Fäeag Rotuạm
Rotuman
Austronesian
Rotuman (Fäeag Rotuạm) is the language of Rotuma Island, a small autonomous dependency of Fiji ~600 km north of the main Fijian islands. Linguistically a Polynesian outlier with extensive Western Polynesian (Tongan/Samoan) and Melanesian (Fijian) lexical and structural admixture, reflecting Rotuma's position at the Polynesian-Melanesian interface. Famous for its complex umlaut-based metathesis system: alternating "complete" (full word) and "incomplete" (truncated) phases that mark grammatical contrasts. Despite its small speaker base, retains active intergenerational use on Rotuma.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Rotuman
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Austronesian
| Meaning | Rotuman | Samoan | Tuvaluan | Tongan | Niuean | Fijian | Tokelauan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | tạnu /ˈtɔnu/ | vai /vai/ | vai /vai/ | vai /vai/ | vai /vai/ | wai /wai/ | vai /vai/ |
| Fire | rahi /ˈrahi/ | afi /afi/ | afi /afi/ | afi /afi/ | afi /afi/ | buka /mbuka/ | afi /afi/ |
| Sun | asa /asa/ | lā /laː/ | laa /laː/ | laʻā /laʔaː/ | lā /laː/ | matanisiga /matanisiŋa/ | lā /laː/ |
| Moon | hula /hula/ | māsina /maːsina/ | masina /masina/ | māhina /maːhina/ | mahina /mahina/ | vula /βula/ | māhina /maːhina/ |
| Star | hefu /hefu/ | fetū /fetuː/ | fetū /fetuː/ | fetuʻu /fetuʔu/ | fetū /fetuː/ | kalokalo /kalokalo/ | fetu /fetu/ |
| Night | pōngi /poŋi/ | pō /poː/ | pō /poː/ | pō /poː/ | pō /poː/ | bogi /mboŋi/ | pō /poː/ |
| Rain | usa /usa/ | ua /ua/ | ua /ua/ | ʻuha /ʔuha/ | ua /ua/ | uca /uða/ | ua /ua/ |
| Wind | lɔŋi /lɔŋi/ | matagi /mataŋi/ | matagi /mataŋi/ | matangi /mataŋi/ | matagi /mataŋi/ | cagi /ðaŋi/ | matagi /mataŋi/ |
| Earth | pera /pera/ | ʻeleʻele /ʔeleʔele/ | kelekele /kelekele/ | kelekele /kelekele/ | kelekele /kelekele/ | qele /ᵑɡele/ | kelekele /kelekele/ |
| Stone | hạfu /ˈhɔfu/ | maʻa /maʔa/ | fatu /fatu/ | maka /maka/ | maka /maka/ | vatu /vatu/ | fatu /fatu/ |
| Mountain | solo /solo/ | mauga /mauŋa/ | mauga /mauŋa/ | moʻunga /moʔuŋa/ | mouga /mouŋa/ | ulunivanua /uluniβanua/ | mauga /mauŋa/ |
| Sea | sạsi /sɔsi/ | sami /sami/ | tai /tai/ | tahi /tahi/ | tahi /tahi/ | wasawasa /wasawasa/ | moana /moana/ |
| Mother | öʻhoni /øʔhoni/ | tinā /tinaː/ | maatua /maːtua/ | faʻē /faʔeː/ | matua fifine /matua fifine/ | tina /tina/ | mātua /maːtua/ |
| Father | öʻfā /øʔˈfaː/ | tamā /tamaː/ | tamana /tamana/ | tamai /tamai/ | matua taane /matua taːne/ | tama /tama/ | tamana /tamana/ |
| Daughter | leʻ hạni /leʔ hɔni/ | afafine /afafine/ | tama fafine /tama fafine/ | ʻofefine /ʔofefine/ | tama fifine /tama fifine/ | luve yalewa /luβe jalewa/ | afafine /afafine/ |
| I | gou /ŋou/ | aʻu /aʔu/ | au /au/ | au /au/ | au /au/ | au /au/ | au /au/ |
| You | ʻäe /ʔæe/ | ʻoe /ʔoe/ | koe /koe/ | koe /koe/ | koe /koe/ | iko /iko/ | koe /koe/ |
| We | ʻis / ʻạmis /ʔis / ʔɔmis/ | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ | kitautolu / kimautolu /kitautolu / kimautolu/ | tautolu / mautolu /tautolu / mautolu/ | keda / keimami /kenda / kejmami/ | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ |
| Name | asa /asa/ | igoa /iŋoa/ | igoa /iŋoa/ | hingoa /hiŋoa/ | higoa /hiŋoa/ | yaca /jaða/ | igoa /iŋoa/ |
