Takuu language

Takuu has eleven consonants: f, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, v, and h. Moyle states that the consonants containing stops consist of the letters, p, t and k. The consonants named fricatives are, f/v, s and h. The nasal consonants are m and n, the lateral consonant is, l, and the approximant is r. The labial consonants consist of p, f/v and m. The apical consonants consist of, t, s, n, l and r. The velar consonant is k and the glottal is h (Moyle 2011). According to Moyle, “there is a length distinction in the vowels and between single and geminate consonants that is phonemic and important for correct pronunciation.” Moyle states that these distinctions affect not only the vowel length but also the stress patterns when saying different words. Moyle says that very often will you find people who pronounce the same words with a vowel between those consonants. There are also expanded forms of different words when used in songs.

According to Richard Moyle from the Takuu grammar and dictionary book, the vowels that are in the Takuu language consist of, “a, e, i, o, and u”.

He stated that the high vowels /u/ and /i/ are pronounced as glides /w/ and /j/ respectively, especially when they precede the low back vowel /a/, or when /u/ precedes /i/.

The basic word order in the Takuu language is Subject-Object-Verb.

• “Naa tama raa ku honusia ttai”. → The tide overtook the people.
• “Aku karamata e ausia te au”. → The smoke is irritating my eyes.

The Takuu language also uses reduplication in their language. It mostly shows within their verbs. They use reduplication as a repeated action marker. The example below is to illustrate an example of some of the words in their language that uses reduplication. Example Verbs:

   kata     kata-kata         apuru    apurupuru
   laugh    laughing          sink     sinking

Moyle also states that, “In Takuu, most verbs agree in number with plural subjects by reduplicating the first syllable of the root. There are exceptions: some verbs have only one form. When the first syllable is reduplicated, the vowel is omitted, forming an initial geminate consonant. However, among older speakers, the syllable reduplication is retained. It is also routinely retained in singing to achieve a predetermined number of syllables in a poetic line. The basic patterns for reduplication are listed below.

• Dig → “Keri”
• Serve Drinks → “Taki”
• Split in Half → “Vasi”
• Plural forms → “Kkeri”, “Ttaki”, “Vvasi”

When the initial consonant is h, however, it changes to ff in plural form.

• Break → “hati”
• Fold → “hatu”
• Shift → “hiti”
• Swallow → “horo”
• Overturn → “huri”
• Plural forms → “ffati”, “ffatu”, “ffiti”, “fforo”, “ffuri”

Geminate consonants are used when the verb begins with a vowel.

• Know → “iloa”, *Plural form → “illoa”

Verbs with three syllables beginning with a consonant and having r as the second consonant mark the plural form by changing that r to ll (Moyle, 2011).

• Push → “tuureki”, *Plural form → “tulleki”
• Call out → “karana”, *Plural form → “kallana”

In the case of verbs with initial consonant r, that too changes to l (Moyle, 2011).

• Protect → “rorosi”, Plural form → “lollosi”
• Find → “rave”
• Plural form → “llave”

Reduplication is also a feature of sentences where the verb action relates to many or all the available items standing as subjects or objects.

• “Maatau” → Fish with a handline.
• “Mamattau” → Of many men fishing in that manner.
• “Kape” → Lift up and remove with an implement.
• “Kapekkape” → Lift and remove several items with an implement.

The Takuu use a base-10 numeral counting system. The Takuu language has a unique counting system of words just like any other language in the world, but use different words for counting different things. The Takuu counting system doesn’t have one set of words, but many different sets of words. According to Richard Moyle’s research on the Takuu language, they have words for counting cardinals, coin money, net mesh, coconuts and stones, fish, length of ropes, length of woods, humans, and canoes. According to Moyle, the counting system of the Takuu language extends from 1 to 1000 (Moyle, 2011).

• Sell → “Taavi”
• Sennit →“Kaha”
• Shade → “Shade”
• Severe → “Mahi”
• Wavy → “Mana”
• Way → “Ava”
• War → “Uoo”