Glottolog sira1267 | ISO 639-3 fos | |
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Extinct end of 19th century; revitalization movement Language family AustronesianEast FormosanSiraya | ||
Siraya is a Formosan language spoken until the end of the 19th century by the indigenous Siraya people of Taiwan. Some scholars believe Taivoan and Makatao are two of Siraya dialects, but now more evidences show that they belong to different languages.
Contents
Several Siraya communities have been involved in a Sirayan cultural and language revitalization movement for more than a decade. Through linguistic research and language teaching, the natives are 'awaking' their mother tongue that has been 'dormant' for a century. Today a group of Siraya children in Xinhua District of Tainan particularly in Kou-pei and Chiou Chen Lin area are able to speak and sing in the Siraya language.
Dialects
The Sirayaic languages include three languages or dialects:
However, Li (2009) argues Taivoan and Makatao are two different languages, rather than two dialects of Siraya, based on the latest linguistic observations below:
Based on the discovery, Li attempted two classification trees:
1. Tree based on the number of phonological innovations
2. Tree based on the relative chronology of sound changes
Li (2009) considers the second tree (the one containing the Taivoan–Makatao group) to be the somewhat more likely one.
Phonology
The phonological system of Siraya is speculated by Adelaar (1997) to have the following phonemes.
Consonants (18-20 total)
b d nḡ
p t k
m n ng
l, r
v z
c
[f] s x h
w y
Vowels (7 total)
Diphthongs (6 total)
Palatalization also occurs in many words.
Grammar
Siraya auxiliaries constitute an open class and are placed at the head of the verb phrase (Adelaar 1997).
Pronouns
The Siraya personal pronouns below are from Adelaar (1997).
Function words
The list of function words below is sourced from Adelaar (1997).
Demonstratives
Interrogatives
Negation markers
Other words
Verbs
The following list of Siraya verb affixes is from Adelaar (1997).
See also Proto-Austronesian language for a list of Proto-Austronesian verbal affixes.
Like Bunun and many other Formosan languages, Siraya has a rich set of verbal classifier prefixes.
Numerals
Siraya has a base ten numeral system with the following forms:
Examples
Raman-jan ka ito-tounnoun kow ki vullu-vullum;
Pakou-titik-auh ta nanang-oho,
Pa-irou-au ta pei-sasou-an- oho,
Paamt-au ta kamoei-en-hou, mama tou tounnoun ki vullum, k'ma-hynna tou Naei
Ph'ei -kame wae'i k'atta ki paoul-ian ka mamsing.
Atta-ral-a ki kaeu-itting-en-hou ymiaen-an, mama ka attaral-kame ta ymiaen ki kaeu-itting-'niaen
Ka inei-kame dmyllough tou repung-an, ra haoumi-ei-kame ki littou.
Ka a'mouhou ta pei-sasou-an, ta pei-lpoug-han, ta keirang-en ki kidi tou yhkaquan myd-darynnough,
Amen