Malakula languages

One distinctive feature of the Malakula languages is the pervasive loss of unstressed syllables. However, according to Lynch (2014), the innovation occurred after Proto-Malakula broke up, and may have occurred on at least seven different independent occasions.{{cite journal |title=Unexpected Final Vowel Retention in Malakula |first=John |last=Lynch |author-link=John Lynch (linguist) |journal=Open Linguistics 2014 |volume=1 |date=July 2014 |pages=1-16 |publisher=De Gruyter Open |doi=10.2478/opli-2014-0001 |url=https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.2478/opli-2014-0001/pdf|doi-access=free }}

Lynch (2016) divides the Malakula languages into three primary subgroups, namely Northern, Eastern, and Western, all three of which are linkages. Lynch (2016) recognizes 32 languages.{{cite journal |title=Malakula Internal Subgrouping: Phonological Evidence |first=John |last=Lynch |author-link=John Lynch (linguist) |journal=Oceanic Linguistics |volume=55 |issue=2 |date=December 2016 |pages=399–431 |publisher=University of Hawai'i Press |doi=10.1353/ol.2016.0019 |s2cid=152170547 |url=https://muse.jhu.edu/article/640593}}

{{tree list}}

• Malakula
• Northern
• Malua Bay
• North Coast
• Nese
• Botovro
• Vovo, Vao
• Eastern
• Uripiv
• Unua
• Aulua
• Banam Bay
• Southeastern
• Bwenelang
• Nasvang, Nisvai
• Port Sandwich, Avok, Axamb
• Maskelynes
• Western
• Central Western
• Neve'ei
• Larëvat
• Naman
• Peripheral Western
• Ninde
• Nāti
• Northwestern
• V'ënen Taut
• Tape
• Tirax
• Southwestern
• Lendamboi
• Aveteian
• Navwien
• Avava
• Nasarian
• Naha'ai, Nahavaq

{{tree list/end}}

The Central-Western linkage is only very weakly defined, while Ninde and Nāti have similarities with both the Northwestern and Southwestern linkages.

The positions of the Sörsörian, Rerep, Vivti, and Nitita languages were not addressed.

François (2015:18-21) lists the following 42 Malakula languages.

{{reflist}}

• {{cite book |title=Atlas linguistique du Sud-Malekula — Linguistic Atlas of South Malekula (Vanuatu) |author=Jean-Michel Charpentier |author-link=:fr:Jean-Michel Charpentier|year=1982 |publisher=Centre National de la Recherche |location=Paris }}
• {{Citation |last1=François|first1=Alexandre|last2=Franjieh|first2=Michael|last3=Lacrampe|first3=Sébastien|last4=Schnell|first4=Stefan|editor-last=François|editor-first=Alexandre|editor2-last=Lacrampe|editor2-first=Sébastien|editor3-last=Franjieh|editor3-first=Michael|editor4-last=Schnell|editor4-first=Stefan|date=2015|title=The Languages of Vanuatu: Unity and Diversity|chapter=The exceptional linguistic density of Vanuatu|chapter-url=https://marama.huma-num.fr/data/Francois-et-al_2015_Languages-of-Vanuatu_Intro-chapter.pdf|series=Studies in the Languages of Island Melanesia|publisher=Asia Pacific Linguistics Open Access|location=Canberra|pages=1–21|isbn=9781922185235|ref=density}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20101208032511/http://coombs.anu.edu.au/SpecialProj/VAN/malakula.html List and map of Malekula languages] (A.N.U., 1995)
• [http://alex.francois.online.fr/AlexFrancois_Vanuatu-languages_map-e.htm Map of Vanuatu languages] including Malekula
• [https://www.shh.mpg.de/824267/ Updated map of Malekula languages] (MPI-SHH – Jena, 2018) – see [https://www.shh.mpg.de/456217/vanuatu-languages-lifeways presentation].

{{Southern Oceanic languages}}

{{Austronesian languages}}

Category:Languages of Vanuatu