Talk:Motu people

Polynesian or Austronesian?
I can't see the reference in Scarr's book that suggests that the Motuans are Polynesian, but I must assume that the book is mistaken in this. No Polynesian outliers are anywhere near that far west, and the Motu language page clearly states that Motu is a Western Oceanic language not a Central Pacific/Polynesian language.

Soundofmusicals reverted my change saying that the Austronesians are not a single ethnic group, but that is the same for the Polynesians of course. So what will we say? The Austronesian peoples are commonly spoken of, but I'm not aware of "Oceanic People" or "Western Oceanic People" being used to refer to those Austronesian people who speak an Oceanic/Western Ocean language (if Oceanic People is used at all then it is only used very informally.) Polynesian is clearly wrong, while Austronesian is correct if not too specific, and if more detail is needed then they can view the Motu Language page. --Curiousdannii (talk) 03:05, 24 April 2012 (UTC)


 * Not the same thing though. "Austronesian" is the name of a language family. "Polynesian", "Micronesian", and "Melanesian" refer to broad ethnicities. As it happens, most if not all Polynesian, Micronesian, and Melanesian peoples speak Austronesian languages - but so do many other groups (the Malays for instance, and some of the peoples of Indonesia and the Philipines). I have taken your word about the Motu people not being of Polynesian extraction (although they look as if they were!) and that the source someone gave does not in fact say this - but in this case the whole sentence becomes problematic. Simply changing "Polynesian" to "Austronesian" makes no sense whatever, as most Melanesian people are Austronesian speakers themselves. --Soundofmusicals (talk) 05:07, 25 April 2012 (UTC)


 * Incidentally - the Polynesian outlier article does in fact refer to groups further West! as well as specifically Papua New Guinea groups (unnamed) - so perhaps the original statement may prove to be defensible after all?? Not strictly my field, but someone might like to research this one. --Soundofmusicals (talk) 05:15, 25 April 2012 (UTC)

The terrm "Motuan"
I object to the habit of referring to the Motu people as "Motuan" people. It took me a little time to find this page, as I was searching under the correct designation, "Motu people" - and there wasn't such a page. The name of the tribe and ethnic group is "Motu", just as is the name used for the language. I recommend editing the title to Motu people, with Motuan people as a redirect, and similarly where it is found elsewhere. Ptilinopus (talk) 06:29, 23 June 2012 (UTC)

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