Sangiric languages

Phonology

The exact phonetic nature of *R is unclear. Its reflexes are Sangil [r], Sangir, Ratahan [h], Talaud [ʒ ~ k:], Bantik zero. Sneddon speculates that it may have been a coarticulated apical trill with velar friction, which is the usual realization of Sangil [r].

Later sound changes

Many of these sound changes are noticeably similar to those of South Sulawesi languages, spoken on the opposite side of Sulawesi.

• Diphthongs *ey and *ow are still retained in Bantik and Ratahan, and have been monophthongized to e and o elsewhere.
• Coda simplification:
  • All final stops *-p, *-t, *-k are still partially retained in Ratahan (but not *-t > -ʔ) and Talaud, but have been simplified to simple -ʔ elsewhere.
  • Final nasals *-m, *-n and *-ŋ are still retained in Ratahan and Talaud, but have been simplified to -ŋ elsewhere.
  • All other final consonants are subject to paragoge, see below.
• Paragoge:
  • -əʔ in Sangir and Sangil;
  • -Vʔ in Bantik (V represents echo vowel); and
  • -a in Talaud (often preceded by gemination of consonants except ʔ).
  • *uRas → urasəʔ : uhasaʔ : užasa (but geminated in *inum → inumma)
• Reflexes of *R:
  • h in Bantik, Ratahan, and Sangir;
  • r in Sangil; and
  • k when word final or following *ə, and ž elsewhere in Talaud.
• Reflexes of *l;
  • ḷ in Bantik in all positions, and in Sangil and Talaud when not word-final and following back vowels *a, *o, and *u (and before front vowels in Sangil);
  • ∅ in Sangil between back vowels and back vowels; and following back vowels but word final (*V¹l#); and
  • l elsewhere.

Vocabulary

The comparison table (a small selection from Sneddon 1984:61–114) illustrates the correspondences between the Sangiric languages, including inherited vocabulary as well as Sangiric innovations.