| Proto-Oceanic | |
|---|---|
| POc | |
| Reconstruction of | Oceanic languages |
| Region | Bismarck Archipelago |
| Era | ca. late 2nd millennium BCE |
Reconstructed ancestors | |
| Lower-order reconstructions | |
Proto-Oceanic (abbreviated asPOc) is aproto-language thathistorical linguists sinceOtto Dempwolff have reconstructed as the hypothetical common ancestor of theOceanic subgroup of theAustronesian language family. Proto-Oceanic is a descendant of theProto-Austronesian language (PAN), the common ancestor of the Austronesian languages.
Proto-Oceanic was probably spoken around the late 2nd millennium BCE in theBismarck Archipelago, east ofPapua New Guinea.[1] Archaeologists and linguists currently agree that its community more or less coincides with theLapita culture.
The methodology ofcomparative linguistics, together with the relative homogeneity ofOceanic languages, make it possible to reconstruct with reasonable certainty the principal linguistic properties of their common ancestor, Proto-Oceanic. Like all scientific hypotheses, these reconstructions must be understood as obviously reflecting the state of science at a particular moment in time; the detail of these reconstructions is still the object of much discussion amongOceanicist scholars.
The phonology of POc can be reconstructed with reasonable certainty.[2]Proto-Oceanic had five vowels: *i, *e, *a, *o, *u, with no length contrast.
Twenty-three consonants are reconstructed. When the conventional transcription of a protophoneme differs from its value in theIPA, the latter is indicated:
| Labiovelar | Bilabial | Alveolar | Palatal | Velar | Uvular | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stop | Voiceless | *pw/pʷ/ | *p | *t | *c | *k | *q |
| Prenasalized | *bw/ᵐbʷ/ | *b/ᵐb/ | *d/ⁿd/ | *j/ᶮɟ/ | *g/ᵑɡ/ | ||
| Nasal | *mw/mʷ/ | *m | *n | *ñ/ɲ/ | *ŋ | ||
| Fricative | *s | ||||||
| Rhotic | Flap[3] | *R/ɾ/ | |||||
| Trill | *r | ||||||
| Prenasalized | *dr/ⁿr/ | ||||||
| Lateral | *l | ||||||
| Glide | *w | *y/j/ | |||||
Based on evidence from theSouthern Oceanic andMicronesian languages,Lynch (2003) proposes that the bilabial series may have been phonetically realized aspalatalized:/pʲ//ᵐbʲ//mʲ/.[4]
Many Oceanic languages ofNew Guinea,Vanuatu, theSolomon Islands, andMicronesia areSVO, or verb-medial, languages.SOV, or verb-final, word order is considered to be typologically unusual for Austronesian languages, and is only found in some Oceanic languages of New Guinea and to a more limited extent, the Solomon Islands. This is because SOV word order is very common in some non-AustronesianPapuan languages in contact with Oceanic languages. In turn, mostPolynesian languages, and several languages ofNew Caledonia, have theVSO word order. Whether Proto-Oceanic had SVO or VSO is still debatable.
 | This article shouldspecify the language of its non-English content, using{{langx}},{{transliteration}} for transliterated languages, and{{IPA}} for phonetic transcriptions, with an appropriateISO 639 code. Wikipedia'smultilingual support templates may also be used.See why.(June 2021) |
From the mid-1990s to 2023, reconstructing thelexicon of Proto-Oceanic was the object of theOceanic Lexicon Project, run by scholarsAndrew Pawley,Malcolm Ross and Meredith Osmond.[5] This encyclopedic project produced 6 volumes altogether, allavailable in open access.
