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Using phonological and lexical evidence, this paper seeks to demonstrate that Balinese, Sasak, and Sumbawa (which form an exclusive subgroup) are more closely related to Malay than they are to Javanese. It concludes-especially on the basis of phonological evidence-that the previously posited Malayo-Javanic subgroup should be replaced by a "Malayo-Sumbawan" subgroup that includes Malayic, Chamic, and the Balinese-Sasak-Sumbawa group in one branch, and Sundanese and Madurese in two other branches. Javanese is excluded from this subgroup.
1. INTRODUCTION.1 This paper uses phonological and lexical evidence to demonstrate that Balinese, Sasak, and Sumbawa are more closely related to Malay than any of these languages is to Javanese.2 It is concluded that the previously posited Malayo-Javanic subgroup (Nothofer 1975, 1985) should be replaced by a subgroup "Malayo-Sumbawan," excluding Jav and including Malayic, Chamic, and BSS in one branch; Sun and Mad would form two other branches (see figure 1 on the following page).
Dyen's lexicostatistical classification of Austronesian languages (1965) was the first attempt at a detailed subgrouping of this language family. He identified a Malayo-Javanic subgroup that included Jav, Mal, Mad, and Sun, and that was used by Nothofer as the basis for the reconstruction of Proto-Malayo-Javanic (henceforth PMJ) (Nothofer 1975). Nothofer (1975) also established a close link between Mal and Mad within MalayoJavanic. Blust (1981) made a critical evaluation of this reconstruction, pointing out that the lexicostatistic justification for it was not backed up by qualitative evidence. He also showed that, on the one hand, there is evidence for the inclusion of other languages, and, on the other hand, Jav is rather different from other members of Malayo-Javanic. PMJ was therefore neither based on a coherent subgroup nor representative of a significant intermediate stage (protolanguage) between Proto-Malayo-Polynesian (PMP) and the present. Nothofer (1985) adduced qualitative (phonological and lexical) evidence for Malayo-Javanic; he furthermore included Lampung and set off Jav in a separate branch from the other member languages.
Esser's language map (1938) classifies Bal together with Sas and Sum. So does Dyen (1965, 1982), who uses lexicostatistics and labels these languages as "Balic." Mbete (1990) designates them as "Bali-Sasak-Sumbawa" (BSS). He gives the subgroup some phonological and lexical underpinning and uses it for the reconstruction of PBSS and Proto-Sasak-Sumbawa, thereby distinguishing a Bal branch...