ABSTRACT
Genetically, however, neither the exact provenance of the Polynesian languages nor their internal relationships are so clear. Until the 1930s, Polynesian, Indonesian, and M elanesian-M icronesian were regarded as the three branches of the so-called ‘A ustronesian’ family, a viewpoint which has not been entirely discarded. In 1934-8 O tto Dempwolff argued on phonological grounds that Polynesian, M elanesian, and Micronesian should be regarded as forming a single unit, to which the name ‘Oceanic’ was given. A third hypothesis (Kahler, 1962) identifies Polynesian as an outlying sub-division of the Indonesian branch.
