LL-L "Language varieties" 2009.10.20 (03) [EN]

[Lowlands-L List]

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L O W L A N D S - L - 20 October 2009 - Volume 03
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From: Paul Finlow-Bates <wolf_thunder51 at yahoo.co.uk>
Subject: LL-L "Language varieties" 2009.10.20 (01) [EN]

From: R. F. Hahn
<sassisch at yahoo.com<http://uk.mc264.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=sassisch@yahoo.com>
>
Subject: Language varieties

Paul, I think the drift you are talking about is precisely what you are
dealing with in the case of Polynesian. So I encourage you to spend some
time familiarizing yourself with this case.

Examples: woman/female, man/male, gardenia, canoe, parent, gray-haired,
mullet
Tongan: fafine, taŋata, siale, vaka, matu'a, hina, kanahe
Samoan: fafine, taŋata, tiale, va'a, matua, sina, 'anae
Niuean: fifine, taŋata, tiale, vaka, matua, hina, kanahe
Rapa Nui*: hahine, taŋata, tiare, vaka, matu'a, hina, -
Tahitian: vahine, ta'ata, tiare, va'a, metua, hinahina, 'anae
Rarotongan: vaʻine, taŋata, tiare, vaka, matua ~ metua, 'ina, kanae
Maori: wahine, taŋata, tīare, vaka, matua, hina, kanae
Hawaiian**: wahine, kanaka, kiele, wa'a, makua, hina, 'anae
Proto-Polynesian: *fafine, *taŋata, *tiale, *waka, *matu'a, *sina, *kanahe

* Easter Island
** Hawaiian *w* is actuall [Ê‹], the same sound as represented by *w* in
Dutch.

And there are many more language varieties to cite in exhaustive
comparisons.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron
Seattle, USA

Many thanks for those Ron.  I learned a little Maori as kid in New Zealand,
and it was interesting to spot some of those comparisons when I visited
Hawaii nearly 20 years later.  In particular, Tohunga/Kahuna!

Paul
Derby
England

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From: R. F. Hahn
<sassisch at yahoo.com<http://uk.mc264.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=sassisch@yahoo.com>
>
Subject: Language varieties

Hi and thanks, Paul!

You responded:

Many thanks for those Ron.

You're more than welcome, mate, always have been and always will be. Your
level of inquisitiveness and enthusiasm (aside from your loyalty) are most
appreciated.

Paul, the plot thickens and will probably suck you in once you start looking
not only at the genealogical groupings but also at the degrees of
geographical proximity among the Polynesian languages and the suggested
migration time-line. And from there you can go on to the level of the larger
Oceanic group and eventually at the level of the entire Austronesian family
of which Polynesian is just one branch. This is a very large and far-flung
family whose hypothetical place of origin is the now thoroughly sinicized
island of Taiwan (Formosa), an island that now has only a few remnant
communities of Austronesian-speaking aboriginals. The fact that you are
mostly dealing with islands and with precolonial voyages makes this all the
more fascinating.

Polynesian: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polynesian_languages
Oceanic: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oceanic_languages
Austronesian: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austronesian_languages

Why keep talking about this "un-Lowlandic" family (even when the Kahuna is
out of earshot or dozing, as usual)? Well, first of all, there are few if
any things in our known world to which Lowlands languages and cultures have
no relevance. Secondly, we are talking about theoretical models and
approaches here. Even if your hearts are in the Lowlands, folks, I strongly
suggest you look at what has been happening in comparable areas in order to
enhance your understanding of the Lowlands area.

Stepping down from the pulpit and taking off the ruff now ...

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron
Seattle, USA

•

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