Basahan script, also known as Guhit, is the native name used by Bicolanos to refer to Baybayin.

Basahan
Guhit, Súrat Bikolnon
Script type
LanguagesBicol
Related scripts
Parent systems
Sister systems
In the Philippines:

Buhid
Kulitan
Hanunó'o
Tagbanwa script

In other countries:
Balinese
Batak
Javanese
Lontara
Sundanese
Rencong
Rejang
 This article contains phonetic transcriptions in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). For an introductory guide on IPA symbols, see Help:IPA. For the distinction between [ ], / / and  , see IPA § Brackets and transcription delimiters.
Basahan in a Mural
Front cover of Mintz's bikol dictionary shows Basahan script.

The word Basahan is already recorded in a book entitled Vocabulario de la Lengua Bicol by Marcos de Lisboa in 1628 which states that it has three vowels and fifteen consonants.[1]

Alphabet edit

 
Surat guhit (basahan)

Basahan has three stand-alone vowels (a, e/i, o/u) and fifteen consonants (ba, ka, da, ga, ha, la, ma, na, nga, pa, ra, sa, ta, wa, ya). This script can be called an abugida because signs represent syllables, that is a consonant with a vowel.

Way of writing edit

Historic: , Traditional: , Modern: 

According to Scott, when e.g. the sign for ba has to be read as be / bi it has a kaldit (a small "v" shaped diacritic sign) on the left (or above), if it has to be read as bu / bo the kaldit is on the right (resp. below). The basahan of the older bikolanos has an own sign for /r/ while the basahans of Tagalog (Baybayin) and Ilokano (Kurdita) have not.[2] In his time the kaldit was called kaholoan or holo according to Marcos de Lisboa, author of the earliest dictionary of Bikol.[3][2]

References edit

  1. ^ Lisboa, Maŕcos de (1865). "basahan". Vocabulario de la Lengua Bicol (in Spanish and Bikol). p. 60. Retrieved 2019-12-01. BASAHAN. pc. El a, b, c, de ellos por donde aprenden á leer que tiene quince letras consonantes, y tres vocales, a, e, o.
  2. ^ a b Scott, William Henry (2004). Barangay. Ateneo de Manila University Press. p. 186. ISBN 971-550-135-4.
  3. ^ Lisboa, Maŕcos de (1865). "caholoan". Vocabulario de la Lengua Bicol (in Spanish and Bikol). p. 86. Retrieved 2019-12-01. CAHOLOAN. pc. Una virgula de esta manera, V. que ponen á los lados de sus caractéres, etc.

External links edit