Penrhyn language

The Penrhyn language is a Cook Islands Maori dialectal variant[2] belonging to the Polynesian language family spoken by about 200 people on Penrhyn Island and other islands in the Northern Cook Islands.[3] It is considered to be an endangered language as many of its users are shifting to Cook Islands Māori and English.

Penrhyn
Mangarongaro, Penrhynese, Tongareva
tongareva
Native toCook Islands
RegionPenrhyn Island, Northern Cook Islands
Native speakers
200 (2011 census)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3pnh
Glottologpenr1237
ELPPenrhyn

Phonology
Main article: Cook Islands Maori § Writing system and pronunciation

Alphabet

A, E, H, I, K, M, N, Ng, O, P, R, T, U, V[4]

Long vowels are written with a macron.

Consonants
Consonants in Penrhyn
Labial Alveolar Velar Glottal
Nasal mnŋ ⟨ng⟩
Stop ptk
Fricative (f) vsh
Liquid l ⟨r⟩

Tongareva is one of the few Cook Islands languages without a glottal stop [ʔ]. There is allophonic voicing of stops present. [f] is present in loanwords from languages like Rakahanga-Manihiki language.[5]

Grammar
Main article: Cook Islands Maori § Grammar

References
  1. Penrhyn at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. Te Reo Maori Act 2003 – via www.paclii.org
  3. "Penrhyn". Ethnologue. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  4. "Penrhyn Dictionary - Dictionary of Cook Islands Languages". penrhyn.cookislandsdictionary.com.
  5. "Penrhyn (Tongareva)". Dictionary of Cook Islands Languages. Suva: The University of the South Pacific.


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