Onhan language

Onhan
Loocnon, Inonhan
Native toPhilippines
RegionRomblon
Native speakers
86,000 (2000)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3loc
Glottologinon1237
Inonhan language map based on Ethnologue

Onhan is a regional Western Bisayan language spoken, along with the Romblomanon and Asi languages, in the province of Romblon, Philippines.[2] The language is also known as Inunhan and Loocnon.

  • The Onhan language has three variants – those spoken in the municipalities of Santa Maria and Alcantara use /l/ instead of /r/. Example: kararaw is kalalaw, and other speakers change /r/ or /l/ to /d/ as in run or lun to dun.

Specifically, Onhan is spoken on the following islands within Romblon:

As a variant of the Kinaray-a language, some speakers are found on the island of Boracay in Aklan province as well as parts of the island of Panay, specifically in the following municipalities: Malay, Nabas and Buruanga. In the provinces of Oriental and Occidental Mindoro, migrant Onhan speakers from Tablas Island brought the language to the following municipalities: San Jose, Magsaysay, Bulalacao, Mansalay, Roxas, and some parts of Bongabong. As such, it is very much related to Kinaray-a and Kuyonon.

  1. ^ Onhan at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. ^ Quadra-Balibay, Angie (2020-02-06). "UP scientists, linguists develop online dictionary to save endangered Filipino languages". GoodNewsPilipinas.com. Retrieved 2024-02-01.