Maimai languages

Wikipedia

Maimai
Geographic
distribution
eastern Sandaun Province, Papua New Guinea
Linguistic classificationTorricelli
  • Maimai
Language codes
Glottolognucl1590
The Torricelli languages as classified by Foley (2018)

The Maimai languages constitute a branch of the Torricelli language family. They are spoken just to the west of Nuku town in eastern Sandaun Province, Papua New Guinea (including in Maimai Wanwan Rural LLG).

Languages

Maimai

Pronouns

Pronouns in Maimai languages are:[1]

Maimai pronouns
BeliSiliputYahangHeyo
1s kioiaiai
2s siyiisis
3s ofotənapanapan
1p əfəyepepepapap
2p yipipipipip
3p afatəmoŋapam

Vocabulary comparison

The following basic vocabulary words are from Laycock (1968),[2] as cited in the Trans-New Guinea database.[3]

The words cited constitute translation equivalents, whether they are cognate (e.g. elktife, elaŋkitif for “tongue”) or not (e.g. nikiw, rakun, taŋən for “ear”).

glossMinidienHeyoSiliputYahangBeli
head etwunutüweparoŋwuntəf
ear nikiwrakuntaŋənraŋkunŋətə
eye napənapelkəoinampəlsatoʔ
nose mohauluwekaluwetruwotsuwopən
tooth panikyeparkitapanəmpaniŋkniŋo
tongue ləheelktifeyansɨelaŋkitiflife
leg etiyəitikyatiŋyoupeppapaŋ
louse lumumhipəpyaflin
dog panəmpatpatmpatpato
bird pelhinwalfisahilítfelfiswalfun
egg waltiyelaʔwoyilhəflawolawiyen
blood amkeʔwiyefawujiwiyefkuijwẽ
bone lokiyefalokɨyefaloknwẽ
skin kirkeʔhalipapurkohalipnoʔoŋ
breast mapimakamayrmaymapi
tree lowɨlowəlouloulowo
man məsənmohonmatanmukunmasən
woman nuka- pyenenuweteʔyukətetnuwotsakwoto
sun amwofalaolokfalawatli
moon auniyeonifəʔaunekwonifwaluko
water supɨhipeləsifyerhimpelite
fire yakelyafayayaʔafsafi
stone alpɨl; kitampapalekawotəwətə́fkalkopo
two yatowiyeoloʔwwuríkrŋkolouwosoŋ

References

  1. Foley, William A. (2018). "The Languages of the Sepik-Ramu Basin and Environs". In Palmer, Bill (ed.). The Languages and Linguistics of the New Guinea Area: A Comprehensive Guide. The World of Linguistics. Vol. 4. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. pp. 197–432. ISBN 978-3-11-028642-7.
  2. Laycock, Donald C. 1968. Languages of the Lumi Subdistrict (West Sepik District), New Guinea. Oceanic Linguistics, 7 (1): 36-66.
  3. Greenhill, Simon (2016). "TransNewGuinea.org - database of the languages of New Guinea". Retrieved 2020-11-05.
  • Foley, William A. (2018). "The Languages of the Sepik-Ramu Basin and Environs". In Palmer, Bill (ed.). The Languages and Linguistics of the New Guinea Area: A Comprehensive Guide. The World of Linguistics. Vol. 4. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. pp. 197–432. ISBN 978-3-11-028642-7.