| 释义 |
Micronesian, a. and n.|maɪkrəʊˈniːʃ(ɪ)ən|
Also (rare) Mikronesian.
[f. Micronesia (see below: f. Gr. µῑκρό-ς small + νῆσ-ος island) + -an.
The name, modelled after Polynesia, was intended to mean ‘the region of small islands’.]
A. adj. Of or pertaining to Micronesia (a group of small islands in the western region of the North Pacific, including the Caroline, Ladrone, Marshall and Gilbert Islands, etc.), its inhabitants, language, etc.
1847J. C. Prichard Res. Physical Hist. Mankind (ed. 3) V. 157 Micronesia, or the Micronesian Archipelago. 1877Jrnl. Anthrop. Inst. VI. 392 The language of Yap..is the only Micronesian language in which the numerals are formed in the manner in question. 1884W. Turner Rep. Crania in Rep. Sci. Results Voy. H.M.S. Challenger X. 82 The islands of the Mikronesian group. 1945Language XXI. 214 In the vocabularies of the Micronesian languages..evidence of earlier use of English has remained in the form of loan-words. 1974Times 21 Jan. 12/6 Some Micronesian families connected by marriage with Japanese see themselves in a strong compradore position.
B. n.
a. A native of Micronesia.
b. The language of the Micronesians.
1847J. C. Prichard Res. Physical Hist. Mankind (ed. 3) V. 157 A certain difference has been noted between the Micronesians and the Polynesians in general. 1890D. G. Brinton Races & Peoples 235 Some ethnographers would make the Polynesians and Micronesians a different race from the Malays. 1896Codrington Dict. Mota Pref. 6 The Micronesian Group [of languages] takes in the Caroline Islands, Pellew, Marshall, and Gilbert Islands. 1899Christian in Jrnl. Anthrop. Inst. XXVIII. 288 On Micronesian Weapons, Dress, Implements, etc. 1899Ella Ibid. XXIX. 159 Melanesian and Micronesian tongues are to some extent inflexional. 1900Edin. Rev. Apr. 490 The Micronesians will be the happier for this transfer. 1974Times 21 Jan. 12/8 The High Commissioner..expects that a Micronesian will succeed him. |