Languages formosanes

The languages formosanes are, with the Austronesian Langues, one of the two groups of languages training the family austronésien. They are spoken by the Aborigènes about Taiwan, which account for approximately 2% of the population of the island. One estimates now that Taiwan is the cradle of all the other languages austronésiennes, because of linguistic diversity and the archaism of the spoken languages austronésiennes at Taiwan.

This archaism of the languages of Taiwan (in particular those of north, represented by the group Atayal ic, the seediq and the Tsou) encourages the majority of the researchers to see in this island the cradle of the languages austronésiennes. Archaeological research and the cultural comparison revealing narrow affinity between Taiwan and the continent close since the beginning to the settlement of the island (about the fifth front millenium J. - C.) however make it possible to conclude now that its inhabitants of it were originating. What makes it possible to deduce from it that the true initial cradle of the languages austronésiennes is to be sought on the Eastern littorial current China, undoubtedly in the mouth of the river Yangzi where the culture of Hemudu flowered. They is there that seems to be invented the boats with beam, the dwellings on Piloti S, the domestication of the pig and other elements characteristic of civilization austronésienne " classique".

The family Austronésien does not gather more than 1.200 languages and speeches in a surface going of Taiwan to the New Zealand and Hawaii and the Easter Island until Madagascar.

Classification

According to the criteria, one counts some 20 distinct languages formosanes:

the atayalic Languages, of which the Atayal and the Taroko or seediq
the Friendly Bunun
the
the Basay
the Kavalan
the Siraya
the Paiwan
the Papora
the Pazeh
the Saisiyat
the Puyuma
the Rukai
the tsouic Languages: the Tsou, the Saaroa, the Kanakanabu
the Babuza
the Thao
the Ketangalan.

ethonologue.com classifies these languages in 11 branches distinct from the austronésienne family:

1) Atayalique:

Atayal
Taroko

2) Bunun

3) Eastern Formosan:

Central:

Nataoran
Friendly

Northern:

Basay
Kavalan

: Siraya

4) Formosan or ic Paiwan:

Papora-hoanya
Kulon-pazeh.

5) Formosan of the North-West: Saisiyat

6) Paiwan

7) Puyuma

8) Rukai

9) Tsouique:

Saaroa
Tsou
Kanakanabu

10) Western plains:

Central: Babuza
Thao

11) Not classified: Ketangalan.

The Austronesian Langues would form one 12th branch of the languages austronésiennes.

Many are the languages formosanes which already disappeared, and the fate of some remaining languages is hardly enviable; much is in process of extinction, number of young aboriginals speaking only the Mandarin.

History

The autochtones had to arrive at Taiwan 5.000 years ago since the littoral of China of the South, where they practiced already the culture of the millet and rice.

The Chinese of Taiwan speak about the dialects Hakka and the southernmost min. China started to only manage really the island in 1683, date on which it places a governor. Of 1895 with 1945, Taiwan was occupied by the Japan board. After 1945. the languages formosanes were subject to a new influence of the Chinese languages, in particular of Mandarin from now on official language.

The majority of the languages formosanes were influenced with various degrees by these languages, particularly by the Japanese. Nowadays, they yield little by little in front of Mandarin culturally dominating, but for a few years, the Taiwanese government has founded a program of rehabilitation of the culture of the autochtones including the introduction of the languages formosanes to the school.

See also: Indigenous of Taiwan ~ Austronesian Languages

External bonds

Vocabulary formosan
a proposal of genetic card
Project of linguistic files of the academy of Sinica
Languages Austronésiennes
http://ecai.org/austronesiaweb/

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