Reconstruction:Proto-Nuclear Polynesian/Sawaiki

This Proto-Nuclear Polynesian entry contains reconstructed words and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Nuclear Polynesian

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /sa.waˈi.ki/

Proper noun

*Sawaiki

homeland

Descendants

Hawaiian: Hawaiʻi
- → English: Hawaii
Maori: Hawaiki
- → English: Hawaiki
Niuean: Avaiki (?) – see below
Samoan: Savai'i
- → English: Savai'i
South Marquesan: Havaiki

Usage notes

This term has attracted great interest on account of it being a linguistic record of the Polynesian migrations and perhaps the name of the homeland of the Lapita people. However, Pollex (below) and other sources believe it to be Proto-Nuclear-Polynesian, the grouping that contains most of the Polynesian languages, after they split off from Tongan and Niuean. Determining this may never be possible, as it depends in part on verifying the Niuean placename Avaiki (see Unilang, below).

External links

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