| Person | famori /famori/ | tagata /taŋata/ | tino /tino/ | tangata /taŋata/ | tagata /taŋata/ | tamata /tamata/ | tagata /taŋata/ |
| Head | filoʻu /filoʔu/ | ulu /ulu/ | ulu /ulu/ | ʻulu /ʔulu/ | ulu /ulu/ | ulu /ulu/ | ulu /ulu/ |
| Eye | mafa /mafa/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ |
| Ear | faliŋa /faliŋa/ | taliga /taliŋa/ | taliga /taliŋa/ | telinga /teliŋa/ | taliga /taliŋa/ | daliga /ndaliŋa/ | taliga /taliŋa/ |
| Nose | isu /isu/ | isu /isu/ | isu /isu/ | ihu /ihu/ | ihu /ihu/ | ucu /uðu/ | ihu /ihu/ |
| Mouth | nuju /nutʃu/ | gutu /ŋutu/ | gutu /ŋutu/ | ngutu /ŋutu/ | gutu /ŋutu/ | gusu /ŋusu/ | gutu /ŋutu/ |
| Tooth | ʻala /ʔala/ | nifo /nifo/ | nifo /nifo/ | nifo /nifo/ | nifo /nifo/ | bati /mbati/ | nifo /nifo/ |
| Tongue | alele /ʔalele/ | laulaufaiva /laulaufaiva/ | alelo /alelo/ | ʻelelo /ʔelelo/ | alelo /alelo/ | yame /jame/ | alelo /alelo/ |
| Hand | siʻu /siʔu/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | nima /nima/ | lima /lima/ | liga /liŋa/ | lima /lima/ |
| Foot | lā /laː/ | vae /vae/ | vae /vae/ | vaʻe /vaʔe/ | hui /hui/ | yava /java/ | vae /vae/ |
| Heart | huga /huŋa/ | loto /loto/ | fatu /fatu/ | loto /loto/ | atevili /atevili/ | uto /uto/ | fatu /fatu/ |
| Bone | sui /sui/ | ivi /ivi/ | ivi /ivi/ | hui /hui/ | hui /hui/ | sui /sui/ | ivi /ivi/ |
| Blood | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ | dra /ndra/ | toto /toto/ |
| Love | hanis /hanis/ | alofa /alofa/ | alofa /alofa/ | ʻofa /ʔofa/ | fakaalofa /fakaalofa/ | loloma /loloma/ | alofa /alofa/ |
| Tree | rou /ɾou/ | laʻau /laʔau/ | laakau /laːkau/ | ʻakau /ʔakau/ | akau /akau/ | kau /kau/ | lākau /laːkau/ |
| Dog | kạmia /kɔmia/ | maile /maile/ | kuli /kuli/ | kulī /kuliː/ | kuli /kuli/ | koli /koli/ | kuli /kuli/ |
| Cat | kotok /kotok/ | pusi /pusi/ | pusi /pusi/ | pusi /pusi/ | pusi /pusi/ | pusi /pusi/ | puhi /puhi/ |
| Fish | iʻa /iʔa/ | iʻa /iʔa/ | ika /ika/ | ika /ika/ | ika /ika/ | ika /ika/ | ika /ika/ |
| Bird | manmanu /manˈmanu/ | manu /manu/ | manu /manu/ | manupuna /manupuna/ | manu /manu/ | manumanu /manumanu/ | manu /manu/ |
| Butterfly | pepe /pepe/ | pepe /pepe/ | pepe /pepe/ | pepe /pepe/ | pepe /pepe/ | bēbē /ᵐbeːᵐbeː/ | pepe /pepe/ |
| Egg | kalofi /kaˈlofi/ | fuamoa /fuamoa/ | fuamoa /fuamoa/ | foʻi moa /foʔi moa/ | fua moa /fua moa/ | yaloka /jaloka/ | fuāmoa /fuaːmoa/ |
| Bear | pea /pea/ | pea /pea/ | pea /pea/ | pea /pea/ | urosa /urosa/ | bea /mbea/ | pea /pea/ |
| Horse | hạsu /hɔsu/ | solofanua /solofanua/ | solofanua /solofanua/ | hoosi /hoːsi/ | solofanua /solofanua/ | ose /ose/ | holofanua /holofanua/ |
| House | ri /ɾi/ | fale /fale/ | fale /fale/ | fale /fale/ | fale /fale/ | vale /βale/ | fale /fale/ |
| Milk | susu /susu/ | susu /susu/ | susu /susu/ | huʻakau /huʔakau/ | huhu /huhu/ | sucu /suðu/ | huāhuhu /huaːhuhu/ |
| Honey | hanē /haneː/ | meli /meli/ | hani /hani/ | hone /hone/ | meli /meli/ | oni /oni/ | meli /meli/ |
| Salt | masi /masi/ | masima /masima/ | masima /masima/ | māsima /maːsima/ | masima /masima/ | masima /masima/ | māhima /maːhima/ |
| Wine | uaini /uaini/ | uaina /uaina/ | uaina /uaina/ | uaine /uaine/ | uaina /uaina/ | waini /waini/ | uaina /uaina/ |
| Rice | raisi /raisi/ | alaisa /alaisa/ | laisi /laisi/ | laise /laise/ | laisi /laisi/ | raisi /raisi/ | — |
