Bisayan languages

Bisayan
Bisayâ Binisayâ Visayan
Ethnicity	Visayans
Geographic distribution	Visayas, most parts of Mindanao, Masbate, and Mimaropa in the Philippines, Sabah in Malaysia and immigrant communities
Linguistic classification	Austronesian Malayo-Polynesian Philippine Greater Central Philippine Central Philippine Bisayan
Proto-language	Proto-Bisayan
Subdivisions	Asi Cebuano Central Bisayan West Bisayan South Bisayan
Glottolog	bisa1268
Geographic extent of Bisayan languages based on Ethnologue and the National Statistics Office 2000 Census of Population and Housing Cebuan   Cebuano Central Bisayan   Waray   Baybayanon   Kabalian   Hiligaynon   Capiznon   Romblomanon   Bantayanon   Porohanon   Ati   Masbateño   Southern Sorsogon   Northern Sorsogon West Bisayan   Cuyonon   Caluyanon   Aklanon   Karay-a   Inonhan   Ratagnon Asi   Asi South Bisayan   Surigaonon   Butuanon   Tausug Other legend   Widespread/L2 use of Cebuano   Widespread/L2 use of Hiligaynon

The Bisayan languages or Visayan languages^[1] are a subgroup of the Austronesian languages spoken in the Philippines. They are most closely related to Tagalog and the Bikol languages, all of which are part of the Central Philippine languages. Most Bisayan languages are spoken in the whole Visayas section of the country, but they are also spoken in the southern part of the Bicol Region (particularly in Masbate and Sorsogon where several dialects of Waray are spoken), islands south of Luzon, such as those that make up Romblon, most of the areas of Mindanao and the province of Sulu located southwest of Mindanao. Some residents of Metro Manila also speak one of the Bisayan languages.

Over 30 languages constitute the Bisayan language family. The Bisayan language with the most speakers is Cebuano, spoken by 20 million people as a native language in Central Visayas, parts of Eastern Visayas, and most of Mindanao. Two other well-known and widespread Bisayan languages are Hiligaynon (Ilonggo), spoken by 9 million in most of Western Visayas and Soccsksargen; and Waray-Waray, spoken by 6 million in Eastern Visayas region. Prior to colonization, the script and calligraphy of most of the Visayan peoples was the badlit, closely related to the Tagalog baybayin.