Itawis (also Itawit or Tawit as the endonym) is a Northern Philippine language spoken by the Itawis people, closely related to the Gaddang speech[2] found in Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya. It also has many similarities to the neighboring Ibanag tongue, while remaining quite different from the prevalent Ilocano spoken in the region and the Tagalog-based Filipino national language.
Background
Itawis is spoken by the Itawis people of Northern Luzon who inhabit the provinces of Cagayan Valley. Their range is from the lower Chico and Matalag rivers. The language is said to have rooted in the town of Tuao. In many towns by these rivers, Itawis are found with the Ibanags, and speak Ibanag as well, as an example of linguistic adaptation. Speakers of Itawis and Ibanag can easily understand each other because of the close relationship of their languages. The Itawis are linguistically and culturally very closely related to the Ibanag.
The Itawis language is classified as a Malayo-Polynesian language, a subset of the Austronesian language superfamily. During the pre-colonial period of the Philippines, words were borrowed from Spanish to stand in place for words that did not exist in the Itawis language. One such word is lamesa, which means 'table', for the Itawis people did not eat on tables, which were later introduced by the Spanish.
In the town of Rizal, Cagayan, a language called Malaueg is spoken by a group of people of the same name. It is not yet clear whether Malaueg is a distinct language or not because its proximity to Itawis may possibly make it a dialect of the latter.
Linguistic notes
Unlike most other Philippine languages, Itawit and its relatives use the consonants/z/, /f/, /v/, and /dʒ/ (spelled ⟨dy⟩). For example, fefeg ('fan'), madyan ('maid'), kazzing ('goat'), and bavi ('pig').
The Itawit language has a fast, somewhat soft tone.[clarification needed] Speakers usually shorten sentences by shortening words; however, shortening every word is not possible. For a non-fluent, non-native, or a beginner learner, all words in a sentence should be said fully and completely.[citation needed] In a gesture of respect, Itawits usually use the name or status of a person at the end of a sentence.
Example: 'Where is the bathroom?' (asking an elderly woman): Dyanna yo banyu ko anti/manang?
Anti 'auntie' is used in Itawit for an elderly woman or a family friend); manang 'elder sister' is used in Itawit as a sign of respect.
The Itawit sentence structure is similar to English.
Example: 'Ifan went to get some water from the fridge.' : Y Ifan e numang nga nangalak kang danum kanne ref. :
[stating word] Ifan [] went to get [word that states a place] water from fridge.
The format is a noun, verb, adjective/place/noun sequence.
If the speaker is referring to a person, who they are referring to is unclear unless the specification word y is used. The Tagalog equivalent would be si, both meaning 'that person'. After y, the name of the person referred to is used, but in a gesture of respect, the status and name are given.
Interrogative words
When asking a question, Itawits usually start with a person's name or status and then the question itself.
If asking someone familiar, Itawits also usually end it with he, diba, or ko (state person's name or status).[clarification needed]
'What': anna (hanna in some dialects)
'When': sonu hanna (sometimes shortened to sonu)
'Where': dyanna (jan+na)
'Who': i-hanna
'Why': kaam
'How': kunnasi
Classification
Dialects
Linguists classify Malaueg and Rizal as dialects of the Itawis language.
