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[John Lynch]

The languages of southern Tanna (Vanuatu) appear to have a vestigial prefix
p- or pV- found on a number of kin terms in the same generation as ego.
Reconstructions below are from Proto Oceanic (POc).

Kwamera is the most prolific of the Tanna languages in this regard. Note.
e.g.:
pran 'woman, wife' < p + POc *tapine
prea- 'older same sex sibling' < p + POc *tuqaka-
pr at si- 'younger same sex sibling' < p + POc *taci-  (@ = schwa)
pumani- 'brother of female' < pV + POc *mwaqane-

Note also:
pitoga 'foreigner'   = p + itoga 'foreign'
piav- 'same sex sibling'  cf. Erromangan av-

Kwamera /p/ would derive from POc *b (and, in a few cases, also from *p). Is
anyone aware of a reconstructed personal/kin prefix of the form *bV or *pV
within Austronesian?

John Lynch

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John Lynch
Pro-Vice Chancellor, Emalus Campus
University of the South Pacific
PMB 072
Port Vila. VANUATU.

Phone:	+ (678) 22748
Fax:	+ (678) 22633
Email:	lynch_j at vanuatu.usp.ac.fj