In addition,Robert Blust also includes Proto-Oceanic in hisAustronesian Comparative Dictionary (abbr. ACD).[6]
Selected reconstructed Proto-Oceanic terms of various animals from Blust's ACD:
| Proto-Oceanic | Common name | Scientific name |
|---|---|---|
| *bubu₇ | triggerfish | Balistes sp. |
| *sumu | triggerfish | Balistidae |
| *sulik | a fish, thefusilier | Caesionidae sp. |
| *tipi-tipi | butterflyfish | Chaetodon spp. |
| *taŋapa | wrasse | Cheilinus spp. |
| *bolo bolo | small darksurgeonfish | possiblyCtenochaetus |
| *komi | suckerfish / remora | Echeneis naucrates; hold on by biting |
| *kamaRi | a fish, the rainbow runner | Elagatis bipinnulata |
| *piRu-piRu | sailfish | Istiophoridae |
| *kulabo | a fish | Lethrinidae spp. |
| *sabutu; *surup₂; *susul₁; *kasika | a fish, the emperor | Lethrinus spp. |
| *tasiwa | sea perch | Lutjanus sp. |
| *pu-pulan | a white fish, thetarpon;herring | Megalops cyprinoides |
| *tiqo | goatfish | familyMullidae |
| *mwanoRe | unicornfish | Naso unicornis |
| *taRa | short snouted unicornfish | Naso spp. |
| *lau | a fish, the banded sweetlips | Plectorhinchus spp. |
| *lio-lio | brown triggerfish | Pseudobalistes fuscus |
| *kitoŋ | rabbitfish | Siganus punctatus (familySiganidae) |
| *palaja | rabbitfish | Siganus sp. |
| *takua | yellowfin tuna | Thunnus albacares |
| *piRa₂ | sailfin tang | Zebrasoma veliferum |
| Proto-Oceanic | Common name | Scientific name |
|---|---|---|
| *pusiRa | starling | Aplonis spp. |
| *kaRa | maleeclectus parrot | Eclectus roratus |
| *kao | heron | probablyEgretta sp. |
| *kiki₁ | kingfisher | Halcyon spp. |
| *kikau, *kipau | Bismarck scrub fowl | Megapodius eremita |
| *sau | a bird, the Golden Whistler | Pachycephala spp. |
| *takere | a bird, the fantail | Rhipidura sp. |
| *bune | fruit dove | probablyTreron spp. |
| *pwirip | parrot | probablyTrichoglossus sp. |
| Proto-Oceanic | Common name | Scientific name |
|---|---|---|
| *poñu | thegreen turtle | Chelonia mydas |
| *kasi | to scrape; scraper or grater made from circular bivalve shell | Asaphis spp. |
| *buliq₁ | cowrie shell | Cypraea mauritiana |
| *sapulu | bivalve mollusc | possiblyPinna sp. |
Reconstructed Proto-Oceanic terms for horticulture and food plants (other than coconuts):[7]
| Proto-Oceanic | Meaning |
|---|---|
| *mwapo(q) | taro (possibly allAraceae) |
| *talo(s) | taro,Colocasia esculenta |
| *piRaq | giant taro, elephant ear taro,Alocasia macrorrhiza |
| *bulaka | swamp taro,Cyrtosperma merkusii |
| *kamwa | kind of wild taro (?) |
| *qupi | greater yam,Dioscorea alata; yam (generic) |
| *pwatik | potato yam, aerial yam,Dioscorea bulbifera |
| *(s,j)uli(q) | banana or taro sucker, slip, cutting, shoot (i.e. propagation material) |
| *wasi(n) | taro stem (used for planting) |
| *bwaŋo | new leaves or shoots, or taro tops for planting |
| *up(e,a) | taro seedling |
| *pasoq[-i] | to plant (tubers) |
| *kotiŋ | to cut off taro tops |
| Proto-Oceanic | Meaning |
|---|---|
| *pudi | banana,Musa cultivars |
| *joRaga | banana,Australimusa group |
