| Palei | |
| Region: | eastern Sandaun Province, Papua New Guinea |
| Familycolor: | Papuan |
| Fam1: | Torricelli |
| Fam2: | Wapei–Palei |
| Glotto: | nucl1722 |
| Glottoname: | Nuclear Palai |
| Glotto2: | wana1269 |
| Glottoname2: | Wanap |
| Glotto3: | west2788 |
| Glottoname3: | West Palai |
| Map: | Torricelli_languages_map.svg |
| Mapcaption: | The Torricelli languages as classified by Foley (2018). Palei and Wapei languages are yellow. |
The Palei languages constitute a branch of the Torricelli language family according to Laycock (1975) (quoted from Foley 2018). They are spoken in mountainous regions of eastern Sandaun Province, Papua New Guinea.
Languages are:
Nambi (Nabi) = Metan may also belong here, or may be one of the Maimai languages, or separate within the Torricelli languages.
Pronouns in Palei languages are:[1]
| 1s | kəmex | au | am | wup | ai | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2s | kiyox | i | yi | yit | yi | |
| 3s | təno | din | tuwun | |||
| 1p | kupox | amən | mendi | miyan | ep | |
| 2p | kinox | yi | yimi | yip | yip | |
| 3p | təmo | may | dim | ti | rəm |
The following basic vocabulary words are from Laycock (1968),[2] as cited in the Trans-New Guinea database.[3] Nabi words are from Laycock (1968) and Voorhoeve (1971, 1975).[4] [5]
The words cited constitute translation equivalents, whether they are cognate (e.g. yimunə, yimukun for “louse”) or not (e.g. muᶇkwalnta, yaŋkole for “ear”).
| gloss | Yangum Mon | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| head | paikwa | wantu | wotuf | peləf | wah | ||
| ear | muᶇkwalnta | yaŋkole | taŋkən | kik | nuŋkul | yiŋkuːl | |
| eye | juwol | yolta | nəmalal | nampəkat | yilp | yilkŋum | |
| nose | tuwarka | mup | mipan | minif | təlom | yimwar | |
| tooth | nai | na | owayen | naf | nef | awak | |
| tongue | naliya | aləta | akaŋ | wulaf | kəːləp | yalip | |
| leg | safiel | ala | aŋ | tip | kelfek | rak | |
| louse | watokəl | yimunə | yimukun | kakyerk | yiməl | yimul | |
| dog | nəmpo | yimpa | yimpan | pat | yimpa | yimpak | |
| pig | bene | ||||||
| bird | nol | ali | alin | napet | kal | al | |
| egg | nəŋkoi | yoltə | yinalən | ponorire; yufəlip | yiplop | yulp | |
| blood | xaməŋka | səna | səneimpən | amk | komkok | yuwanip | |
| bone | kamənaŋkil | pəniŋki | lapən | lə | lekəl | yiklia | |
| skin | jiwota | wiye | yakən | wiyírk | saf | yikisiw | |
| breast | nəmai | yimá | yimawoŋ | nəmap | yimaŋkəf | yimán | |
| tree | numwol | nəmpə | nimpən | nip | nimp | nim | |
| man | kamwol | makenti | maikən | məsəmiyen | nyiŋkilpən | almias | |
| woman | wukora | simi | asək | ri | kekəntə | wasi | |
| sun | wota | wa | wan | waf | kentief | təkŋan | |
| moon | uni | anyə | ayen | wunɨ | keːnyif | mərəŋkil | |
| water | wul | suku | səpən | sup; wer | kuː | sulp | |
| fire | ni | yimpu | niŋ | nɨ; wetai | nif | niw | |
| stone | atauka | səmpeiken | et; rubukia | kipru | pikiyap | ||
| one | eso | ||||||
| two | piyami | piya | nantiyou | mantio; ru | poyomp | piyak |