Fakafutuna
East Futunan
Austronesian (Polynesian, Nuclear Polynesian)
East Futunan, called Fakafutuna by its speakers, is the Polynesian language of Futuna and neighbouring Alofi, the smaller and far more remote half of the French collectivity of Wallis and Futuna. It is a Nuclear Polynesian language whose closest relatives are Wallisian, Samoan and Tokelauan, and it has the classically small Polynesian sound system: eleven consonants including a phonemic glottal stop, five vowels contrasting short and long, and strictly open (C)V syllables. Its earliest written record is a list of 118 words collected by the Dutch navigators Schouten and Le Maire in 1616, among the oldest wordlists for any Polynesian language. Most speakers today live not on Futuna itself but in New Caledonia, and in everyday writing the macrons and glottal-stop apostrophes are usually dropped for want of keyboards. With French dominating school and administration, the language is classed as endangered.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in East Futunan
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Austronesian (Polynesian, Nuclear Polynesian)
| Meaning | East Futunan | Wallisian | Tongan | Tuvaluan | Tokelauan | Niuean | Samoan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | vai /vai/ | vai /vai/ | vai /vai/ | vai /vai/ | vai /vai/ | vai /vai/ | vai /vai/ |
| Fire | afi /afi/ | afi /afi/ | afi /afi/ | afi /afi/ | afi /afi/ | afi /afi/ | afi /afi/ |
| Sun | laʻā /laʔaː/ | laʻā /laʔaː/ | laʻā /laʔaː/ | laa /laː/ | lā /laː/ | lā /laː/ | lā /laː/ |
| Moon | māsina /maːsina/ | māhina /maːhina/ | māhina /maːhina/ | masina /masina/ | māhina /maːhina/ | mahina /mahina/ | māsina /maːsina/ |
| Star | fetuʻu /fetuʔu/ | fetuʻu /fetuʔu/ | fetuʻu /fetuʔu/ | fetū /fetuː/ | fetu /fetu/ | fetū /fetuː/ | fetū /fetuː/ |
| Night | pō /poː/ | pōʻuli /poːʔuli/ | pō /poː/ | pō /poː/ | pō /poː/ | pō /poː/ | pō /poː/ |
| Rain | ʻua /ʔua/ | ʻua /ʔua/ | ʻuha /ʔuha/ | ua /ua/ | ua /ua/ | ua /ua/ | ua /ua/ |
| Snow | nive /nive/ | nive /nive/ | sinou /sinou/ | kiona /kiona/ | kiona /kiona/ | kiona /kiona/ | kiona /kiona/ |
| Wind | matagi /mataŋi/ | matagi /mataŋi/ | matangi /mataŋi/ | matagi /mataŋi/ | matagi /mataŋi/ | matagi /mataŋi/ | matagi /mataŋi/ |
| Earth | kele /kele/ | kele /kele/ | kelekele /kelekele/ | kelekele /kelekele/ | kelekele /kelekele/ | kelekele /kelekele/ | ʻeleʻele /ʔeleʔele/ |
| Stone | maka /maka/ | maka /maka/ | maka /maka/ | fatu /fatu/ | fatu /fatu/ | maka /maka/ | maʻa /maʔa/ |
| Mountain | maʻuga /maʔuŋa/ | moʻuga /moʔuŋa/ | moʻunga /moʔuŋa/ | mauga /mauŋa/ | mauga /mauŋa/ | mouga /mouŋa/ | mauga /mauŋa/ |
| Sea | moana /moana/ | tai /tai/ | tahi /tahi/ | tai /tai/ | moana /moana/ | tahi /tahi/ | sami /sami/ |
| Mother | tinana /tinana/ | faʻē /faʔeː/ | faʻē /faʔeː/ | maatua /maːtua/ | mātua /maːtua/ | matua fifine /matua fifine/ | tinā /tinaː/ |
| Father | tamana /tamana/ | tamai /tamai/ | tamai /tamai/ | tamana /tamana/ | tamana /tamana/ | matua taane /matua taːne/ | tamā /tamaː/ |
| Daughter | taʻine /taʔine/ | ʻofafine /ʔofafine/ | ʻofefine /ʔofefine/ | tama fafine /tama fafine/ | afafine /afafine/ | tama fifine /tama fifine/ | afafine /afafine/ |
