A Dictionary of Cebuano Visayan

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

40074

Title

A Dictionary of Cebuano Visayan

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

A comprehensive reference work for Cebuano Visayan speakers and linguists, this dictionary offers over 25,000 entries explaining native forms rather than providing English equivalents. Compiled by John U. Wolff with contributions from over a hundred native speakers, it serves as an essential tool for understanding the language of central and southern Philippines.

Summary up to 500 words

Compiled by John U. Wolff over an eleven-year period, *A Dictionary of Cebuano Visayan* stands as a monumental resource for linguists, students, and native speakers of the language. Unlike conventional dictionaries that rely heavily on English translations, this work is uniquely designed to explain Cebuano forms in terms of themselves, thereby preserving the language's internal logic and cultural context. The dictionary contains approximately 25,000 entries, including a substantial addendum of 700 forms added after the initial composition. It covers a vast spectrum of vocabulary, ranging from everyday objects and actions to abstract concepts, with specific attention paid to dialectal variations and phonological nuances. The project was a massive collaborative effort involving more than a hundred native speakers who transcribed entries, ensuring the authenticity and accuracy of the content. All illustrations and sources are entirely native, reflecting the rich heritage of the central Philippines and Mindanao. The text is structured to aid in linguistic research, offering deep insights into the grammar, morphology, and usage of the language. It details the classification of roots, inflection, and derivation, providing a comprehensive tool for understanding the linguistic structure of Cebuano Visayan. Developed under contracts with the United States Office of Education and supported by grants from Cornell University and the Asia Society, the work represents a significant contribution to the documentation of Philippine languages and cultures. While it does not exhaust the language, it serves as a vital reference for those seeking to understand the Cebuano language without the filter of English equivalents.

LLM editorial rating

4.5/5

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Local file path

data/epubs/pg40074.epub

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2026-07-05 07:38 UTC

Categories

• Dictionaries
• Cebuano Language