Malakula languages

The Malakula languages are a group of Central Vanuatu languages spoken on Malakula Island in central Vanuatu. Unlike some earlier classifications, Lynch (2016) considers 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 Central Vanuatu Malakula
Glottolog	mala1539

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]

• 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	Ethnologue	ISO 639-3
65	Axamb	Ahamb	750	ahb	ahb
66	Lendamboi	Small Nambas, Letemboi	800	nms	nms
67	Nasvang		275
68	Sörsörian		3
69	Avok		500		, Avok
70	Uliveo	Maskelynes	1100	klv	klv, Maskelynes
71	Port Sandwich	Lamap	1200	psw	psw
72	Nisvai	Vetbon	200
73	Burmbar	Banam Bay, Vartavo	900	vrt	vrt
74	Mbwenelang		<10
75	Aulua		750	aul	aul
76	Niolean	Repanbitip	90	rpn	rpn
77	Rerep	Pangkumu, Tisman	380	pgk	pgk
78	Unua	Onua	520	onu	onu
79	Vivti		<5
80	Nitita		<5
81	Avava	Katbol, Navava, Bangsa’	700	tmb	tmb
82	Neverver	Lingarak, Nevwervwer	1250	lgk	lgk
83	Litzlitz	Naman	15	lzl	lzl
84	Uripiv	Uripiv-Wala-Rano-Atchin, Northeast Malakula	9000	upv	upv, Atchin, Uripiv
85	Rutan		?
86	Botovro	Mpotovoro	430	mvt	mvt
87	Vao		1900	vao	vao, Vao
88	Alovas		?
89	Vovo		475
90	Nese	Matanvat	160
91	Najit		<5
92	Malua Bay	Middle Nambas	500	mll	mll
93	Njav		10
94	Tirax	Mae, Dirak	1000	mme	mme
95	V'ënen Taut	Big Nambas	3350	nmb	nmb
96	Tape	Maragus	15	mrs	mrs
97	Larëvat	Laravat, Larevat	680	lrv	lrv
98	Neve'ei	Vinmavis	500	vnm	vnm
99	Nivat		<10
100	Nasarian		5	nvh	nvh
101	Aveteian	Dixon Reef	50	dix	dix
102	Ninde	Labo	1100	mwi	mwi
103	Nahavaq	South West Bay, Siesip	700	sns	sns
104	Nāti		25
105	Naha'ai	Malvaxal, Malfaxal	600	mlx	mlx
106	Navwien		5

References

1. Lynch, John (December 2016). "Malakula Internal Subgrouping: Phonological Evidence". Oceanic Linguistics. University of Hawai'i Press. 55 (2): 399–431. doi:10.1353/ol.2016.0019. S2CID 152170547.

Further reading

• Jean-Michel Charpentier (1982). Atlas linguistique du Sud-Malekula — Linguistic Atlas of South Malekula (Vanuatu). Paris: Centre National de la Recherche.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• 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.