| I | au /au/ | au /au/ | au /au/ | au /au/ | au /au/ | au /au/ | aʻu /aʔu/ |
| You | koe /koe/ | koe /koe/ | koe /koe/ | koe /koe/ | koe /koe/ | koe /koe/ | ʻoe /ʔoe/ |
| We | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ | kitautolu / kimautolu /kitautolu / kimautolu/ | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ | tautolu / mautolu /tautolu / mautolu/ | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ |
| Name | igoa /iŋoa/ | higoa /hiŋoa/ | hingoa /hiŋoa/ | igoa /iŋoa/ | igoa /iŋoa/ | higoa /hiŋoa/ | igoa /iŋoa/ |
| Person | tagata /taŋata/ | tagata /taŋata/ | tangata /taŋata/ | tino /tino/ | tagata /taŋata/ | tagata /taŋata/ | tagata /taŋata/ |
| Head | ʻulu /ʔulu/ | ʻulu /ʔulu/ | ʻulu /ʔulu/ | ulu /ulu/ | ulu /ulu/ | ulu /ulu/ | ulu /ulu/ |
| Eye | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ |
| Ear | taliga /taliŋa/ | taliga /taliŋa/ | telinga /teliŋa/ | taliga /taliŋa/ | taliga /taliŋa/ | taliga /taliŋa/ | taliga /taliŋa/ |
| Nose | isu /isu/ | ihu /ihu/ | ihu /ihu/ | isu /isu/ | ihu /ihu/ | ihu /ihu/ | isu /isu/ |
| Mouth | gutu /ŋutu/ | gutu /ŋutu/ | ngutu /ŋutu/ | gutu /ŋutu/ | gutu /ŋutu/ | gutu /ŋutu/ | gutu /ŋutu/ |
| Tooth | nifo /nifo/ | nifo /nifo/ | nifo /nifo/ | nifo /nifo/ | nifo /nifo/ | nifo /nifo/ | nifo /nifo/ |
| Tongue | ʻalelo /ʔalelo/ | ʻalelo /ʔalelo/ | ʻelelo /ʔelelo/ | alelo /alelo/ | alelo /alelo/ | alelo /alelo/ | laulaufaiva /laulaufaiva/ |
| Hand | lima /lima/ | nima /nima/ | nima /nima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ |
| Foot | vaʻe /vaʔe/ | vaʻe /vaʔe/ | vaʻe /vaʔe/ | vae /vae/ | vae /vae/ | hui /hui/ | vae /vae/ |
| Heart | mafu /mafu/ | mafu /mafu/ | loto /loto/ | fatu /fatu/ | fatu /fatu/ | atevili /atevili/ | loto /loto/ |
| Bone | ivi /ivi/ | hui /hui/ | hui /hui/ | ivi /ivi/ | ivi /ivi/ | hui /hui/ | ivi /ivi/ |
| Blood | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ |
| Poop | taʻe /taʔe/ | taʻe /taʔe/ | taʻe /taʔe/ | tae /tae/ | tae /tae/ | tē /teː/ | tae /tae/ |
| Love | alofa /alofa/ | ʻofa /ʔofa/ | ʻofa /ʔofa/ | alofa /alofa/ | alofa /alofa/ | fakaalofa /fakaalofa/ | alofa /alofa/ |
| Tree | lāʻakau /laːʔakau/ | ʻakau /ʔakau/ | ʻakau /ʔakau/ | laakau /laːkau/ | lākau /laːkau/ | akau /akau/ | laʻau /laʔau/ |
| Dog | kulī /kuliː/ | kulī /kuliː/ | kulī /kuliː/ | kuli /kuli/ | kuli /kuli/ | kuli /kuli/ | maile /maile/ |
| Cat | pūsi /puːsi/ | pusi /pusi/ | pusi /pusi/ | pusi /pusi/ | puhi /puhi/ | pusi /pusi/ | pusi /pusi/ |
| Fish | ika /ika/ | ika /ika/ | ika /ika/ | ika /ika/ | ika /ika/ | ika /ika/ | iʻa /iʔa/ |
| Bird | manu /manu/ | manu /manu/ | manupuna /manupuna/ | manu /manu/ | manu /manu/ | manu /manu/ | manu /manu/ |
| Butterfly | pepe /pepe/ | pepe /pepe/ | pepe /pepe/ | pepe /pepe/ | pepe /pepe/ | pepe /pepe/ | pepe /pepe/ |
| Egg | fua /fua/ | fuāmoa /fuaːmoa/ | foʻi moa /foʔi moa/ | fuamoa /fuamoa/ | fuāmoa /fuaːmoa/ | fua moa /fua moa/ | fuamoa /fuamoa/ |
| Bear | uluso /uluso/ | uluso /uluso/ | pea /pea/ | pea /pea/ | pea /pea/ | urosa /urosa/ | pea /pea/ |
| Horse | ōsi /oːsi/ | hōsi /hoːsi/ | hoosi /hoːsi/ | solofanua /solofanua/ | holofanua /holofanua/ | solofanua /solofanua/ | solofanua /solofanua/ |
| House | fale /fale/ | fale /fale/ | fale /fale/ | fale /fale/ | fale /fale/ | fale /fale/ | fale /fale/ |
