Alternate Names: Masbateño, Minasbate
Dialects: None known. Lexical similarity: 79% with Capiznon ,, 76% with Hiligaynon ,.
Genealogy:
Demographics: 350,000 (2002 SIL), increasing. 50,000 monolinguals. Mostly children. Ethnic population: 700,000. L2 users: 250,000 (2002 SIL).
Language Use: Home, market, work. All ages. Used as L2 by Southern Sorsoganon [srv].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L1: 65%. Literacy rate in L2: 50%. Taught in primary and secondary schools. Newspapers. Radio programs. Dictionary. Grammar. NT: 1993.
Writing System: Latin
Nation of Origin: Philippines
Other Comments: Christian (Roman Catholic), Christian (Protestant).