Itneg Inlaud Wordlist

Abstract

The Itneg Inlaud (ISO code: iti) is a language spoken in the provinces of Abra, Ilocos Norte, and Ilocos Sur in northern Luzon. It is also known by various names such as those listed in the Ethnologue (Eberhard, Simons & Fennig 2022). The more recent names includes Illaud used by the NCIP-CAR and DepEd Abra, and Tingian Inlaud (Ta Nabalo Nga Damag Biblia 2022). Itneg Inlaud is also known as the variety of Itneg spoken in the western lowlands (valleys) as opposed to other Itneg ethnolinguistic groups in the eastern highlands of Abra (Maranan & Consing 2020; O. Alunday, personal communication, January 6, 2023). The Itneg Inlaud speakers in Ilocos provinces trace their roots to Abra.

In 2013, SIL estimated a speaker population of 9,000 (Eberhard, Simons & Fennig 2022) while NCIP-CAR listed an ethnolinguistic population of 20,690 (Cariño 2012: 36). Both these population count exclude the Itneg Inlaud speaker population in Region 1. Nevertheless, it has been observed that the language is losing speakers. Based on our interviews of Itneg Inlaud Indigenous People Officers (IPOs) and elders from various municipalities in Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte, 10 of 15 barangays and/or sitio where there are or are identified as Itneg Inlaud communities have a language vitality between EGIDS5 level 8A (Moribund) and 9 (Extinct). The rest are between EGIDS level 6b (Threatened) and 7 (Shifting). This report shows the critical endangerment of the language in Ilocos even while the majority of the Itneg Inlaud speech communities in Abra are at EGIDS level 6b. Most ethnic Itneg Ilaud have already shifted to Ilokano—the language of wider communication (LWC) in the region (Eberhard, Simons & Fennig 2022).