Tucked way up in the northernmost corner of the Philippine archipelago, isolated from the mainland, we find the Filipino province of Batanes, a collection of 10 islands located in the Luzon Strait between the Philippines and Taiwan. Renowned for their breathtaking natural beauty, as well as their unique dwellings built from coral and limestone, the lush and vibrant islands of Batanes are undergoing inscription to be recognized as a UNESCO world heritage site. An important part of Batanes culture is, of course, its people and their unique language called Ivatan.
Ivatan has around 33,000 native speakers, exceeding the population of Batanes, which stands at just 18,000. This means Ivatan maintains a strong presence across the bright and vibrant islands, with many Ivatan speakers also residing on the Filipino mainland. Indeed, most inhabitants of Batanes use Ivatan in their day-to-day life, from elementary school through college, but multilingualism is common on the islands, with many Ivatan people also proficient in Ilocano, Tagalog, and English. The prominence of Ivatan in the province hasn’t translated to an abundance of resources, however, and in fact, finding reliable Ivatan translation services can be a challenge. We hope to change that with our new Ivatan translation team.
How much do our Ivatan translation services cost? Find out by requesting a free quote today!
Ivatan: the unique language of a world heritage site
The Philippines displays remarkable linguistic diversity, with more than 180 languages native to its shores. Almost all languages in the country come from the same family—Austronesian—and Ivatan is no exception, although its classification as a Philippine language is debated among linguists. It belongs to the Batanic branch of languages, which it shares with the smaller languages of Itbayat, Ibatan, and Yami (Tao), the latter of which is spoken on an outlying Taiwanese island.
When it comes to grammar, Ivatan can be complex—but that’s par for the course for languages in the Philippines. The pronominal system in particular can cause headaches for an English speaker, with free and bound variants for all pronouns in both the nominative (subject) and genitive (possessive) cases. Adding to the complexity is the multiple words for “we”—one explicitly includes the addressee, while the other excludes them. Each pronoun also features a locative form. In terms of vocabulary, Ivatan is a blend of Philippine languages like Tagalog, Bikol, Cebuano, and Tausug as well as the Yami language of Taiwan.
A team you can rely on for translation services to and from Ivatan
Are you an outsider looking to connect with Ivatan speakers, or are you a native Ivatan speaker seeking a reliable way to transmit your message to the rest of the world? Whichever translation direction you need for your project, our Ivatan translation team is equipped to help you. That’s because we’ve hired translators specializing in both English-to-Ivatan translation as well as Ivatan-to-English translation. What’s more, our translators hail from all across Batanes, as well as Ivatan-speaking communities elsewhere, encompassing different Ivatan dialects, particularly the notable variants of Ivasayen and Isamurongen.
Regardless of the translation direction, we’re also committed to catering to the different niches our clients may come to us from. Sometimes, this means tailoring our services for corporate needs—a white paper, financial report, business plan, or marketing material. Other times, it’s more academic in nature, whether that’s helping Ivatan speakers present their scholarly breakthroughs to the outside world or aiding foreign researchers in their work in Batanes. Our team also translates literary works and other creative texts, both to and from Ivatan—so whether you’re interested in sharing traditional Ivatan stories with people from other cultures or you’d like to transform English-language content like books, poems, games, websites, and apps into Ivatan, our team has the skills, experience, and passion to help you realize your goals.
Providing high-quality Ivatan translation services is important to us. Why don’t you check out the quality for yourself by placing an order today?