Proto-Polynesian language

Ancestor of the Polynesian languages From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Proto-Polynesian (abbreviated PPn) is the reconstructed proto-language from which all modern Polynesian languages descend. It is a descendant of the Proto-Oceanic language (the language associated with the Lapita civilization), itself a descendant of Proto-Austronesian. The homeland of Proto-Polynesian speakers is believed to have been Tonga, Samoa, and nearby islands.[1]

Quick Facts Reconstruction of, Region ...
Proto-Polynesian
PPn
Reconstruction ofPolynesian languages
RegionTonga, Samoa, and nearby islands
Reconstructed
ancestors
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Phonology

Proto-Polynesian has a small phonological inventory, with 13 consonants and 5 vowels.[2]

Consonants

More information Bilabial, Alveolar ...
Bilabial Alveolar Velar Glottal
Plosive *p *t *k
Nasal *m *n
Fricative *f *s *h
Trill *r
Lateral *l
Glide *w
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Vowels

Proto-Polynesian had five vowels, /a/ /e/ /i/ /o/ /u/, with no length distinction. In a number of daughter languages, successive sequences of vowels came together to produce long vowels and diphthongs, and in some languages these sounds later became phonemic.[3]

Sound correspondences

More information *p, *t ...
Proto-Polynesian *p*t*k *m*n *w *f*s*h *l*r
Tongan p t k ʔ m n ŋ v f s/h h l l/Ø
Niuean Ø h
Niuafoʻou ʔ/Øh/Ø
Proto-Nuclear-Polynesian *p*t*k *m*n *w*f*s*l
Samoan p t~k ʔØ m n ŋ v f s Ø l
East Futunan t kʔ/Ø
Tikopian Øɾ
Nukuoroan hl
Proto-Eastern-Polynesian *p*t*k*ʔ/Ø *m*n *w*f*h*l
Rapa Nui p t k ʔ/Ø m n ŋ v v/hh Ø ɾ
Mangareva, Cook Islands Māori Ø ʔ/vʔ
Tuamotuan f/h/vh
Māori wɸ/h
Tahitian ʔ ʔ v f/v/h
N. Marquesan k k hʔ
S. Marquesan ʔ n f/h
Hawaiian k v/wh/wl
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Vocabulary

The following is a table of some sample vocabulary as it is represented orthographically in various languages.[4] All instances of ʻ represent a glottal stop, IPA /ʔ/. All instances of ng and Samoan g represent the single phoneme /ŋ/. The letter r in all cases represents voiced alveolar tap /ɾ/, not /r/.

More information Tongan, Niuean ...
Polynesian vocabulary
Proto-Polynesian Tongan Niuean Samoan Rapa Nui Tahitian Māori Cook Islands Māori S. Marquesan Hawaiian English
*taŋata tangata tangata tagata tangata ta'ata tangata tangata ʻenata kanaka person
*sina hina hina sina hina hinahina hina ʻina hina grey-haired
*kanahe kanahe kanahe ʻanae 'anae kanae kanae ʻanae mullet
*tiale siale tiale tiale tiare tiare tīare tiare kiele flower
*waka vaka vaka vaʻa vaka va'a waka vaka vaka waʻa canoe
*fafine fefine fifine fafine vi'e/vahine vahine wahine vaʻine vehine wahine woman
*matuʔa mātu'a motua matua matuʻa metua matua metua, matua motua makua parent
*rua ua ua lua rua rua[5] rua rua ʻua lua two
*tolu tolu tolu tolu toru toru toru toru toʻu kolu three
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See also

Notes

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