Notes on the Diachronic Phonology of Nauruan

This paper investigates the Nauruan reflexes of Proto-Micronesian phonemes. Nauruan participates in most reductive sound changes found elsewhere in Micronesian. The attrition patterns of *t and *k in Nauruan resemble similar developments in Eastern Chuukic. An unusual developments are shifts of major place of articulation, from coronal to velar, and from velar to labial. This paper contains a discussion of the reflexes of Proto-Oceanic palatals in Micronesian. A list of Kiribati loans in Nauruan is supplied.