Ontong Java language
Ontong Java (or Leuangiua, Lord Howe, Luaniua) is a Polynesian language located on the Ontong Java Atoll, also known as the Luangiua Atoll or Lord Howe island, in the Solomon Islands. Two dialects, Luangiua and Pelau, are also spoken on the island. Ontong Java is commonly used by all speakers, young and old. There is approximately 2,370 residents[2] of Ontong Java Atoll and has approximately 2,400 (estimated) speakers living on the atoll.
| Ontong Java | |
|---|---|
| Luangiua | |
| Native to | Solomon Islands |
| Region | Ontong Java Atoll |
Native speakers | 2,400 (1999)[1] |
Austronesian
| |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | ojv |
| Glottolog | onto1237 |
Classification
Ontong Java is closely related to the Ellicean languages of Polynesia and to Sikaiana, Takuu, and Nukumanu in Papua New Guinea.[2]
Phonology
The phoneme inventory of this language is poorly studied, and many sources have conflicting phoneme inventories.[3]:226[4]
| Labial | Alveolar | Velar | Glottal | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nasal | m | ŋ | ||
| Plosive | p | k | ʔ | |
| Fricative | v | s | h | |
| Lateral | l |
| Front | Central | Back | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High | i | u | |
| Mid | e | o | |
| Low | a |
An older source lists two additional vowels, /ɑ/ and /ə/.[4]
Grammar
Ontong Java word order is normally VSO[2] and SVO.[6]
References
- Ontong Java at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015)
- "Ontong Java". Ethnologue. Retrieved 2019-10-10.
- Salmond, Anne (1974). A Generative Syntax of Luangiua: A Polynesian Language. The Hague, Netherlands: Mouton & Co. NV. pp. 256.
- Lanyon-Orgill, Peter A. (1944). A Study of the Leuangiua Language. The Hague, Netherlands: Luzac & Co. p. 24.
- Krupa, Viktor (1973). Polynesian Languages: A Survey of Research. The Hague, Netherlands: Mouton & Co. NV. pp. 108.
- Tomlin, Russell S. (2014-02-03). Basic Word Order (RLE Linguistics B: Grammar): Functional Principles. Routledge. ISBN 9781317933793.
Notes
- This source says there is one liquid consonant (r / l), but does not specify which one.
External links
- Materials on Ontong Java are included in the open access Arthur Capell collections (AC1 and AC2) held by Paradisec.
Further reading
- Thorpe, Mary Anne (1968). A Transformational-generative Syntax of Luangiua (Thesis). University of Auckland.
- Hogbin, H. I. B. (1930). "Notes on a grammar of the language of Ontong Java". Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies. 5 (4): 823–853. doi:10.1017/S0041977X00090534.
- Mugler, France; Lynch, John (1996). Pacific Languages in Education. editorips@usp.ac.fj. ISBN 9789820201231.