Woleaian
Austronesian (Micronesian)
Woleaian is a Nuclear Chuukic language of the Oceanic branch of Austronesian, spoken on Woleai, Eauripik, Faraulep, Ifalik, Elato, and Lamotrek in Yap State, Federated States of Micronesia, and in diaspora communities. Recent fieldwork estimates 3,000–6,000 speakers and describes six closely related atoll-based varieties. Transmission remains strong on the outer islands, where children learn Woleaian as a first language and it is the main language of most everyday domains, so recent scholarship does not classify it as endangered. Woleaian has a rich vowel system, numeral and possessive classifiers, and flexible but actor–verb–undergoer-dominant order. Modern writing uses Latin-based orthographies; an indigenous syllabary once used mainly for decoration and ritual had largely disappeared by the late twentieth century.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Woleaian
Sources
- Sohn, Ho-min & Anthony F. Tawerilmang (1976) Woleaian-English Dictionary, University of Hawaii Press (scholarspace 10125/62920); Bender et al. (2003) Proto-Micronesian Reconstructions (ABVD 347)
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Austronesian (Micronesian)
| Meaning | Woleaian | Chuukese | Yapese | Gilbertese | Samoan | Tuvaluan | Tongan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | shal /ʃalʉ/ | kkónik /kːonik/ | raen /raen/ | ran /ɾan/ | vai /vai/ | vai /vai/ | vai /vai/ |
| Fire | yaf /jaːfi/ | ekkei /ekːei/ | nifiy /nifij/ | ai /ai/ | afi /afi/ | afi /afi/ | afi /afi/ |
| Sun | yal /jal/ | akkar /akːaɾ/ | yalʼ /jalʼ/ | taai /taːi/ | lā /laː/ | laa /laː/ | laʻā /laʔaː/ |
| Moon | meram /meɻame/ | maram /maɾam/ | pul /pul/ | namwakaina /namʷakaina/ | māsina /maːsina/ | masina /masina/ | māhina /maːhina/ |
| Star | fius /fʉːs/ | fúú /fɨː/ | tʼuuf /tʼuːf/ | itoi /iˈtoi/ | fetū /fetuː/ | fetū /fetuː/ | fetuʻu /fetuʔu/ |
| Night | bong /boːŋi/ | pwiin /pʷiːn/ | neapʼ /nɛapʼ/ | bong /boŋ/ | pō /poː/ | pō /poː/ | pō /poː/ |
| Rain | ut /uːte/ | wúút /wɨːt/ | nʼuw /nʔuw/ | karau /kaˈɾau/ | ua /ua/ | ua /ua/ | ʻuha /ʔuha/ |
| Wind | yang /jaːŋi/ | eng /eŋ/ | nifeng /nifɛŋ/ | ang /aŋ/ | matagi /mataŋi/ | matagi /mataŋi/ | matangi /mataŋi/ |
| Earth | bbel /bːəlʉ/ | pwpwún /pʷːɨn/ | buutʼ /buːtʼ/ | tano /tano/ | ʻeleʻele /ʔeleʔele/ | kelekele /kelekele/ | kelekele /kelekele/ |
| Stone | faiu /faːʉ/ | faaw /faːw/ | malaang /malaːŋ/ | atibu /aˈsibu/ | maʻa /maʔa/ | fatu /fatu/ | maka /maka/ |
| Mountain | taiit /taiːt/ | chuuk /tʃuːk/ | burey /burej/ | maunga /mauŋa/ | mauga /mauŋa/ | mauga /mauŋa/ | moʻunga /moʔuŋa/ |
| Sea | metaw /metaw/ | sáát /saːt/ | madaay /madaːj/ | marawa /maɾawa/ | sami /sami/ | tai /tai/ | tahi /tahi/ |
| Mother | sila /sila/ | iin /iːn/ | chitiningin /tʃitiniŋin/ | tina /ˈsina/ | tinā /tinaː/ | maatua /maːtua/ | faʻē /faʔeː/ |
| Father | tema /tema/ | saam /saːm/ | chiitamoog /tʃiːtamoːɡ/ | tama /tama/ | tamā /tamaː/ | tamana /tamana/ | tamai /tamai/ |
| I | gaang /ɡaːŋ/ | ngang /ŋaŋ/ | gaeg /ɡaːɡ/ | ngai /ŋai/ | aʻu /aʔu/ | au /au/ | au /au/ |
| You | geel /ɡeːle/ | en /en/ | guur /ɡuːr/ | ngkoe /ŋkoe/ | ʻoe /ʔoe/ | koe /koe/ | koe /koe/ |
