As we have mentioned several times on this website before, the Austronesian people groups are known for their seafaring traditions, which allowed them to expand from present-day Taiwan into the vast seas and oceans, bringing their languages and cultures with them to these far-flung islands. Many of these languages are associated with islands and archipelagos … Continue reading The westernmost Austronesian language
Madagascar
What on Earth is the “Austronesian alignment”?
If you are learning languages like Tagalog, you might have encountered this very term at some point, especially when we talk about how Tagalog sentences are constructed. This term can also go by several names, namely, the Austronesian alignment, the symmetrical voice, the Philippine-style voice system, and the Austronesian focus system. As the name might … Continue reading What on Earth is the “Austronesian alignment”?
Tracking the colonisation of Madagascar using Malagasy
Madagascar is a rather interesting place. With such a lush biodiversity, and famous for its lemurs, this island several hundred kilometres east of continental Africa hosts a substantial number of endemic species. However, unlike other biodiversity hotspots like New Guinea, Madagascar is not particularly known for its linguistic diversity. In fact, it seems anomalous that … Continue reading Tracking the colonisation of Madagascar using Malagasy
