Botolan is a Sambalic language spoken by 32,867 (SIL 2000) Sambal, primarily in the Zambal municipalities of Botolan and Cabangan in the Philippines. Language status is 5 (developing). Varieties The Ayta people of sitio Villar, Botolan, and sitio Kakilingan, Santa Fe, Cabangan also speak a Botolan dialect with some unique lexical items. Ethnologue reports Ayta Hambali (Hambali Botolan), Sambali Botolan as dialects of Sambal Botolan. Among themselves, Ayta Hambali reportedly use some words that are similar to Ayta, Mag-Anchi. Phonology Botolan has 20 phonemes: 16 consonants and four vowels. Syllable structure is relatively simple. Each syllable contains at least a consonant and a vowel. Vowels Botolan has four vowels. They are: /a/ an open front unrounded vowel similar to English father /e/ a close-mid front unrounded vowel similar to German /i/ a close front unrounded vowel similar to English machine /u/ (written as ‘o’) a close back unrounded vowel similar to English flute There are five main diphthongs: , , , /ij/, and . Consonants Below is a chart of Botolan consonants. All the stops are unaspirated. The velar nasal occurs in all positions including at the beginning of a word. Note: Consonants and can sometimes interchange as they were once allophones. Stress Stress is phonemic in Botolan. Word stress is very important; it differentiates homonyms, e.g. ('I') and ('elbow'). Historical sound changes Many words pronounced with and in Tagalog have and , respectively, in their cognates in Botolan. Compare and with the Tagalog and . Sample texts The Lord's Prayer Version from Matthew Philippine national proverb Below is a translation in Botolan of the Philippine national proverb "He who does not acknowledge his beginnings will not reach his destination," followed by the original in Tagalog. Botolan: Tagalog: See also Languages of the Philippines References External links Grammar sketch of Botolan found on Carl Rubino's homepage Sample recordings from the GRN Network, in Botolan Hay Halita nin Diyos, Bible verses in Botolan Sambalic languages Languages of Zambales