Eskayan

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A language of Philippines

ISO 639-3
esy
Alternate Names
Bisayan Declarado, Bisayan Diklaradu, Bisayan-Eskaya, Eskaya’, Ineskaya, Iniskaya, Iskaya’
User Population

500, all users. L1 users: No known L1 speakers. L2 users: 500 (2013 P. Kelly). Ethnic population: 2,290 (2010 census).

Location

Central Visayas region: Bohol province, Biabas, Cadapdapan, Canta-ub, Lundag, and Taytay villages.

Language Status

9 (Dormant).

Classification
Mixed language, Cebuano-Spanish-English
Dialects

A constructed language created through a relexification of Boholano, a dialect of Cebuano [ceb], but with changes to affixation rules. Some lexical input from Cebuano, Spanish [spa], and English [eng] (Kelly 2012).

Language Use

Second language only. All speak Cebuano [ceb] as their L1. Religion, political events. Shifted to Cebuano [ceb]. Many also use Tagalog [tgl]. Some also use English [eng].

Language Development

Literature.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Eskayan
Writing

Eskaya script [Qabr].

Other Comments

The earliest attested document in Eskayan is from 1908. The language is taught in traditional schools in Taytay and Biabas on Sundays. It is taught for 30 minutes each morning in the government elementary school in Taytay (2013 P. Kelly).