Somahai_languages

Somahai language

Somahai language

Trans–New Guinea language spoken in Indonesia


Momuna (Momina), also known as Somahai (Somage, Sumohai), is a Papuan language spoken in Yahukimo Regency, Highland Papua and Asmat Regency, South Papua, Indonesia.

Quick Facts Momuna, Native to ...

Varieties

Reimer notes two dialects, one on the Balim River and one on the Rekai. One of the differences is that when /u/ follows an /u/ or /o/ in the Balim dialect, it is /i/ in the Rekai dialect. Thus the ethnonym 'Momuna' is pronounced 'Momina' in Rekai dialect.[3]

Classification

The Somahai pronouns, singular *na, *ka, *mo, are typical of Trans–New Guinea languages. They were placed in the Central and South New Guinea branch of that family by Wurm. Ross could not locate enough evidence to classify them. Usher found them to be closest to the Mek languages, in the Central West New Guinea, which partially overlaps with Wurm's C&SNG.

Phonology

More information Labial, Alveolar ...
More information Front, Central ...

Additionally, there are at most three tones: high, low, and mid. The mid tone only occurs on monosyllabic words.[4]

Vocabulary

The following basic vocabulary words of Momuna are from Voorhoeve (1975),[5] as cited in the Trans-New Guinea database:[6][7]

More information gloss, Momuna ...

References

  1. Momuna at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
    Momina at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. Reimer, Martha (1986). "The notion of topic in Momuna narrative discourse". Papers in New Guinea Linguistics. Pacific Linguistics: Series A. 25. Canberra: Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University: 181–204.
  3. Voorhoeve, C.L. Languages of Irian Jaya: Checklist. Preliminary classification, language maps, wordlists. B-31, iv + 133 pages. Pacific Linguistics, The Australian National University, 1975. doi:10.15144/PL-B31
  4. Greenhill, Simon (2016). "TransNewGuinea.org - database of the languages of New Guinea". Retrieved 2020-11-05.
  5. Voorhoeve, C.L., 1975. Languages of Irian Jaya Checklist, Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.
  • Ross, Malcolm (2005). "Pronouns as a preliminary diagnostic for grouping Papuan languages". In Andrew Pawley; Robert Attenborough; Robin Hide; Jack Golson (eds.). Papuan pasts: cultural, linguistic and biological histories of Papuan-speaking peoples. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics. pp. 15–66. ISBN 0858835622. OCLC 67292782.

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