Frank R. Blake

“ They may be used uncombined as nouns or adverbs, but only rarely as verbs. Derivation is accomplished by means of a great variety of particles, which are usually employed as prefixes, though there are a few suffixes and infixes. So prominent a characteristic is this use of particles, that these dialects are sometimes spoken of as ‘Particular’ languages. Reduplication is very common in the formative processes of both noun and verb. There is no distinction of gender, nor is there, generally speaking, any inflection to denote person, number, or case in verbs or nouns. ”

“ The construction of verbs is very similar to that of nouns. When the subject precedes, it is connected with its verb by the particle ay, ‘to be.’ The direct object of the active and the agent of the passive stand in the genitive, other nominal adjuncts in the oblique case. Any verbal form may take the article ang. The character of the subject determines the verbal form to be used in a sentence. In general, if the subject is the agent of an action, the verb stands in the active, otherwise in the passive. ”

“ PHILIPPINE LANGUAGES. The number of languages spoken in the Philippine Islands is variously estimated as from about 25 to over 50. These languages may be considered under two heads: (1) the languages of the Negritos, probably the remnants of the aboriginal population who live in scattered tribes in the interior of most of the large islands; (2) the languages of the various tribes of Malay race which constitute the bulk of the population (Christian, Mohammedan, and pagan) . ”