The Malakula languages are a group of Central Vanuatu languages spoken on Malakula Island in central Vanuatu. Unlike some earlier classifications, linguist and Oceanic languages specialist John Lynch (2016) considered the Malakula languages to form a coherent group.[1]
| Malakula | |
|---|---|
| Malekula | |
| Geographic distribution | Malakula Island in central Vanuatu |
| Linguistic classification | Austronesian |
| Proto-language | Proto-Malakula |
| Glottolog | mala1539 |
Features
One distinctive feature of the Malakula languages is the pervasive loss of unstressed syllables. However, according to Lynch (2014), the innovation occurred after Proto-Malakula broke up, and may have occurred on at least seven different independent occasions.[2]
Classification
Lynch (2016) divides the Malakula languages into three primary subgroups, namely Northern, Eastern, and Western, all three of which are linkages. Lynch (2016) recognizes 32 languages.[1]
- Malakula
- Northern
- Eastern
- Western
The Central-Western linkage is only very weakly defined, while Ninde and Nāti have similarities with both the Northwestern and Southwestern linkages.
The positions of the Sörsörian, Rerep, Vivti, and Nitita languages were not addressed.
Languages
François (2015:18-21) lists the following 42 Malakula languages.
| No. | Language | Other names | Speakers | ISO 639-3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 65 | Axamb | Ahamb | 750 | ahb |
| 66 | Lendamboi | Small Nambas, Letemboi | 800 | nms |
| 67 | Nasvang | 275 | ||
| 68 | Sörsörian | 3 | ||
| 69 | Avok | 500 | ||
| 70 | Uliveo | Maskelynes | 1100 | klv, Maskelynes |
| 71 | Port Sandwich | Lamap | 1200 | psw |
| 72 | Nisvai | Vetbon | 200 | |
| 73 | Burmbar | Banam Bay, Vartavo | 900 | vrt |
| 74 | Mbwenelang | <10 | ||
| 75 | Aulua | 750 | aul | |
| 76 | Niolean | Repanbitip | 90 | rpn |
| 77 | Rerep | Pangkumu, Tisman | 380 | pgk |
| 78 | Unua | Onua | 520 | onu |
| 79 | Vivti | <5 | ||
| 80 | Nitita | <5 | ||
| 81 | Avava | Katbol, Navava, Bangsa’ | 700 | tmb |
| 82 | Neverver | Lingarak, Nevwervwer | 1250 | lgk |
| 83 | Litzlitz | Naman | 15 | lzl |
| 84 | Uripiv | Uripiv-Wala-Rano-Atchin, Northeast Malakula | 9000 | upv, Atchin, Uripiv |
| 85 | Rutan | ? | ||
| 86 | Botovro | Mpotovoro | 430 | mvt |
| 87 | Vao | 1900 | vao, Vao | |
| 88 | Alovas | ? | ||
| 89 | Vovo | 475 | ||
| 90 | Nese | Matanvat | 160 | |
| 91 | Najit | <5 | ||
| 92 | Malua Bay | Middle Nambas | 500 | mll |
| 93 | Njav | 10 | ||
| 94 | Tirax | Mae, Dirak | 1000 | mme |
| 95 | V'ënen Taut | Big Nambas | 3350 | nmb |
| 96 | Tape | Maragus | 15 | mrs |
| 97 | Larëvat | Laravat, Larevat | 680 | lrv |
| 98 | Neve'ei | Vinmavis | 500 | vnm |
| 99 | Nivat | <10 | ||
| 100 | Nasarian | 5 | nvh | |
| 101 | Aveteian | Dixon Reef | 50 | dix |
| 102 | Ninde | Labo | 1100 | mwi |
| 103 | Nahavaq | South West Bay, Siesip | 700 | sns |
| 104 | Nāti | 25 | ||
| 105 | Naha'ai | Malvaxal, Malfaxal | 600 | mlx |
| 106 | Navwien | 5 |
Vocabulary Comparison
| English | Bislama | Aulua | Axamb | Big Nambas | Maskelynes | Neverver (Realis) | Ninde | Tirax | Uripiv | Vao |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| one | wan | bokol | ngajhay, ngajkenene | isët, iamëk | esua | iskham | sei | haxal | ites | xete |
| two | tu | e nrua | ngaru | iru | eru | iru | khuwo | iru | eru | xeru |
| three | tri | e ntil | ngarür | itl | itor | itl | tël | itil | itul | xetol |
| four | fo | e mbis | ngavaj | iv'a | ivat | ivas | wes | ivat | ivij | xevat |
| five | faef | elima | ngarëm | ilëm' | erim | ilim | selme | ilin | ilim | xelime |
| six | sikis | ro bokol | ngarëm rahjkay | ilëmsei | emëlevtes | ijos | dumane sei | ixɔwɛn | owon | xeyon |
| seven | seven | roku rua | ngarëm rahru | isaru | emëlevru | ijoru | dumane khuwo | iwedit | ebœt | xebüt |
| eight | eit | rok til | ngarëm rahrür | isatl | emëlevtor | ijotl | dumane tël | ixewɛl | owil | xoal |
| nine | naen | rokbis | ngarëm rahpaj | isav'et | emëlevpat | ijovas | dumane wes | ixesiv | esiw | xehive |
| ten | ten | sagabul | ngasngavur | sënal, inal | saŋavur | nangavul | langal, thangal | ihŋavil | esŋawœl | hangavul |
References
Further reading
- Jean-Michel Charpentier [in French] (1982). Atlas linguistique du Sud-Malekula — Linguistic Atlas of South Malekula (Vanuatu). Paris: Centre National de la Recherche.
- François, Alexandre; Franjieh, Michael; Lacrampe, Sébastien; Schnell, Stefan (2015), "The exceptional linguistic density of Vanuatu", in François, Alexandre; Lacrampe, Sébastien; Franjieh, Michael; Schnell, Stefan (eds.), The Languages of Vanuatu: Unity and Diversity (PDF), Studies in the Languages of Island Melanesia, Canberra: Asia Pacific Linguistics Open Access, pp. 1–21, ISBN 9781922185235
External links
- List and map of Malekula languages (A.N.U., 1995)
- Map of Vanuatu languages including Malekula
- Updated map of Malekula languages (MPI-SHH – Jena, 2018) – see presentation.