[An-lang] Proto Oceanic for 60

[John Lynch]

John

Western Oceanists may be able to give you more first-hand information on
languages which retain final vowels and which have counting systems like the
one you describe. (The languages I have worked on generally stop at 5 !)

However, I suspect that the form would be *ono-nga-puluq. See p.76 of the
Oceanic languages, where it is suggested that C-final forms lose the
consonant before a C-initial suffix; though this is in the context of
possession, I suspect it would apply here as well.

One other minor comment. *onom is not the only C-final numeral, as the
numeral '4' has two variant forms, *pat and *pati.

John

-----Original Message-----
From: John & Marjo Brownie [mailto:j-m.brownie at sil.org.pg]
Sent: Thursday, 4 March 2004 10:14 a.m.
To: AN-LANG at anumail0.anu.edu.au
Subject: [An-lang] Proto Oceanic for 60

I'm working on a study of numerals in Mussau-Emira, and would like to
know the Proto Oceanic form for sixty. In the grammar sketch of Proto
Oceanic in The Oceanic Languages, it gives the tens as
"*rua-nga-puluq, *tolu-nga-puluq, etc." However, six, *onom, is the
only numeral which ends in a consonant. So, was sixty
*onom-nga-puluq, or is an epenthetic vowel inserted? The Mussau-Emira
reflex has an o inserted, but it's also inserted in six (nomo,
ghaonomo).

Thanks for any help,
John
--
John Brownie, john_brownie at sil.org or j-m.brownie at sil.org.pg
Summer Institute of Linguistics      | Mussau-Emira language, Mussau Is.
Ukarumpa, Eastern Highlands Province | New Ireland Province
Papua New Guinea                     | Papua New Guinea
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