More on Kanaka, fwd'ed from A. Grant

[Dave Robertson]

From: "Anthony Grant" <Anthony.Grant3 at btinternet.com>
To: "The Chinook List" <CHINOOK at LISTSERV.LINGUISTLIST.ORG>
References: <E18fYiW-00008o-00 at neodymium.btinternet.com>
Subject: Re:  CHINOOK Digest - 29 Jan 2003 to 2 Feb 2003 (#2003-4)
Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 18:10:55 -0000
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Dear Dave et al:

Kanaka is from Hawai'ian /kanaka/ 'human being, person', which is the
perfectly regular Hawai'ian reflex of Proto-Polynesian *tangata 'human
being'. End of story.  The 'cane hacker' claim is old and well-circulated,
which doesn't preclude it from being drivel.  Derivatives of the term
'kanaka' have been applied to groups beyond Polynesia, though: Kanak is a
term ised in self-ascription by pre-French inhabitants of New Caledonia,
while the German administrators on the Mariana Islands referred to the
Carolinians (Trukic-speaking settlers on Saipan) as 'Kanaken'.

Best

Anthony (Grant)


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