Fwd: South pacific language question

[Andy Pawley]

I believe the two articles in Oceanic Linguistics 2001, by Bender et al, on
Proto Micronesian (and references therein) will explain the relationship of
Nauruan with other Micronesian languages.

-- The two articles Paul mentions appear in OL vol. 42, in 2003, not 
2001.  It's the first article that deals with Proto Microneeian.

Andy Pawley


Paul Geraghty wrote:
> I believe the two articles in Oceanic Linguistics 2001, by Bender et al, on
> Proto Micronesian (and references therein) will explain the relationship of
> Nauruan with other Micronesian languages.
>
> Other works on Nauruan:
>
> Jacob, Maggie. 1996. Nauru language dictionary. Nauru, computer printout.
> Kayser, Alois. 1993. Nauruan grammar. Ed Karl H Rensch. Yarralumla (ACT):
> Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany.
>
> These have some Nauruan words and/or glossaries:
>
> Detudamo, Timothy. 2008 [1938]. Legends, tradiitons & tales of Nauru. Suva:
> Institute of Pacific Studies, USP.
> Kayser, Alois. 2002. Nauru one hundred years ago. 1. Pandanus [and others in
> this series]. Suva: Institute of Pacific Studies, USP.
> Petit-Skinner, Solange. 1981. The Nauruans. San Francisco: MacDuff Press.
> Petit-Skinner, Solange. 1982. Pecheurs de Nauru - the Nauruan fishermen.
> Paris: NEL.
>
> Paul
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: an-lang-bounces at anu.edu.au [mailto:an-lang-bounces at anu.edu.au] On
> Behalf Of Mark Hale
> Sent: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 9:53 AM
> To: Bill Palmer
> Cc: an-lang at anu.edu.au; wechsler at mail.utexas.edu
> Subject: Re: [An-lang] Fwd: South pacific language question
>
> Hi all,
>
> The most up-to-date reference is, to my knowledge,
>
> Geoffrey Nathan, 'Nauruan in the Austronesian language family',
> Oceanic Linguistics 12 (1973): 479-501
>
> And there is quite extensive, though (as usual with these volumes)
> difficult to interpret data in
> the reports of the German Südsee-Expedition (Hambruch 1914).
>
> I realize that it is pretty standard to say that Nauruan is closely
> related to the Micronesian languages,
> but, frankly, I couldn't find a drop of evidence for this view when I
> worked through the German materials
> in some detail a few years ago. Could someone tell me which of the
> defining characteristics of the
> Micronesian branch Nauruan is supposed so share? In the absence of any
> compelling linguistic evidence
> (but maybe I'm wrong about that) I would be very hesitant about
> expressing opinions on dispersal
> timing.
>
> Mark
>
> On Tue, Oct 27, 2009 at 4:58 PM, Bill Palmer
> <Bill.Palmer at newcastle.edu.au> wrote:
>   
>> Hi Steve
>>
>> The linguistic evidence suggests Nauru was settled very early in the human
>>     
> occupation of Micronesia. It appears to be a first-order branch of the
> Micronesian subgroup of Oceanic languages, either as the first offshot from
> the proto language that also gave rise to the other Micronesian subgroup
> languages, or as a sister of Proto Micronesian. This alone suggests that
> either Nauru was the first stepping stone on the way to populate Micronesia,
> or was the first island settled away from the Micronesian homeland (propably
> in Kiribati, possibly Kosrae). The time depth for Micronesia overall is
> probably roughly right for Nauru.
>   
>> However, despite Nauruan appearing to be a highly interesting and
>>     
> divergent language, and being very highly endangered (fewer than 50% of the
> population of Nauru speak Nauruan - less than about 3000 speakers in total),
> little is known about it. In 1993 the German Embassy in Canberra published a
> facsimile of a set of typewritten 1930s missionary notes on the language by
> one Father Alois Kayser. Apart from that, no descriptive work has been
> published on the language that I am aware of.
>   
>> Bill Palmer
>>
>> Dr Bill Palmer
>> Convenor, Pacific Languages Research Group
>> Linguistics Research Higher Degree and Honours coordinator
>> School of Humanities and Social Science
>> University of Newcastle
>> Callaghan NSW 2308
>> Australia
>> email bill.palmer at newcastle.edu.au
>>     
>>>>> Stephen Wechsler <wechsler at mail.utexas.edu> 28/10/09 1:17 AM >>>
>>>>>           
>> Can anyone help with this question (from a non-linguist friend) about
>>     
> Nauru
>   
>> and Nauruan?
>> Thanks.
>>
>> Steve
>>
>> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>>
>> Howdy!  I'm writing an essay about the role of history in understanding
>> ecosystems at the supplying fringe of urban areas, and I'm using Nauru for
>> my example.  I haven't yet found references that say how long people have
>> been on Nauru, but I have found sources that say most of Micronesia became
>> populated around 3,500 years ago.  Also, Nauru has its own unique
>>     
> language.
>   
>>  I wonder, are you aware of any work on their language and the degree to
>> which it has diverged from whatever gave rise to it that could be used as
>> evidence for how long people have been on the island?
>> Thanks!
>> -KP
>>
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>>     
>
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