This article describes the personal pronoun systems of various Austronesian languages.
Proto-languages The Proto-Austronesian and Proto-Malayo-Polynesian personal pronouns below were reconstructed by Robert Blust.Blust, Robert A. 2009. The Austronesian Languages. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University. , .
+Proto-Austronesian and Proto-Malayo-Polynesian Pronouns Type of Pronoun English Proto-Austronesian Proto-Malayo-Polynesian 1s. "I" *i-aku *i-aku 2s. "you" *i-(ka)Su *i-kahu 3s. "he/she/it" *si-ia *si-ia 1p. (inclusive) "we (and you)" *i-(k)ita *i-(k)ita 1p. (exclusive) "we (but not you)" *i-(k)ami *i-(k)ami 2p. "you all" *i-kamu *i-kamu, ihu 3p. "they" *si-ida *si-ida
In 2006, Malcolm Ross also proposed seven different pronominal categories for persons. The categories are listed below, with the Proto-Austronesian first person singular ("I") given as examples.Ross, Malcolm (2006). Reconstructing the case-marking and personal pronoun systems of Proto Austronesian. In Henry Y. Chang and Lillian M. Huang and Dah-an Ho, eds, Streams Converging into an Ocean: Festschrift in Honor of Professor Paul Jen-kuei Li on His 70th Birthday, 521-564. Taipei: Institute of Linguistics, Academia Sinica. Neutral (e.g., PAN *i-aku) Nominative 1 (e.g., PAN *aku) Nominative 2 (e.g., PAN *=ku, *[S]aku) Accusative (e.g., PAN *i-ak-ən) Genitive 1 (e.g., PAN *=[a]ku) Genitive 2 (e.g., PAN *(=)m-aku) Genitive 3 (e.g., PAN *n-aku)
The following is from Ross' 2002 proposal of the Proto-Austronesian pronominal system, which contains five categories, including the free (i.e., independent or unattached), free polite, and three genitive categories.
+Proto-Austronesian Personal Pronouns Free Free polite Genitive 1 Genitive 2 Genitive 3 1s. *[i-]aku - *=ku *maku *n-aku 2s. *[i-]Su *[i-]ka-Su *=Su *miSu *ni-Su 3s. *s(i)-ia - (*=ia) - *n(i)-ia 1p. (excl.) *i-ami *[i-]k-ami *=mi *mami *n(i)-ami 1p. (incl.) *([i])ita *[i-]k-ita *=ta *mita *n-ita 2p. *i-amu *[i-]k-amu *=mu *mamu *n(i)-amu 3p. *si-da - (*=da) - *ni-da
Formosan languages
Rukai Below are Rukai pronouns from Zeitoun (1997). Paul Jen-kuei Li's classification of Rukai dialects is given for reference.
Rukai Mantauran (萬山 Wanshan) – 250-300 speakers (Main branch) Maga-Tona Maga (馬加 Majia) Tona (多納 Duona) Budai-Tanan (Rukai Proper) Budai (霧台 Wutai) Tanan (大南 Danan)
+Mantauran Rukai Personal Pronouns Type of Pronoun Topic Nominative Oblique Genitive 1s. iɭaə -ɭao, nao- -i-a-ə -li 2s. imiaʔə -moʔo i-miaʔ-ə -ʔo 3s. (vis.) ana - -i-n-ə -(n)i 3s. (not vis.) ðona - -i-ð-ə -ða 1p. (incl.) imitə, ita -mita, -ta -i-mit-ə -ta 1p. (excl.) inamə -nai -i-nam-ə -nai 2p. inomə -nomi -i-nom-ə -nomi 3p. (vis.) ana-lo - -i-l-i-n-ə -l-i-ni 3p. (not vis.) ðona-lo - -i-l-i-ð-ə -l-i-ða
+Budai Rukai Personal Pronouns Type of Pronoun Topic Nominative Oblique Genitive 1s. kunaku -(n)aku, naw- nakuanə -li 2s. kusu -su musuanə -su 3s. (vis.) kuini - inianə -ini 3s. (not vis.) kuiɖa - - - 1p. (incl.) kuta -ta mitaanə -ta 1p. (excl.) kunai -nai naianə -nai 2p. kunumi -numi, -nu numianə -numi 3p. (vis.) kuini - inianə -ini 3p. (not vis.) kuiɖa - - -
+Maga Rukai Personal Pronouns Type of Pronoun Topic Nominative Oblique Genitive 1s. i kɨkɨ ku-, kɨkɨ ŋkua -li 2s. i musu su-, musu sua -su 3s. (vis.) i kini kini nia -ini 3s. (not vis.) i kiɖi kiɖi ɖia -ɖa 1p. (incl.) i miti ta-, miti mitia -ta 1p. (excl.) i knamɨ namɨ-, knamɨ nmaa -namɨ 2p. i mumu mu-, mumu mua -mu 3p. (vis.) i kini kini nia -ini 3p. (not vis.) i kiɖi kiɖi ɖia -ɖa
Tsouic The personal pronouns below are from the Tfuya dialect of Tsou, and are sourced from Zeitoun (2005:277).Zeitoun, Elizabeth. 2005. "Tsou." In Adelaar, K. Alexander and Nikolaus Himmelmann, eds. 2005. The Austronesian languages of Asia and Madagascar. Psychology Press. Note that third-person pronouns are distinguished between those that are visible (abbreviated vis. below) or non-visible.
