Santa_Cruz_language

Santa Cruz language

Santa Cruz language

Oceanic language spoken in Solomon Islands

Not to be confused with Santa Cruz Costanoan language or Santa Cruz Island Chumash.

The Santa Cruz language (locally known as Natügu) is the main language spoken on the island of Nendö or 'Santa Cruz', in the Solomon Islands.

Quick Facts Native to, Region ...
A Natügu speaker, recorded in the Solomon Islands.

Name

The name Natügu means "our language" (natü "language, word" + -gu "1st + 2nd person plural suffix").

Genetic affiliation

It was widely believed until recently that Santa Cruz was a Papuan language. Like the rest of the Reefs – Santa Cruz languages, however, it has been shown to be a member of the Austronesian language family.[2]

Dialects

Dialects are Bënwë (Banua), Londai, Malo, Nea, Nooli. Speakers of most dialects understand Lwowa and Mbanua well. The Nea and Nooli dialects are the most divergent, actually a separate language (Nalögo).

Phonology

Consonants

More information Labial, Alveolar ...

Voiced stops can also be heard as prenasalized.[3]

Vowels

More information Front, Central ...
More information Front, Central ...

References

  1. [1]
    Natügu at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
    Nalögo at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
    Noipx at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. [2]
    Næss, Åshild and Brenda H. Boerger (2008). "Reefs – Santa Cruz as Oceanic: Evidence from the Verb Complex". Oceanic Linguistics. 47: 185–212. doi:10.1353/ol.0.0000. hdl:1959.13/1052427.
  3. [3]
    Boerger, B. H. (2012). Sociological factors in Reefs-Santa Cruz language vitality: a 40 year retrospective. Walter de Gruyter.
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