The Lineyte-Samarnon language, also known as the "Waray" or "Waray-Waray", is the language spoken by the people of Leyte, Biliran and Samar in the Philippines (map). The “Waray-Waray” language belongs to the largest sub-group of the Central Philippine languages. These languages are Tagalog, Bicol, Visayan and under the Visayan languages are Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Waray-Waray and Mansakan. This corroborates Wikipedia’s report that the Lineyte-Samarnon language belongs to the Visayan language family and is related to Cebuano but more closely to Hiligaynon. Its alternate language names are Samareño, Samaran, Samar-Leyte, Waray and Binisaya. Just like any other language it has undergone a lot of changes. Many borrowed and coined words have been added.

There are approximately three million populace that speak the language in the Eastern Visayas Region or Region VIII. Specifically, the provinces in Eastern Visayas that speak Lineyte-Samarnon include Eastern Leyte, Biliran, part of Northwestern Leyte (Capoocan, Leyte-Leyte, Calubian), Western Samar, Eastern Samar and Northern Samar.

One of the features of the Lineyte-Samarnon language is that it directly expresses a thought or verbalizes directly an idea. It rarely uses linking words making it simpler and easily understood. The following are examples: “He walks fast” can best be translated in Lineyte-Samarnon as “Madagmit hiya lumakat.”, or “The old is weak” as “It lagas maluya.” or “They are cooking.” as “Nagluluto hira.”

It is hoped that this dictionary will in some way help anybody trying to communicate his ideas in the Lineyte-Samarnon language.

This website would like to thank all the people from Leyte and Samar particularly the older generation who have continued to harness their prowess on the Lineyte-Samarnon Language. It is a living legacy that the older generation from Leyte and Samar have never ceased maintaining the integrity of the Lineyte-Samarnon Language. The various Lineyte-Samarnon words and phrases that you will find in this website are common words and terms that are used in our day to day interaction with friends, relatives and acquaintances.

Thank you Eastern Visayas and may all visitors enjoy visiting this website!