Book excerpt: locano is spoken in the northern Luzon region of the Philippines, and is sometimes called the national language of the north. It is spoken by about 9 million people, including large communities of Ilocanos in Hawaii and California. Although non-Tagalog Philippine languages are often called dialects, they are actually unique languages and Ilocano is not mutually intelligible with Tagalog. The aim of this dictionary and phrasebook is to assist the student or traveler in expanding his or her knowledge of the language and culture of the Philippines. * Introduction to basic grammar * Pronunciation guide * Ilocano-English / English-Ilocano dictionary * Ilocano phrasebook