The Sangiric languages are a subgroup of the Austronesian languages spoken in North Sulawesi, Indonesia and several small islands to the north which belong to the Philippines. They are classified as a branch of the Philippine subgroup.

Classification

The following classification scheme is from James Sneddon (1984:57). The North Sangiric languages are spoken in the Sangir and Talaud archipelagos of Indonesia just north of Sulawesi, as well as the Sarangani Islands of the Philippines just south of Mindanao. The South Sangiric languages are spoken in scattered locations on the northern tip of Sulawesi. Bantik is spoken in the Manado region, while Ratahan is spoken just south of Lake Tondano.

Reconstruction

Proto-Sangiric (PSan) has been reconstructed by Sneddon (1984).

Phonology

The exact phonetic nature of *R is unclear. Its reflexes are Sangil, Sangir, Ratahan , Talaud , Bantik zero. Sneddon speculates that it may have been a coarticulated apical trill with velar friction, which is the usual realization of Sangil.

Later sound changes

Many of these sound changes are noticeably similar to those of South Sulawesi languages, spoken on the opposite side of Sulawesi.

Vocabulary

The comparison table (a small selection from ) illustrates the correspondences between the Sangiric languages, including inherited vocabulary as well as Sangiric innovations.