Malakula languages

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 Malayo-Polynesian Oceanic Southern Oceanic North-Central Vanuatu Central Vanuatu Malakula
Proto-language	Proto-Malakula
Language codes
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
    • Malua Bay
    • North Coast
      • Nese
      • Botovro
      • Vovo, Vao
  • Eastern
    • Uripiv
    • Unua
    • Aulua
    • Banam Bay
    • Southeastern
      • Bwenelang
      • Nasvang, Nisvai
      • Port Sandwich, Avok, Axamb
      • Maskelynes
  • Western
    • Central Western
      • Neve'ei
      • Larëvat
      • Naman
    • Peripheral Western
      • Ninde
      • Nāti
      • Northwestern
        • V'ënen Taut
        • Tape
        • Tirax
      • Southwestern
        • Lendamboi
        • Aveteian
        • Navwien
        • Avava
        • Nasarian
        • Naha'ai, Nahavaq

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

Numbers

English	Bislama	Aulua	Axamb	Big Nambas	Maskelynes	Neverver	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

Other basic words

English	Bislama	Aulua	Axamb	Big Nambas	Maskelynes	Neverver	Ninde	Tirax	Uripiv	Vao
water	wota	nave	nuwoi	nauei tarah (taboo synonym)	nëwai	nio	nowoi	nua/nue	nua	?
woman	wuman	momo	napnevër	tav'et	pëhaṽut	vin	watawox	vinadr	leter	?
child	pikinini	netina	tete	mardel	tëtai	niterikh	?	ntɛbih	tipis	?
child (of someone)	pikinini	netina	narën	nat	natu	niterikh	netnowox	net	natu	?

References

1. Lynch, John (December 2016). "Malakula Internal Subgrouping: Phonological Evidence". Oceanic Linguistics. 55 (2). University of Hawai'i Press: 399–431. doi:10.1353/ol.2016.0019. S2CID 152170547.
2. Lynch, John (July 2014). "Unexpected Final Vowel Retention in Malakula". Open Linguistics 2014. 1. De Gruyter Open: 1–16. doi:10.2478/opli-2014-0001.

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" (PDF), in François, Alexandre; Lacrampe, Sébastien; Franjieh, Michael; Schnell, Stefan (eds.), The Languages of Vanuatu: Unity and Diversity, 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.