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From: John Cowan <cowan@ccil.org>
Subject: Polynesian [t] -> [k] (was: universal characteristics ...)
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Lee Sau Dan ~{@nJX6X~} wrote:
> 
> >>>>> "John" == John Cowan <cowan@ccil.org> writes:
> 
>     John> AFAIK, there is a wave of change affecting the Polynesian
>     John> languages that transforms [t] -> [k].
> 
> Why is  there such a common trend  in  the Polynesian languages?  This
> shouldn't  be a coincidence.   Are there any  theories explaining this
> trend?

Damned if I know.  But the Polynesian languages are very close
indeed, close enough to be called "dialects" until fairly recently
(I'm no Austronesianist, so I'm not up on the whys and wherefores.)
I used the word "wave" deliberately, though: the further west
the island, the more complete is the change.

-- 
John Cowan						cowan@ccil.org
			e'osai ko sarji la lojban
