Ambakich language explained
| Aion |
| Nativename: | Ambakich |
| States: | Papua New Guinea |
| Speakers: | 770 |
| Date: | 2003 |
| Ref: | e18 |
| Ethnicity: | (2003) |
| Familycolor: | Papuan |
| Fam3: | East Keram[1] |
| Iso3: | aew |
| Glotto: | amba1269 |
| Glottorefname: | Ambakich |
Aion a.k.a. Ambakich is a Keram language of Papua New Guinea. It is only spoken by adults; children grow up speaking Tok Pisin.
Phonology
Consonants[2] !!Labial!Alveolar!Palatal!Velar| Plosive | pronounced as /link/ | (pronounced as /link/) | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ |
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| Prenasalized | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ |
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| Fricative | | pronounced as /link/ | | |
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| Nasal | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | | (pronounced as /link/) |
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| Approximant | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | | |
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- /t/ and /ŋ/ only appear in loanwords.
- /p/ may sometimes be heard as [ɸ].
- /k/ is sometimes pronounced as [q] or [ʔ], usually word-initially.
- /tʃ/ can manifest as [s], or when adjacent to /ɨ/, [t].
- In certain words, the prenasalized consonants are denasalized.
- /s/ is occasionally [ʃ] before /i/.
- /n/ is heard as [ɲ] before /i/, and [ŋ] before /u/.
- Following /o/ and before any other vowel, /w/ is realized as [ŋ].
- Before /a/, /j/ is heard as [ɲ].
- Before the high vowels /i ɨ u/, /j/ is pronounced [dʒ].
Vowels!!Front!Central!Back| High | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ | pronounced as /link/ |
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| Mid | pronounced as /link/ | | pronounced as /link/ |
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| Low | | pronounced as /link/ | | |
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- The high vowels /i ɨ u/ do not occur word-initially.
- /e/ is occasionally centralized to [ə].
- /a/ is typically raised to [ə] in open syllables.
- /a/ can also range in realization to [ɛ], [ʌ], and [ɔ].
- /u/ is sometimes unrounded to [ɤ].
- /ɨ/ is often deleted between two consonants.
Additionally, the following diphthongs have been observed: /ai/, /ei/, /oi/, /au/, /ou/.
Notes and References
- https://newguineaworld.linguistik.uzh.ch/families/keram-and-ramu-rivers/keram-river/east-keram-river Timothy Usher, East Keram River
- Barlow . Russell . 2021 . Ambakich phonological sketch. . Language and Linguistics in Oceania . 13 . 32–88.
