Bantoanon language

Bantoanon or Asi is a regional Bisayan language spoken, along with Romblomanon and Onhan, in the province of Romblon, Philippines. Asi originated in the island of Banton, Romblon and spread to the neighboring islands of Sibale, Simara, and the towns of Odiongan, San Andres and Calatrava on Tablas Island. The Asi spoken in Odiongan is called Odionganon, Calatravanhon in Calatrava, Sibalenhon in Concepcion, Simaranhon in Corcuera, and Bantoanon in Banton.

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


 * Tablas: the municipalities of Odiongan, San Andres and Calatrava, situated respectively on the western and northern parts of the island. The Odiongan dialect has more outside influences and is more widely used in literature.
 * Banton, encompassing the whole municipality of Banton
 * Simara, encompassing the whole municipality of Corcuera
 * Maestre de Campo, also known as Sibale, encompassing the whole municipality of Concepcion

Linguist David Zorc notes that Bantoanon speakers may have been the first Bisayan speakers in the Romblon region. He also suggests that Asi may have a Cebuan substratum and that many of its words may have been influenced by the later influx of other languages such as Romblomanon.

Nomenclature
While Bantoanon is the original and most common name of the language, the name Asi, meaning 'why', is also commonly used especially in formal and academic papers. The Commission on the Filipino Language or KWF prescribes the use of Ási with the acute accent on the Á, although the native pronunciation is closer to Ásì with the acute Á and a grave accent on the ì. Considering that the language has four other dialects other than Bantoanon: Odionganon, Calatravanhon, Sibalenhon, and Simaranhon, Asi is occasionally used instead of Bantoanon to distinguish between the language and the dialect of it spoken in Banton. Speakers of dialects that have evolved through the Bantoanon diaspora prefer Asi, or just their dialect's name. In casual speech, however, native speakers often refer to the language as Bisaya, not to be confused with other Bisayan languages.

Sounds
Bantoanon has sixteen consonant phonemes: /p, t, k, ʔ, b, d, ɡ, s, h, m, n, ŋ, l, ɾ~r, w, j/. There are three vowel phonemes: /i, a, u/. The three vowels each have allophones of [ɪ, e, ɛ, ə], [ʌ], [o]. /i/ is always used as [i] when it is in the beginning and middle syllables, [e, ɛ] is always used when it is in final syllables, [ɪ] when in open-prestressed syllables, and as [ə] in word-final post-stressed syllables before /ɾ~r/. [ʌ] is heard as an allophone of /a/ when in closed syllables. The vowel [o] is an allophone of /u/, and is always heard when it is in final syllables. This is one of the Philippine languages that do not exhibit - allophony.

Cardinal Numbers
Bantoanon speakers prefer using Spanish-derived or English numbers for financial situations. For numbers 11 to 90, Bantoanon speakers rarely use Bantoanon numbers, but instead their Spanish-derived counterparts even in contexts not related to finances.

Legend
In Italics = rarely used and/or reconstructed based on existing vocabulary and grammar.