Ponapeic languages
Encyclopedia
The Ponapeic languages are a dialect continuum
of Micronesian languages
, conventionally divided into three language
s: Mokilese
, Pingelapese
and Pohnpeian
.
Dialect continuum
A dialect continuum, or dialect area, was defined by Leonard Bloomfield as a range of dialects spoken across some geographical area that differ only slightly between neighboring areas, but as one travels in any direction, these differences accumulate such that speakers from opposite ends of the...
of Micronesian languages
Micronesian languages
The family of Micronesian languages is a branch of the Oceanic languages. It consists of twenty languages, the nineteen Micronesian Proper languages and Nauruan...
, conventionally divided into three language
Language
Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
s: Mokilese
Mokilese language
Mokilese or Mwoakilloan is a Micronesian language originally spoken on Mokil Atoll, Federated States of Micronesia. Of the 1200 Mokilese speakers, only about 500 live on Mokil.-External links:*...
, Pingelapese
Pingelapese language
Pingelapese is a Micronesian language spoken on the Pingelap atoll.It is a language featuring both reduplication and triplication....
and Pohnpeian
Pohnpeian language
Pohnpeian or Ponapean is a Micronesian language spoken mostly on the island of Pohnpei and the Caroline Islands. Pohnpeian has about 22,000 speakers. It is the major language of Pohnpei State . Ngatikese, Pingelapese and Mokilese are counted as dialects of Pohnpeian or as closely related languages...
.