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Types of possession

From:Roger Mills <rfmilly@...>
Date:Tuesday, November 9, 2004, 17:17
Alienable - inalienable - edible - drinkable

It turns out that aside from Fijian, at least one other Melanesian language
makes these 4 distinctions-- Mwotlap of Vanuatu (formerly spelled Motlap
IIRC).

It is the specialty of a French scholar, Alex Francois, whose websites (both
in French) appeared in a post to AN-Lang--

http://lacito.vjf.cnrs.fr/personnel/francois.htm (his CV, with extensive
bibliography)

http://perso.wanadoo.fr/motalava/  (the language)

I skimmed thru the latter just long enough to note the possession; the four
numbers sing. dual trial plural, and two items of phonological interest--
the language has _labialized labio-velar_ phonemes [kpw)] with corresponding
nasal [Nmw)] (the initial sound in the name Mwotlap).

It's one of those Austronesian languages that are just barely recognizable
as such.