Major Language Families:
* Austronesian: The most dominant family, covering the majority of the country. It is further divided into subfamilies:
* Central Philippine: Found in the Visayas (including Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, Samar), parts of Luzon, and Mindanao. Some major languages: Cebuano, Waray, Hiligaynon (Ilonggo), Capiznon.
* Northern Philippine: Predominant in Luzon. Some major languages: Tagalog, Ilocano, Pangasinan, Kapampangan, Bicolano.
* Southern Philippine: Concentrated in Mindanao. Some major languages: Maranao, Maguindanao, Tausug, Yakan.
* Austroasiatic: Found mostly in the northern and central parts of Luzon, specifically in the Cordilleras. Some major languages: Ivatan, Kankanaey, Bontoc, Ifugao.
* Papuan: Limited to some indigenous communities in the southernmost part of Mindanao.
* Others: Some indigenous languages belong to isolated families or are unclassified.
Regional Language Breakdown:
* Luzon:
* Northern Luzon: Ilocano, Pangasinan, Kapampangan, Sambal.
* Central Luzon: Tagalog, Bicolano,
* Southern Luzon: Tagalog, Bicolano,
* Cordillera Administrative Region: Kankanaey, Bontoc, Ifugao, Ibaloi, Kalinga,
* Visayas:
* Central Visayas: Cebuano, Hiligaynon (Ilonggo), Capiznon,
* Eastern Visayas: Waray,
* Western Visayas: Hiligaynon (Ilonggo), Kinaray-a,
* Mindanao:
* Northern Mindanao: Cebuano,
* Southern Mindanao: Maranao, Maguindanao, Tausug, Yakan,
* Zamboanga Peninsula: Subanon,
* Caraga: Surigaonon,
National Language:
* Filipino: Based on Tagalog, but influenced by other Philippine languages. It is the national language and serves as the main language of education, government, and media.
English:
* English is widely spoken as a second language, particularly in urban areas and in education. It is used in business, government, and media.
Important Notes:
* This is a simplified overview. There are numerous indigenous languages spoken throughout the Philippines, some with only a few hundred speakers.
* The number of speakers for each language can fluctuate depending on the source.
* There is significant language variation within each region, and it is common for individuals to be bilingual or trilingual.
To get a more detailed and comprehensive understanding of the language landscape in a specific region, it is recommended to consult resources such as Ethnologue, which provides extensive information on languages around the world.