South Mindanao languages

South Mindanao
Bilic
Geographic distribution	southern coast of Mindanao
Linguistic classification	Austronesian Malayo-Polynesian Philippine South Mindanao
Language codes
Glottolog	bili1253
Areas where Bilic languages are spoken

The South Mindanao or Bilic languages are a group of related languages spoken by the Bagobo, Blaan, Tboli, and Teduray peoples of the southern coast of Mindanao Island in the Philippines. They are not part of the Mindanao language family that covers much of the island. The languages are:

• Blaan
• Klata
• Tboli
• Teduray

Though it is typically classified as one of the South Mindanao languages, Klata (Giangan) is alternatively considered by Zorc (2019) to be a primary branch of the Southern Philippine languages, with Bilic being classified as a sister branch.

Reconstructions

Savage (1986) reconstructs Proto-South-Mindanaon using Tboli, Koronadal Blaan, and Sarangani Blaan data. Teduray and Giangan were not used in Savage's (1986) reconstruction.

Numerals

Numerals in South Mindanao languages

Numeral	Bagobo	Tboli	Teduray	Sarangani Blaan
1	hɔtu	sotu	səbaʔan	sɑtu
2	uwwɔ	lewu	rəwo	lwɨ
3	tɔllu	tlu	tələw	tlu
4	appat	fat	fot	fɑt
5	limɔ	limu	limo	limɨ
6	ɔnnɔm	nem	nəm	nɑm
7	pittu	hitu	fitəw	fitu
8	wɔlu	wolu	waləw	wɑlu
9	hiyɔw	syom	səyow	syəw
10	pɔlluʔ	sfoloʔ	folo	sfɑloʔ

References

• Savage, Dale T. (1986). "A Reconstruction of Proto-Southern Mindanaon". Studies in Philippine Linguistics. 6 (2): 181–223.
• Walton, Charles (1979). "A Philippine Language Tree". Anthropological Linguistics. 21 (2): 70–98. JSTOR 30027616.
• Zorc, R. David (2019). "Klata / Giangan: A New Southern Philippine Subgroup". The Archive. Special Publication No. 16: 33–51.