Satawalese language
| Satawalese | |
|---|---|
| Native to | Federated States of Micronesia |
| Region | Caroline Islands |
|
Native speakers
|
(460 cited 1987 census) |
|
Austronesian
|
|
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | |
| Glottolog | sata1237 |
Satawalese is a Micronesian language of the Federated States of Micronesia. It is nearly intelligible with Mortlockese.
Satawalese is a language spoken on the island of Satawal, located in the Federated States of Micronesia. The language is also spoken in Yap State, nearby atolls and islands such as Lamotrek, Woleai, Puluwat, Pulusuk, and Chuuk State. Smaller populations of speakers can also be found in Saipan, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and some parts of the United States. According to a 1987 census, Satawalese is spoken by approximately 460 people however this number has grown, according to a count taken by researcher Kevin Roddy who reported for about 700 speakers in 2007.
Satawalese is identified as an Austronesian language and is a member of the Truukic language subgroup. Discovered by scholar Edward Quackenbush, the Truukic subgroup is a dialect chain composed of a variety of about 17 different languages and dialects extending 2,100 kilometers across the western Pacific (Roddy, 2007). This chain begins at Chuuk in the east and stretches towards Sonsorol in the west. In the center of this dialect continuum lays Satawalese. Using the comparative method, which involves the observation of vocabulary and sound correspondence similarities, linguists were able to link Satawalese as well as its sister languages to the Trukic language family. Sister languages of Satawalese include Carolinian, Chuukese, Mapia, Mortlockese, Namonuito, Paafang, Puluwatese, Sonsorol, Tanapag, Tobian, Ulithian, and Woleaian.
Satawalese language contains 13 specific consonants. /p/, /f/, /m/, /w/, /n/, /t/, /s/, /r/, /j/, /k/, /t͡ʃ/, /ŋ/, /ɻ/
The existence of the phoneme /g/ is debated in Satawalese. Some scholars believe the phoneme to be an allophone of the phoneme /k/. It is suggested that in Satawalese language both phonemes can be interchanged without changing the meaning of a word. Opposing studies suggest /g/ to be its own separate phoneme. Because of evidence that shows use of /g/ on its own within Satawalese speech, the suggestion that it is its own phoneme has a stronger stance.
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