Manobo, Obo

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A language of Philippines

ISO 639-3
obo
Alternate Names
Bagobo, Kidapawan Manobo, Obo Bagobo
Population

60,000 (2007 SIL). 20,000 monolinguals.

Location

Mindanao, northeast slope of Mount Apo, between Davao del Sur and North Cotabato provinces.

Language Maps
Language Status

4 (Educational).

Classification
Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Philippine, Greater Central Philippine, Manobo, Central, South, Obo
Dialects

Arakan Manobo, Kidapawan Manobo, Magpet Manobo, Marilog. 69% intelligibility of Tigwa (Matigsalug Manobo [mbt] most similar) and 60% of Tagabawa [bgs]. Lexical similarity: 63% with Tagabawa [bgs] and Ilianen Manobo [mbi], 35% with Cebuano [ceb].

Typology

VSO, VOS; prepositions; genitives after noun heads; articles, adjectives, and numerals before noun heads; question word in sentence-initial position; 2 maximum prefixes, 1 maximum suffix; ergativity; passives; causatives; comparatives; CV, CVC, CVV. CVVC; nontonal

Language Use

Home, market, church. All ages. Positive attitudes. Also use Cebuano [ceb] or Tagabawa [bgs].

Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 65%–70%. Literacy rate in L2: 95% in Cebuano [ceb]. Literacy work ongoing. Taught in 3 primary schools (2007 SIL). Taught in 1 secondary school (2007 SIL). New media. Radio programs. Videos. Dictionary. Grammar. NT: 2011.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Manobo, Obo
Writing
Latin script.
Other Comments

Christian, traditional religion.