| We | giish / gaamam /ɡiːʃ / ɡaːmam/ | kich / áám /kitʃ / aːm/ | gadaed / gamaed /ɡadɛːd / ɡamɛːd/ | ngaira /ŋaira/ | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ | kitautolu / kimautolu /kitautolu / kimautolu/ |
| Name | it /iːt/ | iit /iːt/ | fithingan /fiθiŋan/ | ara /ˈara/ | igoa /iŋoa/ | igoa /iŋoa/ | hingoa /hiŋoa/ |
| Person | yaremat /jaɻemat/ | aramas /aramas/ | girdiʼ /ɡirdiːʔ/ | aomata /aomata/ | tagata /taŋata/ | tino /tino/ | tangata /taŋata/ |
| Head | shimw /ʃimʷ/ | mékúr /məkɨɾ/ | lolug /loluɡ/ | atu /ˈatu/ | ulu /ulu/ | ulu /ulu/ | ʻulu /ʔulu/ |
| Eye | mat /maːte/ | maas /maːs/ | miit /miːt/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ |
| Ear | taling /taliŋa/ | sening /seniŋ/ | teel /teːl/ | taninga /taniŋa/ | taliga /taliŋa/ | taliga /taliŋa/ | telinga /teliŋa/ |
| Nose | boot /boːti/ | pwéét /pʷeːt/ | pʼeethunguun /pʼeːθuŋuːn/ | bwairi /bʷairi/ | isu /isu/ | isu /isu/ | ihu /ihu/ |
| Mouth | yaw /jaw/ | aaw /aːw/ | lʼugun /lʼuɡun/ | — | gutu /ŋutu/ | gutu /ŋutu/ | ngutu /ŋutu/ |
| Tooth | ngi /ŋiː/ | nii /niː/ | nguwol /ŋuwoːl/ | wi /wi/ | nifo /nifo/ | nifo /nifo/ | nifo /nifo/ |
| Tongue | lew /leːwe/ | chénnaaw /tʃenːaːw/ | balwoth /balwoθ/ | newe /newe/ | laulaufaiva /laulaufaiva/ | alelo /alelo/ | ʻelelo /ʔelelo/ |
| Hand | paiu /paːʉ/ | paaw /paːw/ | paʼ /paʔ/ | bai /bai/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | nima /nima/ |
| Foot | peshe /peʃe/ | peche /petʃe/ | ay /ʔaːj/ | wae /wae/ | vae /vae/ | vae /vae/ | vaʻe /vaʔe/ |
| Heart | bun /buno/ | letip /letip/ | gam /ɡam/ | nano /nano/ | loto /loto/ | fatu /fatu/ | loto /loto/ |
| Bone | shiu /ʃiu/ | chuu /tʃɨː/ | yil /jil/ | ri /ri/ | ivi /ivi/ | ivi /ivi/ | hui /hui/ |
| Blood | cha /tʃa/ | chcha /tʃːa/ | rachaʼ /ratʃaʔ/ | rara /ɾaɾa/ | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ |
| Poop | pag /paɡ/ | — /—/ | taer /taːr/ | butae /butae/ | tae /tae/ | tae /tae/ | taʻe /taʔe/ |
| Love | ffageo /fːaɡœː/ | tóng /təŋ/ | tʼuf /tʼuf/ | tangira /taŋiɾa/ | alofa /alofa/ | alofa /alofa/ | ʻofa /ʔofa/ |
| Tree | ira /iɻa/ | irá /iɾaː/ | gekʼiy /ɡekʔij/ | kai /kai/ | laʻau /laʔau/ | laakau /laːkau/ | ʻakau /ʔakau/ |
| Dog | gelaag /ɡelaːɡu/ | konak /konak/ | pilis /pilis/ | kamea /kamea/ | maile /maile/ | kuli /kuli/ | kulī /kuliː/ |
| Cat | gaatu /ɡaːtu/ | kkááset /kːaːset/ | katuu /katuː/ | katama /katama/ | pusi /pusi/ | pusi /pusi/ | pusi /pusi/ |
| Fish | ig /iːɡe/ | iik /iːk/ | nig /niːɡ/ | ika /ˈika/ | iʻa /iʔa/ | ika /ika/ | ika /ika/ |
| Bird | mal /malʉ/ | machang /matʃaŋ/ | archeʼ /ʔartʃəʔ/ | mannikiba /mannikiba/ | manu /manu/ | manu /manu/ | manupuna /manupuna/ |
| Butterfly | libegibeg /libeɡibeɡ/ | nipwisipwis /nipʷisipʷis/ | taloolbëy /taloːlbəj/ | bwebwe /bʷebʷe/ | pepe /pepe/ | pepe /pepe/ | pepe /pepe/ |
| Egg | siugiun /sʉɡʉn/ | sókkun /səkːun/ | faak /faːk/ | bunnimoa /bunːiˈmoa/ | fuamoa /fuamoa/ | fuamoa /fuamoa/ | foʻi moa /foʔi moa/ |
| Horse | yoas /jɒs/ | arus /arus/ | os /ʔoːs/ | aoti /aosi/ | solofanua /solofanua/ | solofanua /solofanua/ | hoosi /hoːsi/ |
| House | imw /iːmʷe/ | iimw /iːmʷ/ | naʼun /naʔun/ | auti /ˈausi/ | fale /fale/ | fale /fale/ | fale /fale/ |