| *sakup | kind of cooking banana: long with white flesh (presumablyEumusa group) |
| Proto-Oceanic | Meaning |
|---|---|
| *topu | sugar cane,Saccharum officinarum |
| *pijo | a kind of edible wild cane or a reed,Saccharum spontaneum |
| *[ka]timun | cucurbit (generic); cucumber,Cucumis sativus |
| *laqia | ginger,Zingiber officinale |
| *yaŋo | turmeric,Curcuma longa |
| *kuluR | breadfruit,Artocarpus altilis |
| *baReqo | breadfruit fruit (?) |
| *padran | pandanus (generic); coastal pandanus,Pandanus tectorius |
| *kiRe | coastal pandanus,Pandanus tectorius |
| *pakum | Pandanus dubius |
| *ima | kind of pandanus with useful leaves |
| *Rabia | sago,Metroxylon spp., mainlyMetroxylon sagu |
| *sag(u) | sago starch |
| *qatop | sago fronds, thatch |
| *talise | Java almond, Indian almond,Terminalia catappa |
| *qipi | Tahitian chestnut, Pacific chestnut,Inocarpus fagifer |
| *[ka]ŋaRi | canarium almond,Canarium spp. |
| *molis | citrus fruit or citrus-like fruit |
| *pau(q) | mango, probablyMangifera indica |
| *wai, *waiwai | mango (generic) |
| *kapika | Malay apple and rose apple,Eugenia spp. |
| *ñonum | Morinda citrifolia |
| *tawan | Pometia pinnata |
| *wasa | edible greens,Abelmoschus manihot |
| *m(w)asoku | wild cinnamon,Cinnamomum spp. |
| *quRis | Polynesian plum, hog plum, Tahitian apple,Spondias cytherea |
| *ñatu(q) | kind of tree with avocado-like fruit and hard wood,Burckella obovata |
| *raqu(p) | New Guinea walnut,Dracontomelon dao |
| *buaq | areca palm,Areca catechu |
| Proto-Oceanic | Meaning |
|---|---|
| *quma | garden |
| *tanoq | soil, earth |
| *poki | to clear ground for planting |
| *sara | to dig a hole |
| *tanum[-i] | to plant |
Reconstructed plant terms fromMalcolm Ross (2008):[8]
| Proto-Oceanic | Meaning |
|---|---|
| *[a]ñuliŋ | Pisonia sp. |
| *aRu | a shore tree,Casuarina equisetifolia |
| *bai-bai(t) | a cycad,Cycas rumphii |
| *[baR]baR | coral tree,Erythrina variegata |
| *bitu(ŋ) | bamboo sp. |
| *botu(ŋ) | large bamboo, presumablyBambusa sp. |
| *buaq | betelnut, areca nut, palm,Areca catechu |
| *drokol | smallDillenia sp. |
| *droRu(ŋ) | Trema orientalis |
| *guRu(n) | sword grass,Imperata cylindrica |
| *[ja]latoŋ | Laportea andDendrocnide spp. |
| *kanawa(n) | Cordia subcordata |
| *[ka]tim(o,u)n | Cucumis spp. (generic?); cucumber,Cucumis sativus |
| *kati(p)al | a palm with black wood,Caryota sp. |
| *kayu | tree or shrub: generic name for plants with woody stems and branches, probably not including palms or tree-ferns; wood, stick |
| *kiRe | coastalPandanus sp., probablyPandanus tectorius |
| *kulapu(R) | Dillenia schlechteri |
| *kuluR | breadfruit,Artocarpus altilis |
| *laqia | ginger,Zingiber officinale (?) |
| *m(ʷ)aso(q)u | wild cinnamon,Cinnamomum sp., probablyCinnamomum xanthoneuron; possibly alsoCananga odorata |
| *malo | paper mulberry,Broussonetia papyrifera; barkcloth, loincloth |
| *naRa | Pterocarpus indicus |
| *ñatuq | Burckella obovata |
| *nini(q) | shrub,Donax cannaeformis |
| *nipaq | Nypa fruticans |
