Waraylanguage

Waray language, also known as Waray-Waray, is an Austronesian language spoken in the Philippines. It belongs to the Central Philippine branch of the Malayo-Polynesian family, part of the Visayan language group, specifically the Samar-Leyte subgroup. It is the primary language of the Waray people.

Geographic distribution and speakers: Waray is spoken mainly in Eastern Visayas on the islands of Samar and Leyte, with smaller communities in Northern Samar, Biliran, Southern Leyte, and among migrant communities in Luzon and Mindanao. Estimates of total speakers range in the low to mid millions; figures commonly place native speakers at around 3 to 4 million.

Linguistic varieties: Waray is not monolithic and comprises regional varieties and dialects, including Northern Waray (Northern Samar and parts of Samar) and Southern Waray (Eastern Samar and Leyte). Some linguists distinguish Waray Sorsogon in Sorsogon Province as a distinct variation. The language uses the Latin script and has a spelling system influenced by Filipino orthography due to educational policies.

Status and usage: Waray is used in local media, daily communication, and literature. It is taught as a medium of instruction in the early grades in Eastern Visayas under the Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education program and coexists with other regional languages such as Cebuano and Tagalog, with speakers often code-switching in formal contexts.

See also: Visayan languages; Waray-Waray literature; Languages of the Philippines.