Isinai

Isinai is a member of the Northern Luzon group of Philippine languages. It is spoken by about 5,000 people mainly in the Province of Nueva Vizcaya in the Cagayan Valley region in Luzon in the north of the Philippines. In particular, it is spoken in the municipalities of Bambang, Dupax del Sur and Aritao, which each have their own dialects.

Isinai is also known as Isinay. It is written with the Latin alphabet. The dialect of Dupax del Sur is the most spoken, and the basis for the written language.

Isinai alphabet and pronunciation

Download an alphabet chart for Isinai (Excel)

Samples of written Isinai (Riddles)

Mu lavi tabla, mu ehawan kandela. (Avo)
At night it's a floor, in the daytime it's a candle. (Mat)
Immali beyoy yu, uriyana inila; nanpatanga isi-a, uriyana ginina. (Dahom)
I went to your house, you didn't see me; I stayed with you, you didn't feel me. (Wind)
Osan beyoy an amma-i, nayid pappar na. (Dalim-ahonar)
A big house, it has no window. (Anthill)
Mu il-ilam, diyoy; mu sidunom, nayid. (E-aw)
When you're looking at it, it's there; when you touch it, it's gone. (Shadow)

Source: https://nlpdl.nlp.gov.ph/CC01/NLP00VM052mcd/v1/v22.pdf

Sample videos

Information about Isinai | Numbers

Links

Information about Isinai
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isinai_language/
https://www.academia.edu/23880868/
http://olac.ldc.upenn.edu/language/inn
https://www.sil.org/resources/search/language/inn
http://www.ethnicgroupsphilippines.com/ethnic-groups-in-the-philippines/isinai/

Northern Luzon languages

Arta, Balangao, Bontoc, Bugkalot, Dupaningan, Gaʼdang, Gaddang, Ibaloi, Ibanag, Ifugao, Ilocano, Isinai, Itawis, Kankanaey, Karao, Pangasinan, Tuwali, Yogad

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page created: 16.04.24. Last modified: 24.07.25

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