Lehali | |
---|---|
Loli | |
Pronunciation | [lɔli] |
Native to | Vanuatu |
Region | Ureparapara |
Native speakers | 200 (2010)[1] |
Language codes | |
ISO 639-3 | tql |
Glottolog | leha1243 |
ELP | Lehali |
Lehali is classified as Vulnerable by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger |
Lehali (previously known as Teqel) is an Oceanic language spoken by about 200 people, on the west coast of Ureparapara Island in Vanuatu.[1] It is distinct from Löyöp, the language spoken on the east coast of the same island.
The language is named after the village where it is spoken, natively referred to as Loli [lɔli]. The name Lehali does not have any etymological value, other than being a corruption of the native name.[citation needed]
Lehali phonemically contrasts 16 consonants and 10 vowels.[3]
Bilabial | Alveolar | Dorsal | Labialized velar |
Glottal | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nasal | m ⟨m⟩ | n ⟨n⟩ | ŋ ⟨n̄⟩ | ŋʷ ⟨n̄w⟩ | ||
Stop | voiceless | p ⟨p⟩ | t ⟨t⟩ | k ⟨k⟩ | kʷ ⟨q⟩ | |
prenasalized | ⁿd ⟨d⟩ | |||||
Fricative | β ⟨v⟩ | s ⟨s⟩ | ɣ ⟨g⟩ | h ⟨h⟩ | ||
Approximant | l ⟨l⟩ | j ⟨y⟩ | w ⟨w⟩ |
The 10 vowel phonemes are all short monophthongs /i ɪ ɛ æ ə a ɒ̝ ɔ ʊ u/:[4][3]
Front | Central | Back | |
---|---|---|---|
Close | i ⟨i⟩ | u ⟨u⟩ | |
Near-close | ɪ ⟨ē⟩ | ə ⟨ë⟩ | ʊ ⟨ō⟩ |
Open-mid | ɛ ⟨e⟩ | ɔ ⟨o⟩ | |
Near-open | æ ⟨ä⟩ | ɒ̝ ⟨ö⟩ | |
Open | a ⟨a⟩ |
The ⟨y⟩ /j/ phoneme originates in a former trill *r: e.g. /-jɔ/ < POc *rua 'two'.[5] Lehali shares that particular sound change with its neighbors Löyöp, Volow, and Mwotlap.
The system of personal pronouns in Lehali contrasts clusivity, and distinguishes four numbers (singular, dual, trial, plural).[6]
Spatial reference in Lehali is based on a system of geocentric (absolute) directionals, which is in part typical of Oceanic languages, and yet innovative.[7]
Official languages | |||||||||||||||||||
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Indigenous languages (Southern Oceanic and Polynesian) |
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