Kamayo (Kinamayo or alternatively spelled Camayo), also called Kadi, Kinadi, or Mandaya, is a minor
Austronesian language of the central eastern coast of
Mindanao
Mindanao ( ) is the List of islands of the Philippines, second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and List of islands by population, seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the ...
in the
Philippines
The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
.
Distribution
Spoken in some areas of
Surigao del Sur
Surigao del Sur (Surigaonon language, Surigaonon: ''Probinsya nan Surigao del Sur''; ; ), officially the Province of Surigao del Sur, is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Caraga Regions of the Philippines ...
(the city of
Bislig
Bislig, officially the City of Bislig (; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, component city in the Provinces of the Philippines, province of Surigao del Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of ...
and the municipalities of
Barobo,
Hinatuan,
Lingig,
Tagbina,
Lianga,
San Agustin &
Marihatag) and
Davao Oriental
Davao Oriental (; ), officially the Province of Davao Oriental (; ), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Davao Region in Mindanao. Its capital is the city of Mati, Davao Oriental, Mati which is the most ...
, Kamayo varies from one municipality to another.
Lingiganons are quite different from other municipalities in the way they speak the Kamayo language. ''
Ethnologue
''Ethnologue: Languages of the World'' is an annual reference publication in print and online that provides statistics and other information on the living languages of the world. It is the world's most comprehensive catalogue of languages. It w ...
'' also reports that Kamayo is spoken in the
Agusan del Sur Province border areas, and in
Davao Oriental
Davao Oriental (; ), officially the Province of Davao Oriental (; ), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Davao Region in Mindanao. Its capital is the city of Mati, Davao Oriental, Mati which is the most ...
Province between
Lingig and
Boston
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
.
Dialects
Kamayo is a language widely used by the
Mandayas in the
Davao Oriental
Davao Oriental (; ), officially the Province of Davao Oriental (; ), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Davao Region in Mindanao. Its capital is the city of Mati, Davao Oriental, Mati which is the most ...
areas. It is closely related to
Tandaganon and Surigaonon. Dialect variations are caused by mixed dialect communications such as the
Cebuano language
Cebuano ( )[Cebuano]
on Merriam-Webster.com is an Austronesian languages, Austronesian language spoken i ...
in barangays Mangagoy and Pob. Bislig. The towns of Barobo, Hinatuan, and Lingig has a distinct version spoken. A suffix is usually added to most adjectives in the superlative form; for example, the word in Cebuano ('small') is while the word ('big') is spoken as in Bislig.
Kamayo dialects can be classified as North Kamayo and South Kamayo.
[''Ethnologue'']
Phonology
/ɔ/ is only heard in a diphthong, /ɔi/.
Vocabulary
Common phrases
See also
*
Languages of the Philippines
There are some 130 to 195 languages spoken in the Philippines, depending on the method of classification. Almost all are Malayo-Polynesian languages native to the archipelago. A number of Spanish-influenced creole language, creole varieties ge ...
References
{{Languages of the Philippines
Mansakan languages
Languages of Surigao del Sur