Formosanadj.n.
/fɔːˈməʊsn/, /fɔːˈməʊzn/, U.S. /fɔrˈmoʊs(ə)n/ A. adj.
Of or pertaining to the island of Formosa, its inhabitants, or their language.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > named regions of earth > Far East > [adjective] > Taiwan or Formosa
Formosan1650
Taiwanese1942
the world > people > nations > native or inhabitant of Asia > the Chinese > [adjective] > parts of
Formosan1650
Manchu1736
Yunnanese1849
Macanese1852
Yarkandi1854
Lisu1896
Szechuanese1918
Hunanese1937
Taiwanese1942
Yi1960
the mind > language > languages of the world > Austric > [adjective] > Austronesian > of Austronesian languages
Formosan1650
Moluccan1700
Bugis1808
Tagalog1808
Murut1836
Indonesian1850
Lifu1852
Motuan1885
Buginese1897
Dusun1897
Pangasinan1904
Lifuan1917
Pilipino1936
Marshallese1945
Yami1953
Tolai1963
the mind > language > languages of the world > Austric > [adjective] > Austronesian > of Sundic languages
Formosan1650
Batak1875
Dusun1897
1650 H. Jessei tr. C. Sibelius Conv. 5,900 E. Indians 4 M. Junius being carryed by the good hand of God to the Formosan Island, in the East-Indies, preached in Dutch.
1650 H. Jessei tr. C. Sibelius Conv. 5,900 E. Indians 8 M. Junius..translated certaine Psalmes into the Formosan Islanders Language.
1704 ‘G. Psalmanazar’ Descr. Formosa 122 The Formosan Alphabet.
1723 R. Millar Hist. Propagation Christianity (ed. 3) II. viii. 473 Mr. Robert Junius..translated certain Psalms into the Formosan Language.
1879 Encycl. Brit. IX. 416/2 The Formosan fauna has been but partially ascertained.
1915 W. Campbell Sketches from Formosa xvi. 122 Some of the Formosan tribes boil down every head brought in to a thick jelly, from which thin oblong cakes are made, for being nibbled to inspire fresh courage.
1955 H. Kurnitz Let. 29 Dec. in G. Marx et al. Groucho Lett. (1967) 250 The Krasnas had a Xmas party with Chinese food, which..was cooked by some Formosan tribesmen.
B. n.
1. A native or inhabitant of Formosa.
ΘΚΠ
the world > people > nations > native or inhabitant of Asia > the Chinese > [noun] > native or inhabitant of China > parts of
Formosan1707
Yarkandi1841
Yunnanese1849
Macanese1852
Manchurian1855
Cantonese1857
Pekingese1860
Khotanese1882
Teochew1893
Lisu1896
Lahu1900
Shanghailander1917
Szechuanese1918
Hunanese1937
Taiwanese1942
Yi1960
Shanghainese1964
1707 ‘G. Psalmanazar’ (title) A dialogue between a Japonese and a Formosan, about some points of the religion of the time.
1707 ‘G. Psalmanazar’ Dial. between Japonese & Formosan (Pref.) You'll see a Formosan, like a willing Prisoner, endeavouring to bring his friend unto the same Condition as he is himself.
1902 Encycl. Brit. XXIX. 685/1 Upon the Chinese Government properly devolved the duty of punishing its subjects, the Formosans.
1962 Times 20 Aug. 9/4 The Kuomintang has no appeal to the younger generation in Formosa whether they are children of those who came from the mainland or native Formosans.
2. The language of the indigenous Formosans, one of the Malayo-Polynesian group of languages.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > languages of the world > Austric > [noun] > Austronesian > other Austronesian
Moluccas1619
Formosan1704
Sunda1816
Melanesian1849
Sundanese1849
Lifu1852
Bajau1869
Ambonese1875
Acehnese1882
Kiriwinian1916
Tolai1962
Moluccan1977
1704 ‘G. Psalmanazar’ Descr. Formosa 335 The Lord's Prayer, Apostle's Creed, and the Ten Commandments, translated by the Author into Formosan.
1933 L. Bloomfield Lang. iv. 71 The languages of the great islands of the East, such as Formosan, Javanese (20 millions), Sundanese (6½ millions) [etc.].
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1933; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.n.1650