Neveʻei (), also known as Vinmavis, is an Oceanic language of central Malekula, Vanuatu.Musgrave 2007, p. 3 There are around 500 primary speakers of Neveʻei and about 750 speakers in total.
Neveʻei was described for the first time by Jill Musgrave, in a monograph published in 2007: A grammar of Neveʻei, Vanuatu. This book is the source for the data and analyses below.
Name of the language The traditional name of the language, which is recognized by older speakers, is Neveʻei. However, the majority of younger speakers of Neveʻei do not use the traditional name and some are not even aware of it. Native speakers commonly refer to their language as Nabusian teget which literally means “our language” and in Bislama the language (Neveʻei) is called Lanwis Vinmavis “the language of Vinmavis”. Neveʻei is the traditional name for the language; Vinmavis is the name of one of the villages in which the language is spoken in (Lynch and Crowley 2001:83).See ISO 639-3, 2008, Change Request Number 2008-012.
Phonology Phoneme inventory Neveʻei contains 5 vowels and 20 consonants:
+ Vowel phonemesMusgrave 2007, p. 12FrontBackHigh Mid Low
+ Consonant phonemesMusgrave 2007, p. 6. Labio-velar Labial Alveolar Velar Glottal Nasal Stop Voiceless Voiced Fricative Lateral Flap Glide
By comparison with other languages of the world, such a phoneme inventory classifies Neveʻei in the average range regarding vowels (5-6) as well as regarding consonants (22 ± 3). The consonant-vowel ratio classifies Neveʻei in the low band.
Phoneme properties The table above indicates that the segments /t/, /k/ and /ʔ/ can be understood as voiceless stops at the alveolar, velar and glottal positions of articulation (Musgrave, 2007, p. 6). The segment /t/ can be understood as a voiceless alveolar stop in each position: initial, medial and final. For example, (Musgrave, 2007, p. 6): /tabin/ [taᵐbɪn] 'grandfather' /nebat/ [neᵐbat] 'vine variety' /atl/ [atl] 'third'
The segment /k/ can be understood as a voiceless velar stop (Musgrave, 2007, p. 7). It rarely appears with non-borrowed lexical root forms and is only found within the root /niaɾekaʔa-n/ 'fin-CONST' (Musgrave, 2007, p. 7).
The segment /ʔ/ can be understood as a glottal stop and appears in all positions, for example (Musgrave, 2007, p. 7): /ʔaʔan/ [ʔaʔan] 'eat' /nibiʔiŋ/ [nɪᵐbiʔɪŋ] 'giant turban snail' /bʷebaʔ/ [ᵐbʷeᵐbaʔ] 'hide' The segments /bʷ/, /b/, /d/ and /g/ are voiced stops at the labio-velar, bilabial, alveolar and velar positions of articulation (Musgrave, 2007, p. 7). The labio-velar stop /bʷ/ can be understood as a prenasalised bilabial stop that is voiced, involving the rounding of lips and an audible labio-velar, semi-vowel offset (Musgrave, 2007, p. 7). It can be identified in initial as well as medial positions, for example (Musgrave, 2007, p. 7): /bʷi-/ [ᵐbʷi-] '3SG.IRR (verbal prefix)' /abʷit-/ [aᵐbʷɪt-] '2/3PL.IRR (verbal prefix)' /nebʷelegen/ [neᵐbʷeleᵑgen] 'thigh' The bilabial stop /b/ can be understood as a prenasalised stop that is voiced [ᵐb] found in initial and medial positions, for example (Musgrave, 2007, p. 7): /baxah/ [ᵐbaxah ~ ᵐbaɣah] 'clean' /nubuah/ [nuᵐbu(w)ah] 'pig' The segment /d/ is an alveolar stop that differs from other prenasalised stops in that it can be found in all positions (initial, medial and final) (Musgrave, 2007, p. 7). In initial and medial positions, it appears as a prenasalised voiced stop [ⁿd]. Examples include (Musgrave, 2007, p. 7): /doŋon/ [ⁿdoŋon] 'count' /dedan/[ⁿdeⁿdan] 'dive, swim underwater' The phonetic variations of [ⁿd], [ⁿt], [ndɾ] and [nɾ] can be found when /d/ occurs in final position (Musgrave, 2007, p. 7). Examples include (Musgrave, 2007, p. 7): /minsed/ [mɪntʃeⁿd ~ mɪntʃeⁿt ~ mɪntʃeⁿdɾ ~ mɪntʃenɾ] /netarbad/ [netaɾᵐbaⁿd ~ netaɾᵐbaⁿt ~ netaɾᵐbaⁿdɾ ~ netaɾᵐbanɾ] Finally, the velar stop /g/ can be understood as a voiced homorganic prenasalised stop [ᵑg] which can be found in initial and medial