Pohnpeic languages explained

Pohnpeic
Also Known As:	Ponapeic
Region:	Micronesia
Familycolor:	Austronesian
Fam3:	Oceanic
Fam4:	Micronesian
Fam5:	Micronesian Proper
Fam6:	Nuclear Micronesian
Fam7:	Chuukic-Pohnpeic
Glotto:	pona1248
Glottorefname:	Ponapeic
Map:	Micronesian languages.en.svg
Mapcaption:	Map of the Micronesian languages; Pohnpeic languages are shaded in pink, while the Chuukic languages are red.

Pohnpeic, also rendered Ponapeic, is a subgroup of the Chuukic–Pohnpeic branch of Micronesian in the Austronesian language family.^[1] The languages are primarily spoken in Pohnpei State of the Federated States of Micronesia.

Languages

• Mokilese
• Pingelapese
• Pohnpeian
• Ngatikese^[2]

Innovations

Pohnpeic languages are distinct from the closely related Chuukic languages as a result of uniquely developed innovations. One such innovation is nasal substitution, where the first element in a consonant geminate becomes a homorganic nasal consonant.^[3] An example of this change is seen where Proto-Chuukic-Pohnpeic */kkaŋ/ 'sharp' became Mokilese pronounced as //iŋkɔŋ//, whereas in Chuukese it is pronounced as //kken//.^[4]

Phonology

Proto-Pohnpeic reflexes of Proto-Oceanic consonants^[5]

Proto-Oceanic	p	t	k		s, *nj	ns, *j	j	mp	mp, *ŋp	nt, *nd	ŋk	m	m, *ŋm	n	ɲ	ŋ	w	y	d,R	l
Proto-Micronesian	f	t	k	T	s	S	Z	p	pʷ	c	x	m	mʷ	n	ɲ	ŋ	w	y	r	l
Proto-Chuukic-Pohnpeic	f	t	k	j	t	t	∅	p	pʷ	c	∅,r^3	m	mʷ	n	ɲ	ŋ	w	y	r	l
Proto-Pohnpeic	p, ∅^2	j,∅^1	k	j	t̻	t̻	∅	p^1	pʷ	c	∅,r^3	m	mʷ	n	∅,n	ŋ	w	y	r	l

¹ In the Pohnpeic languages, geminate obstruents are realized as homorganic nasal-obstruent clusters.
² Often before pronounced as //i//.
³ Before pronounced as //a//.
⁴ The reflex is *∅ sporadically before PMc *e.

Reconstructed vocabulary

Reconstructed Proto-Pohnpeic Vocabulary ^[6]

Proto-Pohnpeic	English Gloss	Modern Language Reflexes
cana-k,cana-ko	be hung up, to hang up	PON pronounced as /tɛnɛ-k/, MOK pronounced as /sɔnɔ/
palia	day after tomorrow	PON pronounced as /pali/, MOK pronounced as /pali/
payipayi	sea urchin	PON pronounced as /pɛypɛy/, MOK pronounced as /pɔypɔy/
wara	neck	PON pronounced as /wɛrɛ/ 'his/her neck', MOK pronounced as /wɔr/

Notes and References

1. Book: Lynch, John . John Lynch (linguist) . Malcolm Ross . Malcolm Ross (linguist) . Terry Crowley . Terry Crowley (linguist) . 2002 . The Oceanic languages . Richmond, Surrey . Curzon . 978-0-7007-1128-4 . 48929366 .
2. Web site: Ngatikese . 2015-02-11.
3. Blevins. Juliette. Garrett. Andrew. The Evolution of Ponapeic Nasal Substitution. Oceanic Linguistics. 1993. 32. 2. 199–236. 3623193. 10.2307/3623193.
4. Blevins. Juliette. Garrett. Andrew. The Evolution of Ponapeic Nasal Substitution. Oceanic Linguistics. 1993. 32. 2. 206. 3623193. 10.2307/3623193.
5. Bender. Byron W.. Proto-Micronesian Reconstructions: 1. Oceanic Linguistics. 2003. 42. 1. 4, 5. 10.2307/3623449. 3623449.
6. Bender. Byron W.. Proto-Micronesian Reconstructions: 2. Oceanic Linguistics. 2003. 42. 2. 282. 10.1353/ol.2003.0014.