[PapuanLanguages] [FORGED] Languages named "No"

[Ross Clark]

There ought to be something on the general device of naming languages for a suitably variable common word (cf. Langued'oc and Langued'oil in France). 
I'm hoping someone else will give us a good term for it, if not a reference to a general discussion.
Some Oceanic languages of Espiritu Santo (Vanuatu) follow the "no!" pattern, including at least 'Oa (=Tasmate), Kula (=Wusi), Kiai (=Fortsenal) and Merei (= Lametin).
Elsewhere in Vanuatu there is a group of languages on Pentecost named for the word for "what?". 

Ross Clark

-----Original Message-----
From: PapuanLanguages [mailto:papuanlanguages-bounces at anu.edu.au] On Behalf Of Tom Honeyman
Sent: Thursday, 25 February 2016 4:24 p.m.
To: australian-linguistics-request at anu.edu.au; PapuanLanguages at anu.edu.au
Subject: [FORGED] [PapuanLanguages] Languages named "No"

Hi All,

I have often heard anecdotal evidence of a naming pattern, supposedly widespread, in various parts of both PNG and Australia of languages "named" for the word meaning “no” (or “no-having”, or the negator) in that language.

I'm sure I have a memory of someone either publishing or at least blogging about this in the last 10 years or so, but I can't for the life of me find the source. “No” is of course not the only convention either.

Can anyone please point me in the right direction?

Regards,
Tom Honeyman
_______________________________________________
PapuanLanguages mailing list
PapuanLanguages at anu.edu.au
http://mailman.anu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/papuanlanguages