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Hi,<br><br>
I'm wondering if anyone has written about the nasal that shows up for
example in the independent pronouns of certain Sulawesi languages (data
below). <br><br>
The curious part, at least among the Sulawesi languages I've looked at,
is the nasal is present in some languages, absent in closely related
languages, but no language maintains n- and n-less forms as a living
contrast. <br><br>
Compare for example the independent pronouns in Wolio and its sister
language Kamaru. The nasal also shows up in the interrogative pronoun
meaning 'who?' (Note that historically ns shifted to nc in
Wolio.)<br><br>
<font face="Courier New, Courier">
WOLIO KAMARU<br>
1s
iaku iaku<br>
1pn
i</font><font face="Courier New, Courier" color="#FF0000"><b>ng</b></font>
<font face="Courier New, Courier">kita
ikita <br>
1px
i</font><font face="Courier New, Courier" color="#FF0000"><b>ng</b></font>
<font face="Courier New, Courier">kami
ikami<br>
2s
i</font><font face="Courier New, Courier" color="#FF0000"><b>ng</b></font>
<font face="Courier New, Courier">koo
iko'o<br>
2p
i</font><font face="Courier New, Courier" color="#FF0000"><b>ng</b></font>
<font face="Courier New, Courier">komiu
ikomiu<br>
3
i</font><font face="Courier New, Courier" color="#FF0000"><b>n</b></font>
<font face="Courier New, Courier">
cia isia<br><br>
who?
i</font><font face="Courier New, Courier" color="#FF0000"><b>n</b></font>
<font face="Courier New, Courier">
cema isema<br><br>
</font>Note also the independent pronouns in Tolaki and Mori Atas. (Note
that historically ngk shifted to ngg in Tolaki.) <br><br>
<font face="Courier New, Courier">
TOLAKI MORI ATAS<br>
1s
i</font><font face="Courier New, Courier" color="#FF0000"><b>n</b></font>
<font face="Courier New, Courier">
aku iaku<br>
1pn
i</font><font face="Courier New, Courier" color="#FF0000"><b>ng</b></font>
<font face="Courier New, Courier">gito
ikito <br>
1px
i</font><font face="Courier New, Courier" color="#FF0000"><b>ng</b></font>
<font face="Courier New, Courier">gami
ikami<br>
2s
i</font><font face="Courier New, Courier" color="#FF0000"><b>ng</b></font>
<font face="Courier New, Courier">go'o
iiko<br>
2p
i</font><font face="Courier New, Courier" color="#FF0000"><b>ng</b></font>
<font face="Courier New, Courier">gomiu
ikomiu<br>
3
ie'i iwono<br>
3
ihiro iworo<br><br>
who?
i</font><font face="Courier New, Courier" color="#FF0000"><b>n</b></font>
<font face="Courier New, Courier">
ae isea<br><br>
</font>I'm curious as to what might be the historical source of this
'intrusive' or 'facultative' nasal (call it what you will).<br><br>
David<br>
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