| Iron | ʻia /ʔia/ | uʻamea /uʔamea/ | fiti /fiti/ | ukamea /ukamea/ | lapatoa /lapatoa/ | kaukamea /kaukamea/ | ukamea /ukamea/ |
| Wheel | tokiri /tokiɾi/ | uili /uili/ | teka /teka/ | veʻeteka /veʔeteka/ | veli /veli/ | yava /java/ | uili /uili/ |
| Silk | silika /silika/ | silika /silika/ | silika /silika/ | silika /silika/ | silika /silika/ | silika /silika/ | hilika /hilika/ |
| Book | puku /puku/ | tusi /tusi/ | tusi /tusi/ | tohi /tohi/ | tohi /tohi/ | ivola /ivola/ | tuhi /tuhi/ |
| Eat | ʻā /ʔaː/ | ʻai /ʔai/ | kai /kai/ | kai /kai/ | kai /kai/ | kana /kana/ | kai /kai/ |
| Drink | ʻimo /ʔimo/ | inu /inu/ | inu /inu/ | inu /inu/ | inu /inu/ | gunu /ŋunu/ | inu /inu/ |
| Sleep | mose /ˈmose/ | moe /moe/ | moe /moe/ | mohe /mohe/ | mohe /mohe/ | moce /moðe/ | moe /moe/ |
| One | ta /ta/ | tasi /tasi/ | tasi /tasi/ | taha /taha/ | taha /taha/ | dua /ndua/ | tahi /tahi/ |
| Two | rua /rua/ | lua /lua/ | lua /lua/ | ua /ua/ | ua /ua/ | rua /rua/ | lua /lua/ |
| Three | folu /folu/ | tolu /tolu/ | tolu /tolu/ | tolu /tolu/ | tolu /tolu/ | tolu /tolu/ | tolu /tolu/ |
| Four | häke /hæke/ | fā /faː/ | fā /faː/ | fā /faː/ | fā /faː/ | vā /vaː/ | fā /faː/ |
| Five | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | nima /nima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ |
| Hundred | tarau /tarau/ | selau /selau/ | selau /selau/ | teau /teau/ | teau /teau/ | drau /ndrau/ | helau /helau/ |
| Hello | noaʻia /noaʔia/ | talofa /talofa/ | taalofa /taːlofa/ | mālō e lelei /maːloː e lelei/ | fakaalofa atu /fakaalofa atu/ | bula /mbula/ | malo ni /malo ni/ |
| Thank you | faiʻaksia /faiʔaksia/ | faʻafetai /faʔafetai/ | fakafetai /fakafetai/ | mālō /maːloː/ | fakaaue /fakaaue/ | vinaka /βinaka/ | fakafetai /fakafetai/ |
| Good | lelei /lelei/ | lelei /lelei/ | lei /lei/ | lelei /lelei/ | mitaki /mitaki/ | vinaka /βinaka/ | lelei /lelei/ |
| New | foʻou /foʔou/ | fou /fou/ | fou /fou/ | foʻou /foʔou/ | foou /foou/ | vou /βou/ | fou /fou/ |
| Red | miʻa /miʔa/ | mūmū /muːmuː/ | kula /kula/ | kulokula /kulokula/ | kula /kula/ | damudamu /ndamundamu/ | kukula /kukula/ |
| White | fisi /fisi/ | paʻepaʻe /paʔepaʔe/ | kena /kena/ | hinehina /hinehina/ | tea /tea/ | vulavula /βulaβula/ | paepae /paepae/ |
| Black | kele /kele/ | uliuli /uliuli/ | uli /uli/ | ʻuliʻuli /ʔuliʔuli/ | uli /uli/ | loaloa /loaloa/ | uli /uli/ |
| Green | čarava /tʃarava/ | lanumeamata /lanumeamata/ | lanu lau niu /lanu lau niu/ | lanu mata /lanu mata/ | lanu laukou /lanu laukou/ | drokadroka /ndrokandroka/ | lanu meamata /lanu meamata/ |
| Blue | čarava /tʃarava/ | lanumoana /lanumoana/ | lanu moana /lanu moana/ | lanu moana /lanu moana/ | lanu moana /lanu moana/ | karakarawa /karakarawa/ | lanumoana /lanumoana/ |
| Computer | kompiuta /kompiuta/ | komipiuta /komipiuta/ | komupiuta /komupiuta/ | komipiuta /komipiuta/ | komopiuta /komopiuta/ | kompiuta /kompiuta/ | komepiuta /komepiuta/ |
| Tea | tī /tiː/ | tī /tiː/ | tī /tiː/ | tī /tiː/ | tī /tiː/ | tī /tiː/ | — |
| Sugar | suka /suka/ | suka /suka/ | suka /suka/ | suka /suka/ | suka /suka/ | suka /suka/ | — |
| Orange | mori /mori/ | moli /moli/ | moli /moli/ | moli /moli/ | moli /moli/ | moli /moli/ | moli /moli/ |
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