Dialects: Ableg-Salegseg, Balatok-Kalinga (Balatok-Itneg), Balbalasang, Guinaang, Lubuagan. Intelligibility of Balbalasang dialect 81%, Sumadel , 82%, Limos , 70%, 48% comprehension of Ilocano , narrative. Lexical similarity: 81% with Balbalasang and Limos.
Genealogy:
Demographics: 30,000 (2008 V. Dumatog), increasing. L2 users: Used by those intermarrying with local speakers and by business people.
Language Use: All domains. All ages. Positive attitudes. Also use English [eng], Ilocano [ilo], Tagalog [tgl].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L1: 90%. Literacy rate in L2: 80%. Taught in primary schools. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible portions: 1970–2005.
Typology: VSO; prepositions; genitives before noun heads; articles, adjectives, and numerals normally before noun heads; relatives after noun heads; question word in sentence-initial position; 3 maximum suffixes; word order distinguishes subjects, objects, and indirect objects, and given and new information, topic and comment; affixes do not indicate case of noun phrases; verb affixes mark number; passives; causatives; comparatives; CV, CVC; nontonal.
Writing System: Latin
Nation of Origin: Philippines
Other Comments: Traditional religion, Christian (Roman Catholic).