Santo–Malekula | |
---|---|
Geographic distribution: |
Espiritu Santo and Malakula, Vanuatu |
Linguistic classification: | Austronesian
|
Subdivisions: |
—
|
Santo–Malekula is a potential group of North Vanuatu languages that emerged from a 2008 analysis of the Austronesian Basic Vocabulary Database.[1] The languages were connected at a 90% confidence level.
The languages of this group are unusual in that historical labial consonants have become linguolabial before unrounded vowels, though in some they have progressed further to simple alveolars.
The languages included in the analysis were: