Proto-Malayo-Polynesian (PMP) is the reconstructed ancestor of the Malayo-Polynesian languages, which is by far the largest branch (by current speakers) of the Austronesian language family. Proto-Malayo-Polynesian is ancestral to all Austronesian languages spoken outside Taiwan, as well as the Yami language on Taiwan's Orchid Island. The first systematic reconstruction of Proto-Austronesian ("Uraustronesisch") by Otto Dempwolff was based on evidence from languages outside of Taiwan, and was therefore actually the first reconstruction of what is now known as Proto-Malayo-Polynesian.[1]
Phonology
Consonants
The following consonants can be reconstructed for Proto-Malayo-Polynesian (Blust 2009):[2]
The phonetic value of the reconstructed sounds *p, *b, *w, *m, *t, *d, *n, *s, *l, *r, *k, *g, *ŋ, *q, *h was as indicated by the spelling. The symbols *ñ, *y, *z, *D, *j, *R are orthographic conventions first introduced by Dyen (1947).[3] The assumed phonetic values are given in the table.
This consonant system is quite similar to the ancestral Proto-Austronesian (PAN) system, but is characterized by three mergers:
PAN *t/*C > PMP *t
PAN *l/*N > PMP *l
PAN *h/*S > PMP *h
Vowels
The Proto-Austronesian vowels *a, *i, *u, *e (*e representing /ə/) and final diphthongs *ay, *aw, *uy, *iw remained unchanged.[2]
Alternative views
In a study from 2016, Roger Blench[4] has raised doubts that there was actually a single unitary Proto-Malayo-Polynesian language. Rather, Malayo-Polynesian expansion across the Luzon Strait consisted of multi-ethnic crews rapidly settling across various locations in maritime Southeast Asia, as suggested by both archaeological and linguistic evidence. There was also a Malayo-Polynesian migration to Hainan; Blench (2016) notes that both Hlai and Austronesian peoples use the foot-braced backstrap loom as well.
Lexicon
Below are selected animal and plant names in Proto-Malayo-Polynesian from the Austronesian Comparative Dictionary.[5]
^This tree was previously known as Canarium commune L., and is sometimes still erroneously called this; also conflated with the closely related C. vulgare.[6][7]
References
^Dempwolff, Otto (1934–37). Vergleichende Lautlehre des austronesischen Wortschatzes. (Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für Eingeborenen-Sprachen 15;17;19). Berlin: Dietrich Reimer. (3 vols.)
Blust, Robert (2017). "The Challenge of Semantic Reconstruction: Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *suku 'Lineage; Quarter'?". Oceanic Linguistics. 56 (1): 247–56. doi:10.1353/ol.2017.0010. JSTOR26408531. Accessed 26 Dec. 2022.
Blust, Robert (2018). "The Challenge of Semantic Reconstruction 2: Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kamaliR 'Men's House'". Oceanic Linguistics. 57 (2): 335–358. doi:10.1353/ol.2018.0015. JSTOR26779837. Accessed 26 Dec. 2022.
Blust, Robert (2021). "The Challenge of Semantic Reconstruction 3: Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *guntiŋ 'scissors'?". Oceanic Linguistics. 61 (1). doi:10.1353/ol.2021.0024.
Dyen, Isidore (1953). The Proto-Malayo-Polynesian Laryngeals. Linguistic Society of America. doi:10.2307/j.ctt1x76d60. Accessed 27 Dec. 2022.
Haudricourt, André-G. (1954). "Origines asiatiques des langues malayo-polynésiennes". Journal de la Société des océanistes (in French). 10 (10): 180–183. doi:10.3406/jso.1954.1831.