| Milk | milik /milik/ | milik /milik/ | milik /milik/ | miriki /miɾiki/ | susu /susu/ | susu /susu/ | huʻakau /huʔakau/ |
| Salt | gasiiga /ɡasiːɡa/ | sóón /səːn/ | sool /soːl/ | taoro /taoro/ | masima /masima/ | masima /masima/ | māsima /maːsima/ |
| Wine | waain /waːine/ | wain /wain/ | wayin /wajin/ | wain /wain/ | uaina /uaina/ | uaina /uaina/ | uaine /uaine/ |
| Rice | peraas /peɻaːs/ | rais /ɾais/ | koomëy /koːməj/ | raiti /ɾaisi/ | alaisa /alaisa/ | laisi /laisi/ | laise /laise/ |
| Iron | paarang /paːɻaŋ/ | mecha /metʃa/ | waasëy /waːsəj/ | biti /ˈpisi/ | uʻamea /uʔamea/ | fiti /fiti/ | ukamea /ukamea/ |
| Book | baabiyor /baːbijoɻ/ | puk /puk/ | baabiyor /baːbijor/ | boki /ˈboki/ | tusi /tusi/ | tusi /tusi/ | tohi /tohi/ |
| Eat | mwongo /mʷoŋo/ | mwéngé /mʷeŋːe/ | kay /kaj/ | amwarake /amʷaɾake/ | ʻai /ʔai/ | kai /kai/ | kai /kai/ |
| Drink | iul /ʉlʉ/ | wún /wɨn/ | unum /unum/ | nima /nima/ | inu /inu/ | inu /inu/ | inu /inu/ |
| One | yeta /jeta/ | éét /eːt/ | reb /reb/ | teuana /teuana/ | tasi /tasi/ | tasi /tasi/ | taha /taha/ |
| Two | riuwa /ɻʉwa/ | rúúw /rɨːw/ | lʼagruw /laʔɡruw/ | uoua /uˈoua/ | lua /lua/ | lua /lua/ | ua /ua/ |
| Three | yeli /jeli/ | wúnú /wɨnɨ/ | dalip /daliːp/ | tenua /teˈnua/ | tolu /tolu/ | tolu /tolu/ | tolu /tolu/ |
| Four | fangi /faŋi/ | fáán /faːn/ | aningeg /ʔaniŋeːɡ/ | aua /aua/ | fā /faː/ | fā /faː/ | fā /faː/ |
| Five | lima /lima/ | niim /niːm/ | lalʼ /laːlʼ/ | nimaua /nimaua/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | nima /nima/ |
| Hello | faiisho /faiːʃo/ | ráán annim /raːn annim/ | mogethin /moɡetʰin/ | mauri /mauɾi/ | talofa /talofa/ | taalofa /taːlofa/ | mālō e lelei /maːloː e lelei/ |
| Thank you | — /—/ | kinisou /kinisou/ | kammagar /kamːaɡar/ | ko rabwa /ko ɾabʷa/ | faʻafetai /faʔafetai/ | fakafetai /fakafetai/ | mālō /maːloː/ |
| Good | gach /ɡatʃʉ/ | mwirinné /mʷirinːe/ | feelʼ /feːlʼ/ | raoiroi /ɾaoiɾoi/ | lelei /lelei/ | lei /lei/ | lelei /lelei/ |
| New | feo /fœː/ | ffé /fːe/ | beʼech /beʔetʃ/ | bou /bou/ | fou /fou/ | fou /fou/ | foʻou /foʔou/ |
| Red | cha /tʃa/ | par /par/ | roowroow /roːwroːw/ | uraura /uɾaˈuɾa/ | mūmū /muːmuː/ | kula /kula/ | kulokula /kulokula/ |
| White | besh /beʃe/ | pwechepwech /pʷetʃepʷetʃ/ | wechwech /wetʃwetʃ/ | mainaina /mainaina/ | paʻepaʻe /paʔepaʔe/ | kena /kena/ | hinehina /hinehina/ |
| Black | chochoal /tʃotʃɒl/ | chochol /tʃotʃol/ | talumor /talumor/ | roro /ɾoɾo/ | uliuli /uliuli/ | uli /uli/ | ʻuliʻuli /ʔuliʔuli/ |
| Green | gaaraweraw /ɡaːɻaweɻaw/ | araw /araw/ | giriin /ɡiriːn/ | mawawa /mawawa/ | lanumeamata /lanumeamata/ | lanu lau niu /lanu lau niu/ | lanu mata /lanu mata/ |
| Blue | gaaraweraw /ɡaːɻaweɻaw/ | araw /araw/ | yarraq /jarːaʔ/ | mawawa /mawawa/ | lanumoana /lanumoana/ | lanu moana /lanu moana/ | lanu moana /lanu moana/ |
| Tea | tti /tːi/ | ttii /tːiː/ | tiy /tij/ | ii /iː/ | tī /tiː/ | tī /tiː/ | tī /tiː/ |
| Coffee | koofi /koːfi/ | kofi /kofi/ | koofiy /koːfij/ | kobe /kobe/ | kofe /kofe/ | kofe /kofe/ | kofi /kofi/ |
| Orange | gurugur /ɡuɻuɡuɻu/ | kurukur /kuɾukuɾ/ | goeluugaaw /ɡøluːɡaːw/ | aoranti /aoɾansi/ | moli /moli/ | moli /moli/ | moli /moli/ |
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