Lakon language

Lakon
Spoken in Vanuatu
Region Gaua
Native speakers c. 700  (date missing)
Language family
Language codes
ISO 639-3 lkn
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Lakon [lakɔn] is an Oceanic language, spoken on the west coast of Gaua island in Vanuatu.

Contents

Names

Lakon is named after the area where it is spoken, also known as Lakona Bay, which encompasses the west coast of Gaua. It is sometimes referred to as Lakona (after its name in Mota). Its former dialects include Qatareu (Qätärew), Vure (Vurē), Toglatareu, Togla.

Phonology

Lakon has 16 phonemic vowels. These include 8 short /i ɪ ɛ æ a ɔ ʊ u/ and 8 long vowels /iː ɪː ɛː æː aː ɔː ʊː uː/.[1]

Lakon vowels
  Front Central Back
Near-close i ∙ iː   u ∙ uː
Close-mid ɪ ∙ ɪː   ʊ ∙ ʊː
Open-mid ɛ ∙ ɛː   ɔ ∙ ɔː
Near-open æ ∙ æː    
Open   a ∙ aː  

References

  1. ^ François (2005:445)

Bibliography

External links