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Sonsorolese language

December 30, 2022

The Sonsorolese language is a Micronesian language spoken in Palau, originally on the islands composing the state of Sonsorol, and spreading through migration elsewhere in the country. It is very close to Tobian.

Sonsorolese
Ramari Dongosaro
Native toPalau
RegionPalau: originally Sonsorol state (all three inhabited islands Sonsorol, Pulo Ana and Merir)
Native speakers
400 (2007)[1]
Latin script
Official status
Official language in
 Palau
Language codes
ISO 639-3sov
Glottologsons1242
ELPSonsorol
Sonsorolese
Coordinates: 5°20′N 132°13′E / 5.33°N 132.22°E / 5.33; 132.22

Introduction

History

Sonsorolese is mostly spoken in the Palau archipelago, particularly in Sonsorol, Pulo Ana, and the Merir Islands.[2] It is one of two indigenous languages spoken in the area.

Population

There are about 360 speakers spread out across 60 islands. Most speakers of Sonsorol are bilingual, with their second language being English.[3] The language is an official language for the areas where it is spoken. It is usually used for the state's internal communications, like announcements and invitations.[4] Some closely related languages of Sonsorol are Ulithian, Woleaian, and Satawalese. The language is part of the Austronesian language family. Most of the population have migrated from the islands of the Sonsorol state to Palau's main town, Koror and Echang village.[4] The reasons are various, including economic and environmental. Young Sonsorolese speakers use a mixture of Palauan, English and Sonsorolese, what is called Echangese and is different from what the elder generation speaks.[4] There are currently less than 20 speakers over 60 years old.[4]

Geographic distribution

Dialects

  • Pulo-Anan
  • Sonsorolese

Phonology

Consonants

In Sonsorolese, there are 19 consonants. These consonants are: /p/, /b/, /t/, /d/, /c/, /k/, /g/, /m/, /n/, /f/, /v/, /j/, /x/, /ɣ/, /r/, /w/, /s/, /ŋ/, and /ʟʲ/.[5]

IPA chart Sonsorolese consonants
Labial Dental-Alveolar Palatal Velar
Nasal m n ŋ
Plosive p b t d c k g
Fricative f v s j x ɣ
Continuant w r ʟʲ

Vowels

Sonsorolese has five vowels: /a/, /e/, /i/, /o/, and /u/. There are also diphthongs, including /ae/, /ai/, /ao/, and /au/. An example of the diphthong /ae/ is mae, which means "breadfruit".[5]

Voiceless vowels

Voiceless vowels occur in three contexts: “as finals, after a consonant, after a full, generally long vowel, and before a consonant, when they are acoustically similar to falling diphthongs, after non-final consonants a furtive /i/ or /u/ produces palatalization or velarisation (respectively) of the consonants".[5][clarification needed]

Orthography and pronunciation

Sonsorolese is primarily a spoken language. Many of the sounds are like those in Tobian and Woleaian. A couple of dialects include the pronunciation of d, which is common at the beginning of words and similar to [ð]; r is pronounced as in Spanish; also, l is always pronounced with tongue touching the back roof of the mouth and sounds something like a combination of the [ɡ] and [l] sounds. For that reason, some Sonsorolese prefer to spell their els as ⟨ɡl⟩. As in Woleaian, voiceless vowels are usually found at the end of Sonsorolese words. For example, in Dongosaro, the native name for Sonsorol island, the final -o is voiceless.[4]

Written documents in Sonsorolese include the Constitution of Sonsorol State and certain parts of the Bible.[4] However, there seems to be a confusion regarding the Bible since there seems not to be a distinction between Tobian and Sonsorolese.[citation needed]

  • a – [a]
  • ae – [ae]
  • ai – [ai]
  • ao – [ao]
  • au – [au]
  • b – [b]
  • c – [c]
  • d – [d/ð]
  • e – [e]
  • f – [f]
  • g – [g/ɣ]
  • h – [x]
  • i – [i]
  • k – [k]
  • l – [ʟʲ]
  • m – [m]
  • n – [n]
  • ng – [ŋ]
  • o – [o]
  • p – [p]
  • r – [r]
  • s – [s]
  • t – [t]
  • u – [u]
  • v – [v]
  • w – [w]
  • y – [j][6][better source needed]

Grammar

Reduplication

There is full reduplication in the Sonsorol language. E.g. 'orange' = hulu, 'oranges' = huluhulu.

