Mwotlap language

Mwotlap (pronounced [ŋ͡mʷɔtˈlap]; formerly known as Motlav) is an Oceanic language spoken by about 2,100 people in Vanuatu. The majority of speakers are found on the island of Motalava in the Banks Islands,^[3] with smaller communities in the islands of Ra (or Aya) and Vanua Lava,^[4] as well as migrant groups in the two main cities of the country, Santo and Port Vila.

Mwotlap was first described in 2001, by the linguist Alexandre François.

Volow, which used to be spoken on the same island, may be considered a dialect or a separate language.

Phonology

Mwotlap contrasts 16 consonant phonemes.

[p] exists as the allophone of /β/ word-finally, as in the name of the language, /ŋ͡mʷɔtlaβ/ [ŋ͡mʷɔtˈlap].

Mwotlap has 7 phonemic vowels, which are all short monophthongs, with no diphthongs being present in the language.^[5]

Stress always falls on the last syllable of a word.

Notes

References

• François, Alexandre (2000), "Vowel shifting and cloning in Motlav: historical explanation vs formal description", in Klamer, Marian, Proceedings of AFLA 7 (The Seventh Meeting of Austronesian Formal Linguistics Association), Amsterdam: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, pp. 49–68 
• François, Alexandre (2001), Contraintes de structures et liberté dans l'organisation du discours. Une description du mwotlap, langue océanienne du Vanuatu. PhD dissertation, Université Paris-IV Sorbonne. 1078 pp.
• François, Alexandre (2003a), La sémantique du prédicat en mwotlap (Vanuatu), Collection Linguistique de la Société de Linguistique de Paris, Leuven-Paris: Peeters, ISBN 90-429-1271-5 
• François, Alexandre (2003b), "Of men, hills and winds: Space directionals in Mwotlap", Oceanic Linguistics, 42 (2): 407–437, doi:10.1353/ol.2003.0021 
• François, Alexandre (2004), "Chains of freedom: Constraints and creativity in the macro-verb strategies of Mwotlap", in Bril, Isabelle; Ozanne-Rivierre, Françoise, Complex predicates in Oceanic languages: Studies in the dynamics of binding and boundness, Empirical Approaches to Language Typology, Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, pp. 107–143 
• François, Alexandre (2005a), "Unraveling the history of the vowels of seventeen northern Vanuatu languages", Oceanic Linguistics, 44 (2): 443–504, doi:10.1353/ol.2005.0034 

• François, Alexandre (2005b), "A typological overview of Mwotlap, an Oceanic language of Vanuatu", Linguistic Typology, 9 (1): 115–146, doi:10.1515/lity.2005.9.1.115 

• François, Alexandre (2006), "Serial verb constructions in Mwotlap", in Dixon, R.M.W.; Aikhenvald, Alexandra, Serial Verb Constructions: A cross-linguistic typology, Explorations in Linguistic Typology, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 223–238 

• François, Alexandre (2007), "Noun articles in Torres and Banks languages: Conservation and innovation", in Siegel, Jeff; Lynch, John; Eades, Diana, Language Description, History and Development: Linguistic indulgence in memory of Terry Crowley, Creole Language Library 30, Amsterdam: Benjamins, pp. 313–326 
• François, Alexandre (2009), "Verbal aspect and personal pronouns: The history of aorist markers in north Vanuatu", in Pawley, Andrew; Adelaar, Alexander, Austronesian historical linguistics and culture history: A festschrift for Bob Blust, 601, Canberra: Pacific Linguistics, pp. 179–195 

• François, Alexandre (2011b), "Social ecology and language history in the northern Vanuatu linkage: A tale of divergence and convergence", Journal of Historical Linguistics, 1 (2): 175–246, doi:10.1075/jhl.1.2.03fra .
• François, Alexandre (2012), "The dynamics of linguistic diversity: Egalitarian multilingualism and power imbalance among northern Vanuatu languages", International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 214: 85–110, doi:10.1515/ijsl-2012-0022 

External links

• (French) Alexandre François's site, including introduction to Mwotlap and Motalava culture, photos, maps, songs, myths and stories
• Two stories in Mwotlap: “The three wives of the Gecko” and “The Fairy from the Other World” (with English and French translations).
• Access to the Online Mwotlap–English–French dictionary (work in progress)
• Access to audio recordings in Mwotlap (from the Pangloss Collection, LACITO–CNRS).
• Nalne Genyon Ta Melanesia A Liturgy for Melanesia in Mwotlap (1970)

Languages of Vanuatu
Official languages	Bislama English French
Indigenous languages	Central Vanuatu Eton Lelepa Namakir North Efate South Efate East Vanuatu Torres-Banks Alo-Teqel Dorig Hiw Koro Lakon Lehali Lemerig Lo-Toga Löyöp Mota Mwerlap Mwesen Mwotlap Nume Olrat Vera'a Volow Vurës Penama Apma Baetora Central Maewo East Ambae North Ambrym Raga Sa Ske Sowa Sungwadia West Ambae Paama–Ambrym Dakaka Lonwolwol Orkon Paamese Port Vato Southeast Ambrym Epi Baki Bierebo Bieria Lamenu Lewo Maii Malekula Coastal Atchin Aulua Axamb Burmbar Mae Malfaxal Malua Bay Maskelynes Mpotovoro Nahavaq Näti Nese Unua Rerep Port Sandwich Uripiv Vao Wala-Rano Interior Ninde Letemboi Repanbitip Dixon Reef Nasarian Avava Lingarak Vinmavis Litzlitz Larevat Maragus Big Nambas unclassified Aveteian Navwien Sörsörian Nisvai Nasvang Navwien Polynesian Emae Futuna-Aniwa Mele-Fila West Santo Northwest Nokuku Piamatsina Tasmate Tolomako Valpei Vunapu Northeast Akei Amblong Aore Araki Kiai Mafea Merei Morouas Narango Navut Roria Malo Tambotalo Tangoa Tiale Tutuba Wailapa Wusi South Vanuatu Aneityum Ifo Kwamera Lenakel North Tanna Sie Sorung Southwest Tanna Ura Whitesands