Pohnpeic languages

Pohnpeic
Ponapeic
Geographic
distribution:		 Micronesia
Linguistic classification:

Austronesian

Glottolog: pona1248[1]

Pohnpeic, also rendered Ponapeic, is a subgroup of the Chuukic–Pohnpeic branch of Micronesian in the Austronesian language family.[2] The languages are primarily spoken in Pohnpei State of the Federated States of Micronesia.

Languages

Innovations

Pohnpeic languages are distinct from the closely related Chuukic languages as a result of uniquely developed innovations. One such innovation is nasal substitution, where the first element in a consonant geminate becomes a homorganic nasal consonant.[4] An example of this change is seen where Proto Chuukic-Pohnpeic */kkaŋ/ 'sharp' became Mokilese /iŋkɔŋ/, whereas in Chuukese it is /kken/.[5]

Phonology

Proto Pohnpeic reflexes of Proto Oceanic consonants[6]
Proto Oceanic *mp *mp,ŋp *p *m *m,ŋm *k *ŋk *ŋ *y *w *t *s,nj *ns,j *j *nt,nd *d,R *l *n *ɲ
Proto Micronesian *p *pʷ *f *m *mʷ *k *x *ŋ *y *w *t *T *s *S *Z *c *r *l *n *ɲ
Proto Pohnpeic *p *pʷ *p, ∅ *m *mʷ *k *r,∅ *ŋ *y *w *j,∅ *j *t *t ∅ * ̻t *r *l *n *∅,n

Reconstructed Vocabulary

Reconstructed Proto Pohnpeic Vocabulary [7]
Proto Pohnpeic English Gloss Modern Language Reflexes
*cana-k,cana-ko be hung up, to hang up PON tɛnɛ-k, MOK sɔnɔ
*palia day after tomorrow PON pali, MOK pali
*payipayi sea urchin PON pɛypɛy, MOK pɔypɔy
*wara neck PON wɛrɛ 'his/her neck', MOK wɔr

References

  1. ↑ Nordhoff, Sebastian; Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin, eds. (2013). "Ponapeic". Glottolog. Leipzig: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology.
  2. ↑ Lynch, John; Malcolm Ross; Terry Crowley (2002). The Oceanic languages. Richmond, Surrey: Curzon. ISBN 978-0-7007-1128-4. OCLC 48929366.
  3. ↑ "Ngatikese". Retrieved 2015-02-11.
  4. ↑ Blevins, Juliette; Garrett, Andrew (1993). "The Evolution of Ponapeic Nasal Substitution". Oceanic Linguistics 32: 199–236.
  5. ↑ Blevins, Juliette; Garrett, Andrew (1993). "The Evolution of Ponapeic Nasal Substitution". Oceanic Linguistics 32: 206.
  6. ↑ Bender, Byron W. (2003). "Proto-Micronesian Reconstructions: 1". Oceanic Linguistics 42: 4,5.
  7. ↑ Bender, Byron W. (2003). "Proto-Micronesian Reconstructions: 2". Oceanic Linguistics 42: 282. doi:10.1353/ol.2003.0014.