Sungwadia language

Sungwadia, also known as Marino and North Maewo, is an Oceanic language spoken on Maewo, Vanuatu.

Sungwadia
Marino
North Maewo
Native toVanuatu
RegionMaewo
Native speakers
500 (2008)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3mrb
Glottologmari1426
ELPMarino
Sungwadia is not endangered according to the classification system of the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger

Phonology

Consonants

Labial-
velar
Labial Alveolar Velar
Plosive voiceless t k
prenasal ᵐb ⁿd
Nasal ŋʷ m n ŋ
Fricative f s x
Rhotic r
Lateral l
Approximant w
  • /k/ can also have prenasal allophones [ᵑɡ] or [ᵑk].
  • /ŋʷ/ can also have an allophone of a labial [mʷ] in word-initial position.

Vowels

Front Central Back
Close i u
Mid e o
Open a
  • /e, o/ can also have allophones of more open sounds [ɛ, ɔ].
  • /i/ can also be heard as a semivowel [j] in word-final position.[2]

Notes

  1. Sungwadia at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. Henri (2011).

References

  • Henri, Agnès (2011). Le sungwadia. Éléments de description d'une langue du Vanuatu. Collection linguistique de la Société de Linguistique de Paris (in French). Vol. 97. Leuven: Peeters. p. 463.
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