| *niuR | coconut palm and/or fruit,Cocos nucifera |
| *nunuk | fig trees,Ficus taxon |
| *ŋiRac | Pemphis acidula |
| *p(ʷ)atoRu | a cycad,Cycas rumphii |
| *padran | coastal pandanus,Pandanus tectorius; pandanus (generic) |
| *pali[s,j]i | generic term for grasses and other grass-like plants |
| *(p,b)anaRo | Thespesia populnea |
| *para(k) | Zingiberaceae spp. with edible rhizomes |
| *paRu | Hibiscus tiliaceus |
| *pila(q)u | Casuarina equisetifolia |
| *pinu(q)an | Macaranga spp., perhapsMacaranga involucrata |
| *piRaq | giant taro, elephant ear taro,Alocasia macrorrhizos |
| *piRu(q) | fan palm,Licuala sp. |
| *pitaquR | Calophyllum inophyllum |
| *pudi | banana,Musa cultivars |
| *[pu-]pulu | betel pepper,Piper betle |
| *puna | vine used for fish poison, probablyDerris elliptica |
| *putun | Barringtonia asiatica |
| *qa(l,R)a | Ficus sp. |
| *qaramʷaqi | Pipturus argenteus |
| *qasam | fern used for tying and binding,Lygodium circinnatum |
| *(qate-)qate | Wedelia biflora |
| *qauR | bamboo spp. |
| *qipil | a taxon of hardwood trees includingIntsia bijuga andCasuarina equisetifolia |
| *qu(w)e | rattan,Calamus spp. |
| *qupi | greater yam,Dioscorea alata: yam (generic) |
| *Rabia | sago,Metroxylon spp., mainlyMetroxylon sagu (syn.Metroxylon rumphii) |
| *raqu(p) | New Guinea walnut,Dracontomelon dao |
| *rarap | coral tree,Erythrina spp. |
| *talise | Terminalia catappa |
| *talo(s) | taro,Colocasia esculenta |
| *toŋoR | mangrove,Bruguiera spp.; mangroves (generic) |
| *topu | sugarcane,Saccharum officinarum |
| *toRas | a taxon of hardwood trees includingIntsia bijuga (?) |
| *tui | Dolichandrone spathacea |
| *tupa | climbing shrubs,Derris spp. |
| *wai, *waiwai | mango (generic) |
| *walasi | tree sp. with poisonous sap,Semecarpus forstenii |
| *waR[e] | Flagellaria indica |
| *waRoc | generic term for vines and creepers, plants with creeping or climbing growth structure; string, rope |
| Proto-Oceanic | Meaning |
|---|---|
| *[bual]bual | species of palm used for making spears and bows; palm-wood spear or bow, probablyCaryota sp. |
| *dalo | Calophyllum inophyllum |
| *dradrap | Hoya sp. |
| *ima | Pandanus sp. with useful leaves |
| *jasi | Cordia subcordata |
| *kai(k) | Albizia sp. |
| *[ka]ŋaRi | canarium almond,Canarium indicum |
| *lowaŋa | Litsea sp. |
| *pail | Falcataria moluccana |
| *pau(q) | mango,Mangifera sp. (notMangifera indica) |
| *Reqi | sword grass,Imperata cylindrica |
| Proto-Oceanic | Meaning |
|---|---|
| *na[su]-nasu | Scaevola taccada |
| *qayawan | Ficus, strangler fig taxon |
| *tawan[9] | Pometia pinnata |
| *tuRi-tuRi | candlenut tree,Aleurites moluccanus (?) |
| Proto-Oceanic | Meaning |
|---|---|
| *ba(k,g)a | banyan tree, medium-sizedFicus spp., not stranglers |
| *babak | Falcataria moluccana |
| *bala | taxon including variousEuodia spp. (?) |
| *baqun | banana cultivar |
| *baReko | breadfruit |
| *bau | hardwood taxon |
| *bele | Abelmoschus manihot |
| *beta | breadfruit |
| *biRi-biRi | Hernandia nymphaefolia |