+Tfuya Tsou Personal Pronouns Type of Pronoun Free(neutral) Bound(nominative) Bound(genitive) 1s. a'o -'o/-'u -'o/-'u 2s. suu -su/-ko -su/-ko 3s. (vis.) taini -ta -taini 3s. (not vis.) ic'o - -si 1p. (incl.) a'ati -to -to 1p. (excl.) a'ami -mza -mza 2p. muu -mu -mu 3p. (vis.) hin'i -hin'i -hin'i 3p. (not vis.) hee - -he
Northwestern Formosan
Pazeh The Pazeh personal pronouns below are from Li (2000). (Note: vis. = visible, prox. = proximal)
+Pazeh Personal Pronouns Type of Pronoun Neutral Nominative Genitive Locative 1s. yaku aku naki yakuan, yakunan 2s. isiw siw nisiw isiwan 2s. (prox.) imini mini nimini iminiyan 3s. (vis.) imisiw misiw nimisiw misiwan 3s. (not vis.) isia sia nisia isiaan 1p. (incl.) ita ta nita (ta-) itaan 1p. (excl.) yami ami nyam(i) yamian, yaminan 2p. imu mu nimu imuan 2p. (prox.) yamini amini naamini yaminiyan 3p. (vis.) yamisiw amisiw naamisiw yamisiwan 3p. (not vis.) yasia asia naasia yasiaan
Saisiyat Saisiyat has an elaborate pronominal system (Hsieh & Huang 2006:93).
+Saisiyat Pronouns Type of Pronoun Nominative Accusative Genitive Dative Possessive Locative 1s. yako, yao yakin, iyakin ma'an 'iniman 'amana'a kanman 2s. So'o 'iso'on niSo 'iniSo 'anso'o'a kanSo 3s. sia hisia nisia inisia 'ansiaa kansia 1p. (incl.) 'ita 'inimita mita' 'inimita' 'anmita'a kan'ita 1p. (excl.) yami 'iniya'om niya'om 'iniya'om 'anya'oma kanyami 2p. moyo 'inimon nimon 'inimon 'anmoyoa kanmoyo 3p. lasia hilasia nasia 'inilasia 'anlasiaa kanlasia
Thao The Thao personal pronouns below are from Blust (2003:207). Note that there is only 1 form each for "we (exclusive)," "you (plural)" and "they."
+Thao Personal Pronouns Type of Pronoun Nominative Accusative Genitive 1s. yaku yakin nakPAN *ni-ku 2s. ihu ihu-n m-ihuPAN *ni-Su 3s. cicu cicu-n cicuPAN *ni-a 1p. (incl.) ita ita-n m-ita 1p. (excl.) yamin yamin yamin 2p. maniun maniun maniun 3p. caycuy caycuy caycuy
Favorlang The following Favorlang personal pronouns are from Li (2003:8). All of them are free forms. All genitive pronouns end with -a.
