Ayta, Abellen

ABP

developing

Alternate Names: Abenlen, Aburlen Negrito, Ayta Abellen Sambal

Dialects: None known. Lexical similarity: 66% with Botolan Sambal ,, 49% with Sambal ,, 38%–44% with Ilocano ,, Pangasinan ,, Filipino ,, Pampangan ,.

Genealogy:

Austronesian
Malayo-Polynesian
Philippine
Central Luzon
Sambalic

Demographics: 3,000 (2008 SIL), decreasing. 45 monolinguals. Ethnic population: 5,000.

Language Use: In some remote areas, children still learn it first. Home, community, church. Mainly younger adults. Neutral attitudes. A few in remote areas are nearly monolingual, otherwise speakers generally acquire and use L2’s at home, community, or school, trying to negotiate multiple linguistic identities. Also use Botolan Sambal [sbl]. Used as L2 by Botolan Sambal [sbl], Ilocano [ilo].

Language Development: Literacy rate in L1: 3%. Literacy rate in L2: 3%. Bible portions: 2006–2011.

Writing System: Latin

Nation of Origin: Philippines

Other Comments: Traditional religion, Christian.