Lemerig language
| Lemerig | |
|---|---|
| Pak, Päk, Sasar | |
| Pronunciation | [lɪmɪˈriɣ] |
| Native to | Vanuatu |
| Region | Vanua Lava |
Native speakers | 2 (2010)[1] |
| Dialects |
|
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | lrz |
| Glottolog | leme1238 |
| ELP | Lua error in Module:Endangered_Languages_Project at line 21: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
 Lemerig is classified as Critically Endangered by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger. | |
File:WIKITONGUES- Isso speaking Lemerig.webm
Lemerig is an Oceanic language spoken on Vanua Lava, in Vanuatu.
The language is no longer actively spoken, having receded in favour of its neighbors, including Vera'a and possibly also Mwotlap or Vurës.[1] The two remaining speakers live on the northern coast of the island.[2]
Name
[edit | edit source] |
The name Lemerig refers to a now abandoned village in northern Vanua Lava; it is spelled Lēmērig [lɪmɪˈriɣ] in the language of the same name. It reflects an earlier Proto-Torres-Banks form *lemeriɣi, where the *riɣi component likely means "small".
Dialects
[edit | edit source]Lemerig has sometimes been referred to using the names of its local varieties: Päk,[a] Sasar, and Alo-Teqel.
Judging from wordlists published by missionary and linguist Robert Codrington,[3] these three varieties were very close to each other. The little differences there were went extinct during the 20th century.
Phonology
[edit | edit source]Lemerig has 11 phonemic vowels. These are all short monophthongs /i ɪ ɛ æ a œ ø ɒ̝ ɔ ʊ u/.[4][5]
| Front | Back | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| plain | round | ||
| Close | i ⟨i⟩ | u ⟨u⟩ | |
| Near-close | ɪ ⟨ē⟩ | ø ⟨ö⟩ | ʊ ⟨ō⟩ |
| Open-mid | ɛ ⟨e⟩ | œ ⟨ë⟩ | ɔ ⟨o⟩ |
| Near-open | æ ⟨ä⟩ | ɒ̝ ⟨ā⟩ | |
| Open | a ⟨a⟩ | ||
Grammar
[edit | edit source]The system of personal pronouns in Lemerig contrasts clusivity, and distinguishes four numbers (singular, dual, trial, and plural).[6]
Spatial reference in Lemerig is based on a system of geocentric (absolute) directionals, which is in part typical of Oceanic languages, in part innovative.[7]
Notes
[edit | edit source]- ^ Päk [pæk] is a village on the north coast of Vanua Lava island, today often referred to using its Mwotlap name Abek [aᵐbɛk] (with locative). Due to its vowel [æ] (potentially ambiguous to Western ears), the original name in Lemerig was spelled Pak in Codrington 1885 (pp.39 sqq), but Pek in Codrington 1891 (p.81).
References
[edit | edit source]- ^ a b François 2012, p. 87.
- ^ List of Banks islands languages.
- ^ See Codrington 1885, pp.39-52 sqq..
- ^ François 2011, p. 194.
- ^ See François 2021.
- ^ François 2016.
- ^ François 2015, pp. 169–170.
Bibliography
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- François, Alexandre & Taitus Sërortēlsöm (2006). Nvāv ʻām ʻa Lēmērig — Storian long lanwis blong Lemerig (Vanua Lava, Banks, Vanuatu). Collection of stories from the oral tradition, monolingual in Lemerig. Paris.
External links
[edit | edit source]- Audio recordings in the Lemerig language, in open access, by linguist A. François (Pangloss Collection). Features a presentation of the language, and pictures of some of the last speakers.