Maimai languages explained

Maimai
Region:eastern Sandaun Province, Papua New Guinea
Familycolor:Papuan
Fam1:Torricelli
Glotto:nucl1590
Glottorefname:Nuclear Maimai
Map:Torricelli_languages_map.svg
Mapcaption: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! !! Beli !! Siliput !! Yahang !! Heyo
1ski oi ai ai
2ssi yi is is
3sofo tən apan apan
1pəfə yep epep apap
2pyip ipip ipip
3pafa təmoŋ apam

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”).

gloss Beli
headetwun utüwe paroŋ wuntəf
earnikiw rakun taŋən raŋkun ŋətə
eyenapə napelkə oi nampəl satoʔ
nosemohau luweka luwet ruwot suwopən
toothpanikye parkita panəm paniŋk niŋo
tongueləhe elktife yansɨ elaŋkitif life
legetiyə itikya tiŋ youpep papaŋ
louselumum hipəp yaflin
dogpanə mpat pat mpat pato
birdpelhin walfisa hilít felfis walfun
eggwaltiye laʔwo yilhəf lawo lawiyen
bloodamkeʔ wiyefa wuji wiyef kuijwẽ
boneloki yefa lokɨ yefa loknwẽ
skinkirkeʔ halipa purko halip noʔoŋ
breastmapi maka mayr may mapi
treelowɨ lowə lou lou lowo
manməsən mohon matan mukun masən
womannuka- pyene nuweteʔ yukətet nuwot sakwoto
sunamwo fala olok fala watli
moonauniye onifəʔ aune kwonif waluko
watersupɨ hipelə sifyer himpel ite
fireyakel yafa ya yaʔaf safi
stonealpɨl; kitampa paleka wotə wətə́f kalkopo
twoyatowiye oloʔw wuríkrŋ kolou wosoŋ

References

Notes and References

  1. Book: Foley, William A. . William A. Foley . Palmer . Bill . 2018 . The Languages and Linguistics of the New Guinea Area: A Comprehensive Guide . The Languages of the Sepik-Ramu Basin and Environs . The World of Linguistics . 4 . Berlin . De Gruyter Mouton . 197–432 . 978-3-11-028642-7.
  2. [Donald Laycock|Laycock, Donald C.]
  3. Web site: TransNewGuinea.org - database of the languages of New Guinea . Greenhill . Simon . 2016 . 2020-11-05.