Formosan loanwords in four Atayal dialects

Abstract Lexical borrowings in Formosan languages from Japanese and Sinitic languages are frequently discussed in linguistic literature. Borrowings between Formosan languages themselves are more difficult to disentangle. This paper presents loanwords from Formosan languages in four Atayal dialects: Matu’uwal, Matu’aw, Plngawan, and Klesan . All four dialects were found to have been in contact with their immediate neighbors. The donor languages range from distantly related Pazih and Saisiyat (for Matu’uwal), to closely related Seediq (for Plngawan), to other Atayal dialects (for Matu’aw and Klesan). Knowledge of lexical borrowings is useful when reconstructing protolanguages. It also helps with understanding the cultural history of the Atayal people and their relationships with their neighbors.