinaray-a: Raw-ay

Another notable phonological feature is the use of the schwa vowel (/ə̆/) in Kinaray-a. This is particularly intriguing, as other Malayo-Polynesian languages such as Ilocano, M’ranao, and Bahasa Melayu also exhibit the schwa in their phonemic inventories. In Hiligaynon, the schwa in Kinaray-a typically corresponds to /o/.

🗣️ Schwa Substitution: /ə̆/ in Kinaray-a vs. /o/ in Hiligaynon
Kinaray-a: namən | Hiligaynon: namon
Kinaray-a: pagwa-ən | Hiligaynon: pagwa-on / pagwason
Kinaray-a: anəm | Hiligaynon: anom

C. Geopolitical Location
Hiligaynon is predominantly an urban language, having emerged and flourished in cities. In fact, most major urban centers in Regions VI and XII use Hiligaynon as the lingua franca, including Roxas City, Bacolod City, Iloilo City, Koronadal City, and Tacurong City. Its prevalence in mass media is also evident, with radio stations such Hiligaynon as their primary medium.

On the other hand, Kinaray-a is widely spoken in rural communities and is less commonly used in highly urbanized areas. In the province of Antique, however, speakers are generally expected to be fluent in both Hiligaynon and Kinaray-a, reflecting the region's rich linguistic duality.

D. Hispanic Influences
Hiligaynon carries a rich layer of Hispanic influence, particularly through a vast collection of Spanish loanwords. If you're familiar with the language, you’ll likely recognize terms that resemble both Spanish and Portuguese, an enduring linguistic imprint from centuries of colonial contact.

Historically, when the Spanish reached Central and Eastern Visayas, they continued westward in search of sustenance and eventually came upon Panay Island—derived from Pan-ay, which means “there is food.” As a result, Spanish vocabulary naturally seeped into Hiligaynon speech, and many of these borrowed terms remain in daily use across Hiligaynon-speaking communities today.
Examples of Spanish Loanwords in Hiligaynon:
1. Inchindi – Understand (from entender)
2. Cantidad – Quantity
3. Hasta – Until
4. Permenti – Always (from permanente)
5. Antes – Before
6. Pinsar – Think (from pensar)

The differences between Kinaray-a and Hiligaynon reflect distinct cultural roots, geographic settings, and historical layers. Each language tells its own story, shaped by sound, place, and colonial influence. Understanding them honors the diversity of the Visayan linguistic heritage.

✍️ Multilingual Snake
📷 Wikipedia.com

REMEMBER: Being able to speak English fluently is not a measurement of oneʼs intelligence. Itʼs the ability to communicate effectively, no matter which language a person is using. What matters most is the quality of the language used, not its quantity.

Mga linguistic beliefs na pet peeve ni multilingual snake:

*Mga di alam ang pinagkaiba ng language at dialect
* Dialect daw ng Hiligaynon ang Kinaray-a
*Maranao and Iranun: “Same lang yan” haaaa??
* English major na judgemental lalo na sa grammar
* All languages in the Philippines are dialect, except for Filipino. wdym?
* Mga Maguindanaon na nag aaral ng Korean pero hindi ng Arabic
* Filipino is the national langua— (is that even a real language?)
* Lahat ng Manobo pareho lamang. ( I mean, how?)