positions, for example (Musgrave, 2007, p. 7-8): /gis/ [ᵑgɪs] 'squash, squeeze' /gegeɾah/ [ᵑgeᵑgeɾah]'drag, pull' The following phonemes /mʷ/, /m/, /n/ and /ŋ/ are voiced nasals occurring at the labio-velar, bilabial, alveolar and velar positions of articulation (Musgrave, 2007, p. 8). The phoneme /mʷ/ appears in initial and medial positions, involving the rounding of lips and an audible labio-velar, semi-vowel offset. For example, (Musgrave, 2007, p. 8): /mʷaʔam/ [mʷaʔam] 'sit' /mamʷe/ [mamʷe] 'father' /nemʷen/ [nemʷen]'man' The segment /m/ can be understood as a voiced bilabial nasal in each position, for example (Musgrave, 2007, p. 8): /mesemah/ [mesemah] 'dry' /nomomox/[nomomox] 'woman' /dam/ [ⁿdam] 'shout' The segment /n/ can be understood as a voiced alveolar nasal in each position, for example (Musgrave, 2007, p. 8): /nabuŋ/ [naᵐbuŋ] 'time, occasion, day' /vanili/ [fanili] 'different, strange, unusual' /dan/ [ⁿdan] 'go down, sink' Finally, the segment /ŋ/ can be understood as a voiced velar nasal in each position, for example (Musgrave, 2007, p. 8): /ŋaŋ/ [ŋaŋ] 'laugh' /doŋon/ [ⁿdoŋon] 'count' /naʔaibuŋ/ [naʔaiᵐbuŋ] 'my grandchild' The phonemes /vʷ/, /v/, /s/, /x/ and /h/ can be understood as fricatives at the labio-velar, labio-dental, alveolar, velar and glottal positions of articulation (Musgrave, 2007, p. 8). The segment /vʷ/ is a labio-velar fricative involving the rounding of lips and an audible labio-velar, semi-vowel offset (Musgrave, 2007, p. 8). In initial position it is voiceless but can be optionally voiced intervocalically and does not appear in final position. For example, (Musgrave, 2007, p. 8-9): /vʷelem/ [fʷelem] 'come' /nevʷen/ [nefʷen ~ nevʷen] 'fruit' The segment /v/ can be understood as a labio-dental fricative (Musgrave, 2007, p. 9). In initial and final positions it is voiceless however, it can be voiced intervocalically. In some cases such as in syllable-final positions before /m/ and /b/, /v/ can be understood as [p] while in other syllable-final positions, there is variation between [f] and [p] (Musgrave, 2007, p. 9). For example, (Musgrave, 2007, p. 9): /vavu/ [fafu ~ favu] 'walk' /navmolto/ [napmolto] 'kind of bird' /tenev/ [tenef ~ tenep] 'yesterday' The segment /s/ can be understood as a voiceless alveolar grooved fricative (Musgrave, 2007, p. 9). If /s/ follows /n/ it is understood as the affricate [tʃ] in initial and medial positions but is understood as [s] in final positions. For example, (Musgrave, 2007, p. 9): /sido/ [sɪⁿdo] 'remember' /bus/ [ᵐbus] 'speak, talk' /nsev/ [ntʃef] 'cough' The segment /x/ can be understood as a velar fricative that is voiceless in initial and final positions but can be optionally voiced intervocalically. For example, (Musgrave, 2007, p. 9): /xus/ [xus] 'hit, kill' /buxut/ [ᵐbuxut ~ ᵐbuɣut] 'inside' /maʔabux/ [maʔaᵐbux] 'short' The segment /h/ can be understood as a glottal fricative that is voiceless (Musgrave, 2007, p. 9). It is attested in final positions with the exception of /ahau/ (which means 'no' in answer to an affirmative question or 'yes' in answer to a negative question) (Musgrave, 2007, p. 9). It is attested in medial positions such as /eheʔ/ 'no' (Musgrave, 2007, p. 9). For example, (Musgrave, 2007, p. 9): /vuluh/ [fuluh] 'bake in earth oven' /ahau/[ahau] 'no, yes (depending on the question)' /eheʔ/ [eheʔ] 'no' The segment /l/ can be understood as an alveolar lateral that is voiced (Musgrave, 2007, p. 9). It can be identified in all positions, for example (Musgrave, 2007, p. 9-10): /lax/ [lax] 'hang' /bʷeli/ [ᵐbʷeli] 'very, a lot' /namul/ [namul] 'million' The segment /ɾ/ can be understood as an alveolar flap that is voiced (Musgrave, 2007, p. 10). It can be identified in all positions, for example (Musgrave, 2007, p. 10): /ɾaʔ/ [ɾaʔ] 'work (in garden)' /viviɾoŋ/[fifiɾoŋ ~ fiviɾoŋ] 'listen' /boɾ/ [ᵐboɾ] 'deaf' The glides /w/ and /j/ can only be found in syllable-initial positions (Musgrave, 2007, p. 10). The segment /w/ is s a semi-vowel that can be understood as a labio-velar approximate [w] that is voiced (Musgrave, 2007, p. 10). For example, (Musgrave, 2007, p. 10): /wal/ [wal] 'because' /muluwul/ [muluwul] 'round' /lowi/[lowi] 'out, away' The segment /j/ is a semi-vowel that can be understood as a palatal approximate that is voiced (Musgrave, 2007, p. 10). For example, (Musgrave, 2007, p. 10): /jaʔai/ [jaʔai] 'this person' /joxjox/ [joxjox]'vomit' /nijim/ [nijɪm] 'house'