| *bosi | a forest tree with white wood, probablyEuodia elleryana |
| *bou | Fagraea spp. |
| *bulu | Garcinia sp., perhapsGarcinia novo-guineensis |
| *b(ʷ)ala | tree fern,Cycas orCyathea sp. |
| *bʷau | bamboo |
| *bʷele | bamboo sp. |
| *bʷera | Musa cultivar |
| *drala | shrub sp.,Vitex trifolia |
| *(dr,d)aRa(q,k)a | wildnutmeg,Myristica sp. |
| *i(u)bu | Corynocarpus cribbianus |
| *iguRa | Ficus sp. with sandpapery leaves, eitherFicus copiosa orFicus wassa or both |
| *ipi | Tahitian chestnut,Inocarpus fagifer |
| *jajal | croton,Codiaeum variegatum |
| *jamaR | Commersonia bartramia |
| *jiRi | taxon consisting ofCordyline fruticosa andDracaena angustifolia |
| *joRaga | banana, Fei (?) cultivars |
| *ka(mʷa)-kamʷa | Ficus sp., perhapsFicus nodosa |
| *ka[(r,l)a]qabusi | Acalypha spp. |
| *kalaka | Planchonella sp. |
| *kapika | Malay apple, rose apple,Syzygium malaccense |
| *karagʷam | seaweed, seagrass |
| *kaRi(q)a | taxon of decorative plants |
| *kaRi(q)ana | Pandanus lamekotensis |
| *kayu qone | Heritiera littoralis |
| *koka | Macaranga spp. |
| *koma(r,R)(o,u) | Endospermum sp. |
| *kopu | bamboo sp. |
| *koRa | wild mango,Mangifera minor |
| *kurat | the dye produced fromMorinda citrifolia |
| *m(ʷ)ase | wild mulberry, paper mulberry,Broussonetia papyrifera |
| *ma(i)tagaR(a) | Kleinhovia hospita |
| *mapuqan | Flueggea flexuosa (?) |
| *maqota | Dysoxylum spp. |
| *maRakita | the putty nut, probablyParinari laurina andParinari glaberrima |
| *maRako | Trichospermum peekelii |
| *mari(a)sapa | Syzygium sp. |
| *molis | citrus fruit or citrus-like fruit, perhapsClymenia polyandra |
| *mʷala(q)u | Glochidion philippicum |
| *mʷalak (?) | spider lily,Crinum asiaticum |
| *mʷaña | Pandanus sp., perhapsPandanus conoideus |
| *mʷapo(q) | taro,Colocasia esculenta |
| *mʷaruqe | Dioscorea sp. or perhaps a cultivar ofDioscorea alata |
| *nipus | Cryptocarya sp. |
| *ñoñu | Morinda citrifolia |
| *olaŋa | Campnosperma brevipetiolatum |
| *pakum | Pandanus dubius |
| *pala(ŋ) | cut nut, bush nut,Barringtonia novae-hiberniae (green variety?) |
| *paliaRua | a vine,Merremia peltata |
| *paqo | Heliconia sp. |
| *paqu | Kleinhovia hospita |
| *pasa(r,R) | Vitex cofassus |
| *pesi | a coastal forest tree, perhapsPongamia pinnata |
| *pi(y)uŋ | Miscanthus floridulus |
| *pijo | cane or reed taxon, includingSaccharum spontaneum |
| *poipoi | Pandanus sp., perhapsPandanus tectorius |
| *poka(q) | variety ofMalay apple |
| *(p,b)oso | kind oftaro |
| *puRe | taxon of beach creepers; perhaps prototypicallyIpomoea grandiflora andIpomoea pes-caprae |
| *pʷa(k,g)e | kind of green vegetable (?) |
| *pʷabosi | free-standing small or medium-sizedFicus sp., probablyFicus wassa |
| *p(ʷ)asa(r,R) | largePandanus sp. |
| *pʷatika | potato yam, aerial yam,Dioscorea bulbifera |
| *p(ʷ)awa(t) | Cerbera spp., probablyCerbera floribunda andCerbera manghas |
| *pʷete | bird's nest fern,Asplenium nidus |
| *pʷi(r,R)a | Cananga odorata |
| *qarop | Premna spp. |
| *qat(V) | Terminalia sp. with edible nut |
