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: 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. hikó ('I') and híko ('elbow').

Historical sound changes

Many words pronounced with and in Tagalog have and, respectively, in their cognates in Botolan. Compare hiko and bayo with the Tagalog siko and bago.

Sample texts

The Lord's Prayer

Version from Matthew

Tatay nawen ya anti ha katatag-ayan, Hay ngalan mo ay igalang dayi nin kaganawan. Andawaten nawen ya tampol kayna dayin mag-arí. Mangyari dayi ya kalabayan mo bayri ha babon lotá Bilang ombayro ha katatag-ayan. Hapa-eg ay biyan mo kayin pamamangan ya angka-ilanganen nawen. Patawaren mo kayi ha kawkasalanan nawen bilang pamatawad nawen ha nakapagkasalanan konnawen. Agmo kayi biyan ma-irap ya pagsobok boy ipakarayó mo kayi koni Satanas.

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.