HOW TO RECONSTRUCT PROTOMELANAU BUYA BECAUSE

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Comparative Reconstruction

• HOW TO RECONSTRUCT PROTO-MELANAU BUYA? BECAUSE

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First step reconstruct slots
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Next steps reconstruct allophones

• In the 334 word list, how much support can be
  adduced for
• word-initial PM b-
• penultimate u
• intervocalic -y-
• ultimate a before a final consonant
• word-final ?

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Principle

• Reconstruction proceeds by the method of amassing
  evidence for every allophone posited for the
  proto-language.
• A vocabulary item is reconstructed whole only
  when every allophone is supported by evidence.

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RECONSTRUCTION OF RECURRING PARTIALS

• In other cases, an item may be only partially
  reconstructed, as in the case of suspected
  ablaut.
• (See Melanau_Morphology.ppt for copious
  examples.)

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One more thing to watch out for ...
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Discussion question
Whats wrong with this picture?
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Questions ??