| *(q,k)atita | the putty nut, probablyParinari laurina andParinari glaberrima |
| *(q)alipa, *lalipa | nut sp., possibly canarium almond,Canarium sp. (?) |
| *qope | Gyrocarpus americanus |
| *quRis | Spondias cytherea |
| *(quta)quta | grass and weeds (generic) |
| *rabum | grass |
| *Rigi | rosewood,Pterocarpus indicus |
| *sabakap | Alstonia scholaris |
| *sakup | banana cultivar with long fruit (?) |
| *seRa | Ficus sp., perhapsFicus adenosperma |
| *sila | Job's tears,Coix lacryma-jobi |
| *tamanu | Calophyllum sp. |
| *taŋa | Ficus tinctoria |
| *tapi(l) | puzzlenut tree,Xylocarpus granatum (?) |
| *tapoRa | a nut-bearing tree sp. |
| *tawasi | Rhus taitensis |
| *toRu | Cordia subcordata |
| *udu(r,R) | Dioscorea alata cultivar (?) |
| *wasa | Abelmoschus manihot; green vegetables in general |
| *wasi-wasi | Abroma augusta |
| *yaŋo | turmeric,Curcuma longa |
| Proto-Oceanic | Meaning |
|---|---|
| *bara | Macaranga spp. |
| *basi | mango |
| *baul | mangrove,Rhizophora sp. (?) |
| *bʷana | Intsia bijuga |
| *bʷatiq | banana cultivar |
| *gobu | Dioscorea sp. |
| *ka(p)ul | seed yam |
| *kamisa | lesser yam,Dioscorea esculenta |
| *kam(ʷ)apaR | Cryptocarya sp. |
| *kasuwai | mango |
| *kobo | taxon ofMacaranga spp. |
| *kokoi | mushroom sp. |
| *[ku,i]Rim(a,o) | Octomeles sumatrana |
| *lapuka | kind of tree with fruit similar to breadfruit,Parartocarpus venenosa (?) |
| *m(ʷ)ali | Derris sp. |
| *mamisa | lesser yam,Dioscorea esculenta |
| *moke | Pandanus sp. |
| *mʷa(r,R)e | taxon includingCodiaeum variegatum andCordyline fruticosa |
| *nagi | Cordia sp. |
| *(s,j)a(q,k)umu | Pandanus sp. |
| *tabun | Garcinia sp. |
| *tabuqaR | Saccharum edule |
| Proto-Oceanic | Meaning |
|---|---|
| *bakuRa | Calophyllum sp., probablyCalophyllum kajewskii |
| *buka | taxon of littoral trees, includingPisonia spp. andGyrocarpus americanus |
| *bulipa | Ficus sp. |
| *gama | Finschia cloroxantha |
| *(k)a(r,l)adroŋa | Acalypha sp. |
| *koka | tree sp.,Bischofia javanica |
| *mabʷe | Tahitian chestnut,Inocarpus fagifer |
| *melo | Elaeocarpus angustifolius |
| *milo | Thespesia populnea |
| *mʷa(q)ele | a cycad,Cycas rumphii |
| *pakalo, *pʷakala (?) | Hibiscus sp. |
| *paRage | Pangium edule |
| *pinuaq | a nut tree, perhapsCanarium sp. (?) |
| *rako | Heliconia sp., usuallyHeliconia indica |
| *sinu | taxon of shrubs whose sap causes irritation, including species ofPhaleria |
| Proto-Oceanic | Meaning |
|---|---|
| *buavu | Hernandia sp. |
| *maRi | breadfruit |
| *sasaRu | Abelmoschus manihot |
| *vaRo | Neisosperma oppositifolium |
| *vuba | kind of vine, probablyDerris elliptica |
| *wasi-wasi | Sterculia vitiensis |
Selected reconstructed Proto-Oceanic terms of various plants from theAustronesian Comparative Dictionary:[6]
| Proto-Oceanic | Common name | Scientific name |
|---|---|---|
| *kalaqabusi | a shrub | Acalypha sp. |
| *piRaq₂ | wild taro, elephant-ear or itching taro | Alocasia spp. |
| *sabakap | a tree | Alstonia scholaris |
| *putun₁ | a shore tree | Barringtonia spp. |
