Reconstruction:Proto-Malayo-Polynesian/maN-

This Proto-Malayo-Polynesian entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Malayo-Polynesian

Etymology

    Portmanteau of *-um- and *paN-.

    Prefix

    *maN-

    1. inflectional prefix marking actor voice

    Usage notes

    The -N- in this prefix is an archiphoneme representing all mutations affecting the next initial consonant, or less likely an orthographic form of -Ŋŋ-:

    • Before voiceless obstruents (*k, *p, *s, *t), this suffix becomes *maŋ-, *mam-, *mañ-, *man- respectively with deletion of the following initial consonant:
      • *kaən (to eat)*maŋaən
      • *piliq (to choose)*mamiliq
      • *tənun (to weave)*manənun
      • *sapu (to wipe)*mañapu
    • Before voiced obstruents (*b, *d, *g, *z) and the dental sonorant *l, it has allomorphs similar to above except the initial consonant is not deleted:
      • *bəli (to buy)*mambəli
      • *dəŋəʀ (to hear)*mandəŋəʀ
      • *giliŋ (to roll)*maŋgiliŋ
      • *zaqit (to sew)*mañzaqit
      • The last assimilation is not represented, at least orthographically, in any Austronesian languages.
      • Although the dental trill phoneme *r does exist in both Proto-Malayo-Polynesian and Proto-Austronesian, it is extremely rare in word-initial position.
    • Before other consonants (including *q, phonologically an obstruent and ) and all vowels, maŋ- is used instead.
      • *qəti (to stop)*maŋqəti
      • *ulaŋ (to repeat)*maŋulaŋ
      • *ʀaməs (to squeeze)*maŋʀaməs

    Descendants

    • Proto-Philippine: *maN-
      • Northern Luzon
      • Central Luzon
      • Greater Central Philippine
        • Central Philippine
    • Proto-Malayo-Sumbawan: *maN-
    • Old Javanese: (m)aN-
    • South Sulawesi

    References

    • Ross, Malcolm (2002). "The history and transitivity of western Austronesian voice and voice-marking". In Fay Wouk and Malcolm Ross (eds.), The history and typology of western Austronesian voice systems, 17–62. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.