Micronesian languages

Micronesian
Micronesian
Geographic; distribution	Micronesia
Linguistic classification	Austronesian Malayo-Polynesian Oceanic Central–Eastern Micronesian; ; ; ;
Subdivisions	Micronesian Proper; Nauruan;
Glottolog	micr1243
	Micronesian

The twenty Micronesian languages form a family of Oceanic languages. Micronesian languages are known for their lack of plain labial consonants; they have instead two series, palatalized and labio-velarized labials.

Components

According to Jackson 1983, 1986, the languages group as follows:^[1]

Nauruan
Nuclear Micronesian family
- Kosraean
- Central Micronesian family
  - Kiribati
  - Western Micronesian family
    - Marshallese
    - Chuukic-Pohnpeic family
      - Chuukic (Chuukic)
      - Ponapeic (Pohnpeic)

The family appears to have originated in the east, likely on Kosrae, and spread westwards. Kosrae appears to have been settled from the south, in the region of northern Vanuatu.

References

^ Lynch, John; Malcolm Ross; Terry Crowley (2002). The Oceanic languages. Richmond, Surrey: Curzon. ISBN 978-0-7007-1128-4. OCLC 48929366.

External links

Micronesian Comparative Dictionary

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[1] Lynch, John; Malcolm Ross; Terry Crowley (2002). The Oceanic languages. Richmond, Surrey: Curzon. ISBN 978-0-7007-1128-4. OCLC 48929366.

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