Kuman_language_(New_Guinea)

Kuman language (New Guinea)

Kuman language (New Guinea)

Trans–New Guinea language spoken in Papua New Guinea

Kuman (also Chimbu or Simbu) is a language of Chimbu Province, Papua New Guinea. In 1994, it was estimated that 80,000 people spoke Kuman, 10,000 of them monolinguals;[2] in the 2000 census, 115,000 were reported, with few monolinguals.[1] Ethnologue also reported 70,000 second language speakers in 2021.[1]

Quick Facts Native to, Region ...

Phonology

Like other Chimbu languages, Kuman has rather unusual lateral consonants. Besides the typical /l/, it has a "laterally released velar affricate" which is voiced medially and voiceless finally (and does not occur initially).[3] Based on related languages, this is presumably /k͡𝼄/, allophonically [ɡ͡ʟ̝] (see voiceless velar lateral fricative).

Consonants

More information Labial, Alveolar ...
  • Voiced plosives are usually prenasal, but may fluctuate in word-initial position as ordinary voiced stops [b, d, ɡ].
  • Voiceless stops /p, t, k/ are always aspirated [pʰ, tʰ, kʰ] in word-initial position.
  • /ɾ/ only occurs word-medially and word-finally. In word-final position it is heard as a trill [r].
  • /s/ can be pronounced as [s], [ᵗs] in word-initial position.
  • /w/ can be pronounced as [β] before front vowels /i, e/.
  • /ʟ/ is heard as voiceless [ʟ̥] or fricative [𝼄], when preceding a consonant. It is heard as a voiced fricative [ʟ̝] when between vowels. It is also heard as an alveolar fricative [ɬ] before an /s/.[4][5]

Vowels

More information Front, Central ...
  • /a/ can be heard as either central [ä] or back [ɑ] in free variation.
  • /e/ is pronounced as [ɛ] as a first vowel in a word.
  • /o/ is pronounced in its lax form as [ɔ] before /ɾ/.

Syllable patterns

Syllable structure is (C)V(C). Any consonant can occur in onset position, but in coda position only /m/, /n/, /gɬ/, /l/ and /k/ can occur.[6]

Grammar

Kuman is an SOV language.

Vocabulary

The following basic vocabulary words are from Salisbury (1956)[7] and Trefry (1969),[6] as cited in the Trans-New Guinea database:[8]

More information gloss, head ...

References

  1. [1]
    Kuman at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022) Closed access icon
  2. [2]
    Kuman language (New Guinea) at Ethnologue (15th ed., 2005) Closed access icon
  3. [3]
    Foley, 1986:63, The Papuan languages of New Guinea
  4. [4]
    Pfantz, Daryl & Mary (2004). Kuman Language [Simbu Province]. Organized Phonological Data: SIL.
  5. [5]
    Piau, Julie A. (1985). Verbal Syntax of Kuman. Australian National University: Canberra.
  6. [6]
    Trefry, D (1969). A comparative study of Kuman and Pawaian. Canberra: ANU Asia-Pacific Linguistics / Pacific Linguistics Press. hdl:1885/146470.
  7. [7]
    Salisbury, R.F. 1956. The Siane Language of the Eastern Highlands of New Guinea. Anthropos 51:447-480.
  8. [8]
    Greenhill, Simon (2016). "TransNewGuinea.org - database of the languages of New Guinea". Retrieved 2020-11-05.

Further reading


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