Nukuma languages

Last updated
Nukuma
Ma
Geographic
distribution
East Sepik Province, in the Sepik River basin of Papua New Guinea
Linguistic classification Sepik
Glottolog nuku1256

The Nukuma languages are a small family of three clearly related languages: [1]

Contents

They are generally classified among the Sepik languages of northern Papua New Guinea; Malcolm Ross places them in a Middle Sepik branch of that family.

They are spoken to the north of the Sepik River near Ambunti, and west of the Ambulas-speaking region of Mapr (near Wosera town). [2]

Pronouns

Pronouns in Nukuma languages: [2]

pronoun Kwoma Mende
1sganan ~ na ~ a
2sg.mmi
2sg.fniɲi
3sg.mor ~ ri
3sg.fos ~ si
1dusiʃi
2dukiʃi
3dupɨrfri
1plnoni
2plkwoci
3plyeli

Vocabulary comparison

The following basic vocabulary words are from Foley (2005) [3] and Laycock (1968), [4] as cited in the Trans-New Guinea database: [5]

gloss Kwoma Mende
headmasəkmasiki
earfuː; mabiyamampla
eyemiː; miyiməsokome
nosesumojɨ; sumwonjmiñompo
toothpu; tarəkwifu
tonguekwunja; tarekwoytarple
legyaːte; yatikumpa
lousenəkə; nɨkanika
dogasaasa
pigburi; poyi
birdapuafi
eggapo; bey; mpeifəla
bloodpifi
boneapo; hapahapa
skinmampəmaume
breastmuk; mukumuku
treememi
manmama
womanmiːmanogəpie
sunyata
moonnowəka; nɨwɨkaniyaka
waterukuuku
firehi; hiːhi
stonepapasüŋkye
namehi
eata
onepochi
twouprusfrišip

See also

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References

  1. Ma, New Guinea World
  2. 1 2 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. 4. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. pp. 197–432. ISBN   978-3-11-028642-7.
  3. Foley, W.A. "Linguistic prehistory in the Sepik-Ramu basin". In Pawley, A., Attenborough, R., Golson, J. and Hide, R. editors, Papuan Pasts: Cultural, linguistic and biological histories of Papuan-speaking peoples. PL-572:109-144. Pacific Linguistics, The Australian National University, 2005.
  4. Laycock, Donald C. 1968. Languages of the Lumi Subdistrict (West Sepik District), New Guinea. Oceanic Linguistics , 7 (1): 36-66.
  5. Greenhill, Simon (2016). "TransNewGuinea.org - database of the languages of New Guinea" . Retrieved 2020-11-05.