Mota language

Mota is an Oceanic language spoken by about 750 people on Mota island, in the Banks Islands of Vanuatu. It is one of the most conservative Torres–Banks languages, and the only one to keep its inherited five-vowel system intact while also preserving most final vowels.[2]

Mota
Native toVanuatu
RegionMota island
Native speakers
750 (2012)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3mtt
Glottologmota1237
ELPMota

Name

The language is named after the island.

History

During the period 1840-1940, Mota was used as a missionary lingua franca throughout areas of Oceania included in the Melanesian Mission, an Anglican missionary agency.[3] Mota was used on Norfolk Island, in religious education; on other islands with different vernacular languages, it served as the language of liturgical prayers, hymns, and some other religious purposes. Elizabeth Fairburn Colenso translated religious material into the language.[3]

Robert Henry Codrington compiled the first dictionary of Mota (1896), and worked with George Sarawia and others to produce a large number of early publications in this language.

Phonology

Mota has 5 phonemic vowels, /i e a o u/. Consonant clusters and final vowels can occur, as in Vatrata "Vera'a" and Qat "name of a god", which originate from the loss of unstressed high vowels.[4]

Front Back
Close i u
Close-mid e o
Open a

Notes
  1. François (2012): 88).
  2. Linguistic map of north Vanuatu, showing range of Mota.
  3. Transcribed by the Right Reverend Dr. Terry Brown (2007). "ELIZABETH COLENSO: Her work for the Melanesian Mission; by her eldest granddaughter Francis Edith Swabey 1956". Retrieved 5 December 2015.
  4. François (2005:445, 460).

References


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