| Salt | paʻatai /paʔatai/ | māsima /maːsima/ | māsima /maːsima/ | masima /masima/ | māhima /maːhima/ | masima /masima/ | masima /masima/ |
| Wine | vino /vino/ | vino /vino/ | uaine /uaine/ | uaina /uaina/ | uaina /uaina/ | uaina /uaina/ | uaina /uaina/ |
| Iron | ukamea /ukamea/ | ukamea /ukamea/ | ukamea /ukamea/ | fiti /fiti/ | ukamea /ukamea/ | lapatoa /lapatoa/ | uʻamea /uʔamea/ |
| Wheel | teka /teka/ | teka /teka/ | veʻeteka /veʔeteka/ | teka /teka/ | uili /uili/ | veli /veli/ | uili /uili/ |
| Book | tosi /tosi/ | tohi /tohi/ | tohi /tohi/ | tusi /tusi/ | tuhi /tuhi/ | tohi /tohi/ | tusi /tusi/ |
| Eat | kai /kai/ | kai /kai/ | kai /kai/ | kai /kai/ | kai /kai/ | kai /kai/ | ʻai /ʔai/ |
| Drink | inu /inu/ | inu /inu/ | inu /inu/ | inu /inu/ | inu /inu/ | inu /inu/ | inu /inu/ |
| Sleep | moe /moe/ | moe /moe/ | mohe /mohe/ | moe /moe/ | moe /moe/ | mohe /mohe/ | moe /moe/ |
| One | tasi /tasi/ | tahi /tahi/ | taha /taha/ | tasi /tasi/ | tahi /tahi/ | taha /taha/ | tasi /tasi/ |
| Two | lua /lua/ | lua /lua/ | ua /ua/ | lua /lua/ | lua /lua/ | ua /ua/ | lua /lua/ |
| Three | tolu /tolu/ | tolu /tolu/ | tolu /tolu/ | tolu /tolu/ | tolu /tolu/ | tolu /tolu/ | tolu /tolu/ |
| Four | fā /faː/ | fā /faː/ | fā /faː/ | fā /faː/ | fā /faː/ | fā /faː/ | fā /faː/ |
| Five | lima /lima/ | nima /nima/ | nima /nima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ |
| Hundred | kaulelau /kaulelau/ | teau /teau/ | teau /teau/ | selau /selau/ | helau /helau/ | teau /teau/ | selau /selau/ |
| Hello | mālō /maːloː/ | mālō te maʻuli /maːloː te maʔuli/ | mālō e lelei /maːloː e lelei/ | taalofa /taːlofa/ | malo ni /malo ni/ | fakaalofa atu /fakaalofa atu/ | talofa /talofa/ |
| Thank you | mālō /maːloː/ | mālō /maːloː/ | mālō /maːloː/ | fakafetai /fakafetai/ | fakafetai /fakafetai/ | fakaaue /fakaaue/ | faʻafetai /faʔafetai/ |
| Good | mālie /maːlie/ | lelei /lelei/ | lelei /lelei/ | lei /lei/ | lelei /lelei/ | mitaki /mitaki/ | lelei /lelei/ |
| New | foʻou /foʔou/ | foʻou /foʔou/ | foʻou /foʔou/ | fou /fou/ | fou /fou/ | foou /foou/ | fou /fou/ |
| Red | kula /kula/ | kula /kula/ | kulokula /kulokula/ | kula /kula/ | kukula /kukula/ | kula /kula/ | mūmū /muːmuː/ |
| White | tea /tea/ | hina /hina/ | hinehina /hinehina/ | kena /kena/ | paepae /paepae/ | tea /tea/ | paʻepaʻe /paʔepaʔe/ |
| Black | ʻuli /ʔuli/ | ʻuli /ʔuli/ | ʻuliʻuli /ʔuliʔuli/ | uli /uli/ | uli /uli/ | uli /uli/ | uliuli /uliuli/ |
| Green | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | lanu mata /lanu mata/ | lanu lau niu /lanu lau niu/ | lanu meamata /lanu meamata/ | lanu laukou /lanu laukou/ | lanumeamata /lanumeamata/ |
| Blue | ʻusi /ʔusi/ | ʻui /ʔui/ | lanu moana /lanu moana/ | lanu moana /lanu moana/ | lanumoana /lanumoana/ | lanu moana /lanu moana/ | lanumoana /lanumoana/ |
| Cuckoo | kāleva /kaːleva/ | — | — | — | — | — | aleva /aleva/ |
| Computer | masini /masini/ | olotinatea /olotinatea/ | komipiuta /komipiuta/ | komupiuta /komupiuta/ | komepiuta /komepiuta/ | komopiuta /komopiuta/ | komipiuta /komipiuta/ |
| Orange | moli /moli/ | moli /moli/ | moli /moli/ | moli /moli/ | moli /moli/ | moli /moli/ | moli /moli/ |
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