Atayalic languages


The Atayalic languages are a group of Formosan languages spoken in northern Taiwan. Robert Blust considers them to form a primary branch within the Austronesian language family, However, Paul Jen-kuei Li groups them into the Northern Formosan branch, which includes the Northwestern Formosan languages.

Classification

Li and Li classify the Atayalic languages and dialects as follows:
  • Atayalic
  • *Atayal
  • **Squliq Atayal
  • ***Squliq
  • ***Maspaziʔ
  • ***Pyanan
  • ***Lmuan
  • ***Habun Bazinuq
  • ***Syanuh
  • ***Kulu
  • ***ŋŋupa
  • ***Haga-Paris
  • ***Kubaboo
  • ***Rghayuŋ
  • **C'uli' Atayal
  • ***Skikun, Mnibuʔ
  • ***Mnawyan
  • ***Mayrinax
  • ***Mabatuʔan
  • ***Matabalay
  • ***Sakuxan
  • ***Palŋawan
  • ***Mkgugut
  • ***Pyahaw
  • ***Ryuhiŋ
  • ***Mtlaŋan
  • ***Knŋyan
  • *Seediq
  • **Toŋan
  • **Toda
  • **Truwan
  • **Inago

    Reconstruction

The Proto-Atayalic language was reconstructed by Taiwanese linguist Paul Jen-kuei Li in 1981. Proto-Atayalic had final voiced stops, which are preserved in the Mayrinax dialect of Cʔuliʔ Atayal. These voiced stops include *-b, *-d, *-g, and *-g'. However, they are now lost in many dialects of Atayal, Seediq, and also Pazeh.

General references

Category:Languages of Taiwan