Numerals

The numeral system of Sonsorolese is base-10. The numeral system can go up to 1,000, which is "da ngaladi".[3]

  • deo "one"
  • luwou "two"
  • doruw "three"
  • fauw "four"
  • rimouwa "five"
  • worouwa "six"
  • fuduwa "seven"
  • waruwa "eight"
  • tiwouwa "nine"
  • delh "ten"
  • liyelh "twenty"

Vocabulary

  • meta?: "what?"
  • ehamatahutohu: "dangerous"
  • fou: "cold"
  • itei hae ramari Dongosaro: "I don't speak Sonsorolese"
  • halifato: "apple"
  • fadolo: "banana"
  • buu: "betel nut"
  • farawo: "bread"
  • hayang: "chicken"
  • rutouya: "coconut"
  • sahai: "egg"
  • iha: "fish"
  • als: "ice"
  • woto: "taro"
  • lahumu: "land crab"
  • babai: "papaya"
  • pelhi: "pork"
  • raes: "rice"
  • bito: "come"

References

  1. ^ Sonsorolese at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. ^ . Ethnologue. Archived from the original on 1 December 2016. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  3. ^ a b . sonsorol.com. Archived from the original on 14 March 2007. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Language". sonsorol.com. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  5. ^ a b c Capell 1969.
  6. ^ "Sonsorolese (Ramari Dongosaro)". Omniglot. Retrieved 25 April 2022.

Further reading

External links

  • Recordings of lexical items, paradigms and narratives archived with Kaipuleohone
  • OLAC resources in and about the Sonsorol language

