Arta is a highly endangered Negrito language of the northern Philippines.
Distribution Lawrence Reid's 1990 fieldwork revealed only 12 speakers in Villa Santiago, Aglipay, Quirino Province, and in 1992 it was spoken by only three families. It is not closely related to other languages. There are still small groups of Arta speakers in Maddela and Nagtipunan towns of Quirino Province. Kimoto (2017) reports that Arta has 10 native speakers and 35–45 second-language speakers living primarily in Pulang Lupa, Kalbo, and in Dissimungal, Nagtipunan.
The Arta are found in the following places within Nagtipunan Municipality. Nagtipunan Municipality Dissimungal Barangay Purok Kalbo Pulang Lupa Tilitilan San Ramos Barangay Pongo Barangay Sangbay Barangay
Arta is in contact with Casiguran Agta, Nagtipunan Agta, Yogad, Ilokano, and Tagalog.
Phonology Arta is notable for having vowel length distinction, an unusual typological feature in the Philippines.
Sound changes Kimoto (2017) lists the following sound changes from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian (PMP) to Arta. Long vowels in Arta are derived from PMP diphthongs. PMP Arta *p p *t t *k Ø ~ k *q Ø *b b *d/*j/*z d *g g *s s *h Ø *R r *l l *m m *n n *ŋ ŋ *w w *y y *a a *i i *u u *ə ə *ai eː *au oː
Lexical innovations Kimoto (2017) lists the following Arta lexical innovations (highlighted in bold). Lexical innovations in Casiguran Agta are also highlighted in bold. Gloss Arta Casiguran Agta Ilokano Tagalog excrement sirit attay takki taʔi laugh əla ŋihit katawa tawa banana bagat biget saba sagiŋ back (body) sapaŋ adəg, səpaŋ likod likod hair pulug buk buok buhok body abiː bəgi bagi katawan water wagət dinom danum tubig house bunbun bilɛ balay bahay male giləŋan ləlake lalaki lalaki female bukagan bəbe babae babae
Reid (1994) lists the following reconstructed forms as possible non-Austronesian lexical elements found exclusively in Arta. Forms from Kimoto (2018) have also been included. Note the use of orthographic è [ə] and ng [ŋ]. Gloss Pre-Arta (Reid 1994) Arta (Reid 1994) Arta (Kimoto 2018) afternoon (ma-)*lutəp malutəp malu:tèp arrive *digdig dumigdig digdig bone *sagnit sagnit sikrit 'small thin bones' butterfly *pippun peppun - drink *tim mattim ti:m ear *ibəŋ ibəŋ ibeng lime *ŋusu ŋusú nusu man, male *gilaŋ(-an) gilaŋán gilèngan mosquito *buŋur buŋúr bungor old (man) *dupu dupú dupu: one *sipaŋ sípaŋ si:pang rain *punəd púnəd pu:nèd run *gurugud maggurugúd gurugud say, tell *bud ibud bud sleep *idəm médəm idèm two *təlip tallip tallip
Reid (1994) lists the following reconstructed forms as possible non-Austronesian lexical elements found in both Arta and "North Agta" (i.e., various Northeastern Luzon languages spoken mostly in Cagayan Province). Forms from Kimoto (2018) have also been included. Gloss Reconstructed form (Reid 1994) Arta (Reid 1994) Arta (Kimoto 2018) pity, kindness *Rəbi pagarbián arbi thirst *pələk meɁipla iplèk hunt *purab mamurab 'hunt with bow and arrow' purab deer, buck *b[ia]dut bidut bidut fingernail *[l]usip lusip lusip penis *g[ia]ləŋ giləŋ gilèng wall *gəsəd gisə́d gisèd dog, puppy *lapul lappul lappul fire *dukut dut dut hair, feather *pulug pológ pulug
The forms *səlub 'fragrant' and *Rəbi 'pity, kindness' are found in both Arta and Alta.
Notes
References
External links ELAR documentation and description of Arta language