| *que | rattan | Calamus sp. |
| *pitaquR | a shore tree | Calophyllum inophyllum |
| *kaŋaRi | tree with edible nut, the Canarium almond | Canarium commune |
| *(q)alipa | a nut tree | Canarium sp. |
| *aRu | a shore tree | Casuarina equisetifolia |
| *talos | taro | Colocasia esculenta |
| *toRu | a tree | Cordia subcordata |
| *aŋo | turmeric | Curcuma longa |
| *punat | a plant used to stun fish | Derris elliptica |
| *tupa₂ | fish poison | Derris spp. |
| *pwatika | potato yam, aerial yam | Dioscorea bulbifera |
| *rarap | a tree with dense clusters of red flowers, theIndian coral tree | Erythrina indica |
| *buRat | a tree with sweet-smelling flowers | Fagraea berteroana |
| *pail | a plant | Falcataria moluccana |
| *taŋa₃ | a shrub with edible figs | Ficus tinctoria |
| *baka₂ | kind of banyan tree | Ficus sp. |
| *pwano-pwano | a plant | Guettarda speciosa |
| *paqo | a plant | Heliconia spp. |
| *kuRun; *pitu₂ | sword grass | Imperata cylindrica |
| *ipi₂ | the ‘Tahitian chestnut’ | Inocarpus fagiferus orInocarpus edulis |
| *puRe₂ | beach creepers | includingIpomoea grandiflora andIpomoea pes-caprae |
| *pau | a plant | Kleinhovia hospita |
| *karat₂ | a small stinging plant | perhapsLaportea interrupta |
| *latoŋ, *la-latoŋ, *salatoŋ, *silatoŋ | stinging nettle | Laportea spp. |
| *piRu | fan palm | Licuala rumphii |
| *pinuan | a tree | Macaranga spp. |
| *koka | a tree | Macaranga spp.,Euphorbiaceae |
| *koRa | wild mango | Mangifera minor |
| *paliaRua | a vine | Merremia peltata |
| *gurat | a tree with roots that furnish a red dye | Morinda citrifolia tree |
| *kurat | the dye produced from theMorinda citrifolia | Morinda citrifolia dye |
| *ñoñu | tree with inedible white fruit and root that yields a useful dye | Morinda citrifolia tree |
| *paoq (ʔ) | a tree | Ochrosia oppositifolia |
| *mwaña | pandanus sp. | probablyPandanus conoideus |
| *kiRe | a pandanus | Pandanus odoratissimus; a mat made from the leaves of this plant |
| *katita | putty nut | Parinari laurinum |
| *pu-pulu | betel pepper | Piper betle |
| *pesi | coastal tree | perhapsPongamia pinnata |
| *tawasi | a tree | Rhus taitensis |
| *pijo | kind of reed or cane | includingSaccharum spontaneum |
| *kapika, *kapiku | the Malay apple | Syzygium malaccense |
| *talise₁ | a shore tree with edible nuts | Terminalia catappa |
| *pasa(r,R) | a woody plant or tree | Vitex cofassus |
There are several known reconstructed words evident of material pottery culture among theLapita:[10]
From Lynch, Ross, and Crowley (2002):
a
tau
person
na
ᵐboRok.
pig
*I=kaRat-i=a a tau na ᵐboRok.
3SG=bite-TR=3SG ART person ART pig
'The pig bit a/the person.'
From Ross (2004):
*Au=papa-i=a
natu-mu
child-2SG
i=ua
i
laur.
coast
*Au=papa-i=a natu-mu i=ua i laur.
1SG=carry-TR=3SG child-2SG 3SG=go PREP coast
'I brought your child (to you) to the beach.'
*Ra=sipo
na
waᵑga.
canoe
*Ra=sipo ra=paqus-i=a na waᵑga.
3PL=go.down 3PL=bind-TR=3SG ART canoe
'They went down to bind up the canoe.'
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