December 30, 2022
sonsorolese, language, micronesian, language, spoken, palau, originally, islands, composing, state, sonsorol, spreading, through, migration, elsewhere, country, very, close, tobian, sonsoroleseramari, dongosaronative, topalauregionpalau, originally, sonsorol, . The Sonsorolese language is a Micronesian language spoken in Palau originally on the islands composing the state of Sonsorol and spreading through migration elsewhere in the country It is very close to Tobian SonsoroleseRamari DongosaroNative toPalauRegionPalau originally Sonsorol state all three inhabited islands Sonsorol Pulo Ana and Merir Native speakers400 2007 1 Language familyAustronesian Malayo PolynesianOceanicMicronesianProperChuukicSonsoroleseWriting systemLatin scriptOfficial statusOfficial language in PalauLanguage codesISO 639 3 a href https iso639 3 sil org code sov class extiw title iso639 3 sov sov a Glottologsons1242ELPSonsorolSonsoroleseCoordinates 5 20 N 132 13 E 5 33 N 132 22 E 5 33 132 22 Contents 1 Introduction 1 1 History 1 2 Population 1 3 Geographic distribution 1 4 Dialects 2 Phonology 2 1 Consonants 2 2 Vowels 2 3 Voiceless vowels 3 Orthography and pronunciation 4 Grammar 4 1 Reduplication 4 2 Numerals 5 Vocabulary 6 References 7 Further reading 8 External linksIntroduction EditHistory Edit Sonsorolese is mostly spoken in the Palau archipelago particularly in Sonsorol Pulo Ana and the Merir Islands 2 It is one of two indigenous languages spoken in the area Population Edit There are about 360 speakers spread out across 60 islands Most speakers of Sonsorol are bilingual with their second language being English 3 The language is an official language for the areas where it is spoken It is usually used for the state s internal communications like announcements and invitations 4 Some closely related languages of Sonsorol are Ulithian Woleaian and Satawalese The language is part of the Austronesian language family Most of the population have migrated from the islands of the Sonsorol state to Palau s main town Koror and Echang village 4 The reasons are various including economic and environmental Young Sonsorolese speakers use a mixture of Palauan English and Sonsorolese what is called Echangese and is different from what the elder generation speaks 4 There are currently less than 20 speakers over 60 years old 4 Geographic distribution Edit Northern Mariana Islands unknown immigrant language Palau 600 speakers Sonsorol 60 speakers Merir 5 speakers Pulo Anna 25 speakers Sonsorol 29 speakers Rest of the country 540 speakersDialects Edit Pulo Anan SonsorolesePhonology EditConsonants Edit In Sonsorolese there are 19 consonants These consonants are p b t d c k g m n f v j x ɣ r w s ŋ and ʟʲ 5 IPA chart Sonsorolese consonants Labial Dental Alveolar Palatal VelarNasal m n ŋPlosive p b t d c k gFricative f v s j x ɣContinuant w r ʟʲVowels Edit Sonsorolese has five vowels a e i o and u There are also diphthongs including ae ai ao and au An example of the diphthong ae is mae which means breadfruit 5 Voiceless vowels Edit Voiceless vowels occur in three contexts as finals after a consonant after a full generally long vowel and before a consonant when they are acoustically similar to falling diphthongs after non final consonants a furtive i or u produces palatalization or velarisation respectively of the consonants 5 clarification needed Orthography and pronunciation EditSonsorolese is primarily a spoken language Many of the sounds are like those in Tobian and Woleaian A couple of dialects include the pronunciation of d which is common at the beginning of words and similar to d r is pronounced as in Spanish also l is always pronounced with tongue touching the back roof of the mouth and sounds something like a combination of the ɡ and l sounds For that reason some Sonsorolese prefer to spell their els as ɡl As in Woleaian voiceless vowels are usually found at the end of Sonsorolese words For example in Dongosaro the native name for Sonsorol island the final o is voiceless 4 Written documents in Sonsorolese include the Constitution of Sonsorol State and certain parts of the Bible 4 However there seems to be a confusion regarding the Bible since there seems not to be a distinction between Tobian and Sonsorolese citation needed a a ae ae ai ai ao ao au au b b c c d d d e e f f g g ɣ h x i i k k l ʟʲ m m n n ng ŋ o o p p r r s s t t u u v v w w y j 6 better source needed Grammar EditReduplication Edit There is full reduplication in the Sonsorol language E g orange hulu oranges huluhulu Numerals Edit The numeral system of Sonsorolese is base 10 The numeral system can go up to 1 000 which is da ngaladi 3 deo one luwou two doruw three fauw four rimouwa five worouwa six fuduwa seven waruwa eight tiwouwa nine delh ten liyelh twenty Vocabulary Editmeta what ehamatahutohu dangerous fou cold itei hae ramari Dongosaro I don t speak Sonsorolese halifato apple fadolo banana buu betel nut farawo bread hayang chicken rutouya coconut sahai egg iha fish als ice woto taro lahumu land crab babai papaya pelhi pork raes rice bito come References Edit Sonsorolese at Ethnologue 18th ed 2015 subscription required Sonsorol Ethnologue Archived from the original on 1 December 2016 Retrieved 15 March 2019 a b Language sonsorol com Archived from the original on 14 March 2007 Retrieved 15 January 2022 a b c d e f Language sonsorol com Retrieved 24 January 2020 a b c Capell 1969 sfn error no target CITEREFCapell1969 help Sonsorolese Ramari Dongosaro Omniglot Retrieved 25 April 2022 Further reading EditCapell A 1969 Grammar and Vocabulary of the Language of Sonsorol Tobi Sydney University Of Sydney Ethnologue 2014 Sonsorol online Available at https www ethnologue com language sov Isles of the sea org 2014 Sonsorol isles of the sea bible translation http isles of the sea org projects sonsorol Palaunet com 2014 Culture of Palau online Retrieved from http www palaunet com pw culture aspx The Joshua Project Sonsorol in Palau ethnic people profile online Retrieved from http www joshuaproject net people profile php rog3 PS amp peo3 14999 Sonsorol com 2014 Sonsorol island blogspot com 2014 Wals info 2014 WALS Online Language Sonsorol Tobi Available at http wals info languoid lect wals code sonExternal links EditLanguage page at Sonsorol com Recordings of lexical items paradigms and narratives archived with Kaipuleohone OLAC resources in and about the Sonsorol language Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sonsorolese language amp oldid 1128461181, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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