Central Vanuatu Languages
Mutation of the initial consonant of verbs is a characteristic feature of many Austronesian languages spoken in central Vanuatu.
For example, in Raga language:
- nan vano "I went"
- nam bano "I go"
These patterns of mutations probably arose when a nasal prefix, used to indicate realis mood, became combined with the initial consonant of the verb. The possible ancestral pattern of mutation, and its descendants in some modern Central Vanuatu languages, are shown below:
| Proto-Central Vanuatu | *k > *ŋk | *r > *nr | *p > *mp |
| Raga (Pentecost) | x > ŋg | t > d | v / vw > b / bw |
| northern Apma (Pentecost) | k > ŋg | t > d | v / w > b / bw |
| southern Apma (Pentecost) | v / w > b / bw | ||
| Ske (Pentecost) | z > d | v / vw > b / bw | |
| Lonwolwol (Ambrym) | r > rV | ∅ > bV | |
| Southeast Ambrym | x / h / ∅ > g | t > d | v / h > b |
| northern Paama | ∅ > k | t > r | |
| central/southern Paama | k / ∅ > g / ŋ | t / r > d | |
| Nāti (Malekula) | k / ʔ > ŋk | t / r > nt / ntr | v / w > mp / mpw |
| Maii (Epi) | t > d | v > b | |
| Lewo (Epi) | v / w > p / pw | ||
| Lamenu (Epi) | ∅ > p | ||
| Bierebo (Epi) | k > ŋk | t / c > nd / nj | v / w > p / pw |
| Baki (Epi) | c > s | v > mb | |
| Bieria (Epi) | t > nd | v > mb | |
| Nakanamanga (Efaté-Shepherds) | k > ŋ | r > t | v / w > p / pw |
| Namakir (Shepherds) | k > ŋ | t / r > d | v / w > b |
Read more about this topic: Consonant Mutation
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