+Favorlang Personal Pronouns Type of Pronoun Neutral Genitive Nominative/Accusative 1s. ka-ina na-a ina 2s. ijonoë joa, oa ijo 3s. icho choa icho 1p. (incl.) torro torroa - 1p. (excl.) namono namoa namo 2p. imonoë imoa imo 3p. aicho-es dechonoë choa decho
Atayalic The Wulai and Mayrinax Atayal personal pronouns below are sourced from Huang (1995). In both varieties, the nominative and genitive forms are bound while the neutral and locative ones are free (unbound).
Wulai Atayal +Wulai Atayal Personal Pronouns Type of Pronoun Nominative Genitive Locative Neutral 1s. sakuʔ, kuʔ makuʔ, mu, kuʔ knan kuzing, kun 2s. suʔ suʔ sunan isuʔ 3s. - nyaʔ hiyan hiyaʔ 1p. (incl.) taʔ taʔ itan itaʔ 1p. (excl.) sami myan sminan sami 2p. simu mamu smunan simu 3p. - nhaʔ hgan hgaʔ
Mayrinax Atayal +Mayrinax Atayal Personal Pronouns Type of Pronoun Nominative Genitive Neutral 1s. cu, ciʔ mu, miʔ kuing 2s. suʔ, siʔ suʔ isuʔ 3s. - niaʔ hiyaʔ 1p. (incl.) taʔ, tiʔ taʔ, tiʔ itaʔ 1p. (excl.) cami niam cami 2p. cimu mamu cimu 3p. - nhaʔ nhaʔ
Teruku Seediq +Teruku Seediq Personal PronounsTsukida, Naomi. 2005. "Seediq." In Adelaar, K. Alexander and Nikolaus Himmelmann, eds. 2005. The Austronesian languages of Asia and Madagascar. Psychology Press. Type of Pronoun Direct Oblique Independent possessive Subject Genitive 1s. yaku kenan (ne-)naku =ku =mu 2s. isu sunan (ne-)nisu =su =su 3s. hiya hiyaan ne-hiya - =na 1p. (incl.) 'ita tenan (ne-)nita =ta =ta 1p. (excl.) yami menani (ne-)nami =nami =nami 2p. yamu munan (ne-)namu =namu =namu 3p. dehiya dehiyaan ne-dehiya- =deha
East Formosan
Siraya The Siraya personal pronouns below are from Adelaar (1997).
+Siraya Personal Pronouns Type of Pronoun Free Actor or Possessive Topic Oblique 1s. ĭau -(m)au -koh ĭau-an 2s. ĭmhu -(m)uhu, -(m)oho -kow ĭmhu-an 3s. teni tĭn teni tĭni-än (tĭni-an) 1p. (incl.) ĭmĭtta -(m)ĭtta, -(m)eta -kĭtta ĭmittä-n 1p. (excl.) ĭmi-an -(m)ian, -(m)iän -kame mian-än (mian-an) 2p. ĭmumi -(m)umi (-)kamu ĭmumi-än (ĭmumi-an) 3p. ta neini nein neini neini-än (neini-an)
Taivoan The Taivoan personal pronouns:Tsuchida, Shigeru; Yamada, Yukihiro; Moriguchi, Tsunekazu. Linguistics Materials of the Formosan Sinicized Populations I: Siraya and Basai. 東京: The University of Tokyo, Department of Linguistics. 1991-03.李壬癸. 新港文書研究. 中央研究院語言學研究所. 2010: 1–12. . +Taivoan Personal PronounsType of PronounIndependentNominativeGenitiveOblique1s.iaukurikuiyaw-an2s.imhoko(m)hoimho-an3s.tenita tenitintini-an1p. (incl.)imitakita(m)itaimita-n1p. (excl.)imiankame(m)ianimian-an2p.imomikamo(m)omiimomi-an3p.nainita nainininnaini-an
Kavalan The Kavalan personal pronouns below are from Li (2006:30).Paul Jen-kuei Li (李壬癸) and Shigeru Tsuchida (土田滋) (2006) Kavalan Dictionary . Language and Linguistics Monograph Series A-19. .
