Maranao (Mëranaw)

Maranao is a Malayo-Polynesian language spoken in Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur provinces in Mindanao in the Philippines, and in Sabah in Malaysia. There are thought to be between 800,000 and a million speakers. Maranao belongs to the Southern Philippine branch of Malayo-Polynesian languages and is closely related to Ilanun and Maguindanaon, which are spoken in Sabah in Malaysia, and in parts of the Philippines.

Maranao is written with the Latin alphabet, though in the past it was written with a version of the Arabic script, like Malay.

Arabic script for Maranao

This script is called Batang Arab (Arabic letters). Written Maranao literary texts are known as kirim.

Arabic script Maranao

Information supplied by Christopher Padilla via the Omniglot Fan Club

Maranao Latin alphabet and pronunciation

Maranao pronunciation

Notes

h is only used in Malay loanwords
When preceded by e /ə/, consonants are pronounced longer, e.g tekaw [təkːaw] (starled; surprised)

Sample text in Maranao in the Latin alphabet

Langon a taw na inimbawata a ndudon so kapaar ago ndatadatar sa bantogan ago kabnar. Bigan siran sa kabnar ago gagaw na aya patot a di kapakasusurota o omani isa ko kapakiphapagariya.

Sample text in Maranao in Batang Arab

لاڠون ع تاو نا اينيمباواتا ع ندُدون سو كڤاعر اڬو نداتاداتار سا بانتوڬان اڬو كابنار۔ بيڬان سيران سا كابنار اڬو ڬاڬاو نا عيا ڤاتوت ع دي كاڤاكاسُسُروتا عو اوماني ايسا كو كاڤاكيڤحاڤاڬارِيا۔

Sample videos in Maranao

Information about Maranao | Numbers in Maranao | Tower of Babel in Maranao

Links

Information about Maranao
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maranao_language
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maranao
http://www.ethnologue.com/language/mrw
http://iloko.tripod.com/Maranao.htm

Maranao phrases
http://maranao.info/phrases.html

Philippine languages

Aborlan Tagbanwa, Agutaynen, Bantik, Bikol, Binukid, Blaan, Buhid, Bukid, Buol, Calmian Tagbanwa, Casiguran Dumagat Agta, Central Tagbanwa, Gorontalo, Hanuno'o, Iranun, Iraya, Isnag, Kagayanen, Kalanguya, Kapampangan, Klata, Maguindanao, Mamanwa, Manide, Maranao, Matigsalug, Molbog, Mongondow, Obo, Palawano, Ratahan, Rinconada Bikol, Sangirese, Suwawa, Tagalog, Tagabawà, Talaud, Tawbuid, Tboli, Tiruray, Tombulu, Tondano, Tonsawang, Umiray Dumaget, Western Subanon

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page last modified: 07.08.24

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