Harman Patil (Editor)

Favorlang language

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Native to
  
Taiwan

Glottolog
  
None

ISO 639-3
  
bzg (with Babuza)

Extinct
  
(documented mid-17th century)

Language family
  
Austronesian Northern Formosan Western Plains Favorlang

Favorlang is an extinct Formosan language closely related to Babuza.

Contents

Although Favorlang is considered by Taiwanese linguist Paul Jen-kuei Li to be a separate language, it is nevertheless very closely related to Babuza. In fact, the name Favorlang is derived from Babuza. Alternatively, Favorlang may also have represented a dialect of Babuza at an earlier stage, since Favorlang was documented in the mid-17th century, while Babuza was documented only around the turn of the 20th century by Japanese linguists.

Phonology

Favorlang has gone through the following sound changes. Except for the *t, *s, *Z > /t/ merger, all of these sound changes are shared by the five Western Plains languages Taokas, Babuza, Papora, Hoanya, and Thao.

  1. Merger of PAn *n and *ŋ as /n/
  2. Merger of *t, *s, *Z as /t/
  3. Merger of *N and *S1 as /s/
  4. Complete loss of *k, *q, *H
  5. Partial loss of *R, *j, including the loss of final *-y and *-w
  6. *s (in initial and medial positions) > /t/

Syntax

Case markers include:

  • ja 'nominative marker'
  • ta 'personal name marker'
  • o, no 'oblique (genitive and accusative, common noun)'
  • i 'oblique (personal noun)'
  • de 'locative'
  • i 'directional'

    • Agent-focus verbal affixes include:

    Agent-focus
  • -um- ~ -umm- (after consonant-initial verb stems) or um- ~ umm- (before vowel-initial verb stem except i-)
  • -im-, -em- (lexically conditioned)
  • m-
  • p-
    • Past tense (AF)
  • -in-umm-, in-umm
  • m-in-
  • -in-
    • Future tense (AF)
  • Reduplication of the first stem syllable
    • Imperative (AF)
  • -a

    • Non-agent-focus verbal affixes are:

  • -an 'locative focus'
  • -en, -in, -n 'patient focus'
  • ipa- ... -a 'imperative (non-agent-focus)'
  • -in-, in- 'past tense (non-agent-focus)'
  • ino- 'future tense (non-agent-focus)'

    • When -in- and -umm- appear together in a word, -in- usually precedes -um- ~ -umm-, as in Ilokano, Bontok, and some Dusunic languages in Sabah (Rungus Dusun and Kimaragang Dusun). Occasionally, -umm- precedes -in- in several Favorlang lexical forms, but this is not very common.

    Pronouns

    All of the following personal pronouns are free forms. All genitive pronouns end with -a.

    Examples

  • Namoa tamau tamasea paga de boesum, ipa-dass-a joa naan.
  • Our father, which art in Heaven, let Thy Name be praised!
  • Ka-ina paga ta Jehova oa Deosoe, tamasea pina-ijor ijo....
  • I am the Lord, thy God, who led thee....

    • Namoa tamau tamasea paḡa de boesum,
    Ipádassa joa naan.
    Ipáṣaija joa chachimit o ai.
    Ipa-i-jorr'o oa airab maibas de boesum, masini de ta channumma.
    Epé-e namo-no pia-dai torro uppo ma-atsikap.
    Ṣo-o abó-e namo tataap o kakossi namoa,
    maibas channumma namo mabo tamasea parapies i namo.
    Hai pásabas i namo, ṣo-o barra'i namo innai rapies ai.
    Inau joa micho chachimit o ai, ṣo-o barr'o ai, ṣo-o adas ai, taulaulan,
    Amen.

    References

    Favorlang language Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA