Reconstruction:Proto-Oceanic/kawaʀ

This Proto-Oceanic entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Oceanic

Etymology

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wakaʀ (metathesis).

Noun

*kawaʀ

1. potent root (root of a plant with strong properties: e.g. ginger)
2. kava plant, Piper methysticum
3. kava, an intoxicating beverage made from the kava plant

Descendants

• Southern Oceanic
  • North-Central Vanuatu *ɣaya
    • Hiw: ga
    • Lo-Toga: gi
    • Mwotlap: ga
    • Araki: hae
• Central Pacific
  • Polynesian
    • Proto-Polynesian: *kawa (see there for further descendants)

Related terms

• Hawaiian ʻawapuhi (“ginger”)

References

• Lynch, John (2002) “Potent roots and the origin of kava”, in Oceanic Linguistics, volume 41, number 2, →DOI, pages 493–513
• See p.478, 495 of: François, Alexandre. 2005. Unraveling the history of the vowels of seventeen north Vanuatu languages. Oceanic Linguistics, 44 (2), pp.443‒504. ⟨halshs-00524988⟩ →DOI

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