Alignment in Vamale, South Oceanic: Diachrony and contact influence

Abstract

This article describes three homophonous morphemes ka integral to alignment in Vamale, a South Oceanic language: a relational classifier, a subject marker clitic, and a possessive linker in nominalizations. Northern New Caledonian languages tend towards ergativity, while southern ones favour accusative alignment in all domains. Vamale is spoken near the border between the two and shows a fascinating pattern: one system in nouns, another in verbs, and a third one in nominalizations. Using first-hand field data, this article introduces the relevant concepts with examples and compares Vamale to its neighbours. While the development of this system remains speculative, we argue that the language has assimilated to its powerful neighbour Cèmuhî.