Gorontalo–Mongondow languages
The Gorontalo–Mongondow languages are a group of Austronesian languages spoken in northern Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Languages
The Gorontalo–Mongondow languages are divided into two branches:- Gorontalo–Mongondow
- *Gorontalic
- **Atinggola
- **Bolango
- **Buol
- **Bintauna
- **Gorontalo
- ***Limboto
- ***Tilamuta
- **Kaidipang
- **Lolak
- **Suwawa
- *Mongondowic
- **Mongondow
- **Ponosakan
Classification
Similarities between Mongondow and the languages of the Philippines were already recognized in the first half of the 20th century. Noorduyn presented phonological and morphological evidence for a close connection between Gorontalo and Mongondow, while the full extent of the subgroup including all other Gorontalic languages was established by Usup. Blust has shown that the Gorontalo–Mongondow languages link up with many languages of the central and southern Philippines in the Greater [Central Philippine languages|Greater Central Philippine] subgroup. The following table exemplifies the close relationship, listing Greater Central Philippine innovations which are found in Mongondow and Tagalog :| Mongondow | Tagalog | Meaning |
| modaliʔ-daliʔ | madalíʔ | 'quick' |
| modolom | madilím | 'dark' |
| duguʔ | dugóʔ | 'blood' |
| obuʔ | ubó | 'cough' |
| pugad | púgad | 'nest' |
| tapaʔ | sápaʔ | 'brook' |
| tubig | túbig | 'water' |
Reconstruction
The lexicon and phonology of Proto-Gorontalo-Mongondow has been reconstructed by Usup. Proto-Gorontalo-Mongondow pronouns have been reconstructed by Lobel.Sound changes
Initial sound changes from Proto-Greater Central Philippine:- *ə > *o
- *NP > *NP
- in reduplications *C¹C² > *C²
- *a > *o in the first syllable of reduplications