+Kavalan Personal Pronouns Type of Pronoun Nominative Genitive Oblique Locative 1s. aiku, =iku zaku, -ku timaiku tamaikuan 2s. aisu, =isu zasu, -su timaisu tamaisuan 3s. aizipna tiyau zana, -na timaizipna tiyau tamaizipan tiyauan 1p. (incl.) aita, =ita zata, -ta, -kita timaita tamaitan 1p. (excl.) aimi, =imi zanyaq, -nyaq timaimi tamaimian 2p. aimu, =imu zanumi, -numi timaimu tamaimuan 3p. qaniyau zana, -na qaniyau taqaniyauan
Basay The Basay personal pronouns below are from Li (1999:639).Li, Paul Jen-kuei (1999). Subgrouping, circularity and extinction: Some issues in Austronesian comparative linguistics. In Zeitoun, E., & Li, P. J-K., Selected Papers From the 8th International Conference on Austronesian Linguistics. Taipei, Taiwan: Academica Sinica.
+Basay Personal Pronouns Type of Pronoun Neutral Nominative Genitive Oblique 1s. yaku kaku, -ku maku-, -aku; naku, -ak yakuan, kuan, kuanan 2s. isu kisu, -su misu, -isu; nisu, -su ~ -is isuan, suan, isuanan, suanan 3s. - -ia - - 1p. (incl.) mita kita, -ita mita, -ita; nita, -ta ... , ... , tianan 1p. (excl.) yami -mi yami, -ami; nami, -am yamian, mian, mianan 2p. imu kimu, -mu -imu; nimu, -im imuan, ... , imuanan 3p. - -ia - -
Bunun Takivatan Bunun personal pronoun roots are (De Busser 2009:453):De Busser, Rik. 2009. Towards a Grammar of Takivatan: Selected Topics. PhD dissertation at the Research Centre for Linguistic Typology, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia. 1s: -ak- 2s: -su- 3s: -is- 1p (incl.): -at- 1p (excl.): -ðam- 2p: -(a)mu- 3p: -in-
The tables of Takivatan Bunun personal pronouns below are sourced from De Busser (2009:441).
+Takivatan Bunun Personal Pronouns Type of Pronoun Root Foc. Agent(bound) Non-Foc. Agent(bound) Neutral Foc. Agent Locative Possessive 1s. -ak- -(ʔ)ak -(ʔ)uk ðaku, nak sak, saikin ðakuʔan inak, ainak, nak 2s. -su- -(ʔ)as - suʔu, su - suʔuʔan isu, su 1p. (incl.) -at- - - mita ʔata, inʔata mitaʔan imita 1p. (excl.) -ðam- -(ʔ)am - ðami, nam ðamu, sam ðamiʔan inam, nam 2p. -(a)mu- -(ʔ)am - muʔu, mu amu muʔuʔan imu, mu
+Takivatan Bunun Third-Person Personal Pronouns Singular Plural [Root] -is- -in- Proximal isti inti Medial istun intun Distal ista inta
Iskubun Bunun personal pronouns are somewhat different (De Busser 2009:454). +Iskubun Bunun Personal Pronouns Type of Pronoun Agent Undergoer Possessive 1s. saikin, -ik ðaku, -ku inak, nak 2s. kasu, -as su isu, su 3s. saia saiʤa isaiʤa, saiʤa 1p. (incl.) kata, -ta mita imita 1p. (excl.) kaimin, -im ðami inam 2p. kamu, -am mu imu 3p. naia inaiʤa naiʤa
Paiwan The Kuɬaɬau Paiwan personal pronouns below are from Ferrell (1982:14).
+Paiwan Personal Pronouns Type of Pronoun Equational Genitive Non-Eq., Non-Gen. 1s. -aken, ti-aken ku-, ni-aken tjanu-aken 2s. -sun, ti-sun su-, ni-sun tjanu-sun 3s. ti-madju ni-madju tjai-madju 1p. (incl.) -itjen, ti-tjen tja-, ni-tjen tjanu-itjen 1p. (excl.) -amen, ti-amen nia-, ni-amen tjanu-amen 2p. -mun, t-mun nu-, ni-mun tjanu-mun 3p. ti-a-madju ni-a-madju tjai-a-madju
Puyuma The Nanwang Puyuma personal pronouns below are from Teng (2008:61-64).