Consonant phoneme contrasts
The consonants that are phonetically similar in Neveʻei can be contrasted in the following ways (Musgrave, 2007, p. 10-11): /b/ /beɾ/ 'long, tall, deep' /bʷ//bʷeɾ/'possibly, maybe' /m//melemal/'have cramp'/mʷ//mʷelemal/'straight, correct' /v//veɾi/ 'outside'/vʷ/ /vʷeɾi/'saying (something), tell (story)' /ʔ//meɾaʔ/'get up, fly, jump up'/h/ /meɾah/'light (in weight)' /h//veh/'carry'/∅//ve∅/'what' /ʔ//saʔ/'go up'/x/ /sax/'not' /d/ /madl/'in three days' time'/t//matl/'thick, incorrect, uncircumcised' /g/ /gu/ 'you (pronoun)'/k/ /ku-/'2SG.IRR (verbal prefix)' /ŋ/ /ŋe/'the (demonstrative)'/g//ge/'the very one' /l/ /nebal/'hawk'/ɾ//nebaɾ/'blind person'/n/ /neban/'woman's headdress' /w//wah/'look'/u//uah/'day after tomorrow'
Neutralisation of labial consonants
Contrasts between plain labials /m/, /v/ and /b/ and labio-velars /mʷ/, /vʷ/ and /bʷ/ are neutralised in circumstances such as before front vowels /i/ and /e/. Examples include (Musgrave, 2007, p. 11): /nimins/'wooden stirring stick'/nimʷinsi/'star'/meli/'wilt'/mʷelam/'marked, spotted'/visvis/'teach'/vʷisi/'train yam vine'/veh/'carry'/vʷelem/'come'/bʷiaŋ/ 'all right'/bial/ 'all over the place, all sorts of things'/bʷeɾ/ 'maybe'/beɾ/ 'long, tall'
When these consonants precede rounded vowels such as /o/ and /u/ there is no contrast and only plain labials, examples include (Musgrave, 2007, p. 11): /moŋ/'proud'/numuɾ/ 'person'/vov/'rain'/navusmo/'white flying fox'/boɾ/ 'deaf'/bubut/ 'do quietly'
Vowel phonemes The table above (Musgrave, 2007, p. 12) indicates that the vowel /i/ can be understood as a tense high front unrounded vowel (Musgrave, 2007, p. 12). When the vowel is followed by a nasal or a prenasalised consonant and in closed syllables that end in a non-liquid alveolar consonant, it can be understood as the lax high front vowel [ɪ] (Musgrave, 2007, p. 12). For example, (Musgrave, 2007, p. 12): /ivah/ [ifah ~ ivah] 'four'/nimin/ [nɪmɪn]'bird'/gis/ [ᵑgɪs]'squash, squeeze' The vowel /u/ can be understood as a high back rounded vowel. For example, (Musgrave, 2007, p. 13): /utne/ [utne]'here'/lueh/ [lu(w)eh] 'tired'/manuanu/ [manu(w)anu]'rainbow' The vowel /e/ can be understood as a mid front unrounded vowel. For example, (Musgrave, 2007, p. 13): /etnaŋ/ [etnaŋ]'that thing there'/dedan/[ⁿdeⁿdan]'dive, swim underwater'/mamʷe/ [mamʷe]'father' The vowel /o/ can be understood as a mid back rounded vowel. For example, (Musgrave, 2007, p. 13): /oʔo/ [oʔo]'yes'/nomomox/ [nomomox]'woman'/noto/[noto] 'chicken' The vowel /a/ can be understood as a low front unrounded vowel. For example, (Musgrave, 2007, p. 13): /alimin/[alɪmɪn]'fifth'/mavis/[mafɪs ~ mavɪs]'white'/naʔanian/ [naʔani(j)an]'food'
Vowel phoneme contrasts The forms listed below provide contrast between the five vowel phonemes in the Neveʻei language (Musgrave, 2007, p. 13): /i/ /bir/ 'fart audibly'/u//bur-/'1DU.IRR (verbal prefix)'/e//ber/'long, tall, deep'/o/ /bor/ 'deaf'/a//bar/'blind'
Phonotactics
Syllable Structure The table below shows the various syllable structures attested in Neveʻei (Musgrave, 2007, p. 13-14): V (vowel),C (consonant)NeveʻeiEnglishV/u-/ /i-/'2SG.REAL(verbal prefix)' '3SG.REAL(verbal prefix)'VC/im/ /aɾ/ 'only, just' 'they, them (pronoun)'VCC/itl/'three'CV/vi/'do, make'CC/tn/'roast'CCV/nsu/ /tno/'remove bark of' 'my (pronoun)'CCVC/nsev/ /tlel/'cough' 'secret'CVC/dan/ /veh/'go down, sink' 'carry'CVCC/matl/ /bans/'thick' 'wander'CCVCC/nsutl/'eight'