Sepik language spoken in Sandaun Province, Papua-New Guinea
Suarmin | |
---|---|
Asaba | |
Native to | Papua New Guinea |
Region | Sandaun Province |
Native speakers | 140 (2000) |
Language codes | |
ISO 639-3 | seo |
Glottolog | suar1238 |
ELP | Asaba |
Suarmin is: classified as Definitely Endangered by, the: UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger |
Suarmin,/Asaba, is a Sepik language spoken in Sandaun Province, Papua-New Guinea. Alternative names are Asabano, "Akiapmin," Duranmin.
Glottolog leaves it unclassified.
Pronounsâ»
Pronouns are:
sg du pl 1incl adi abe 1excl a nadi nesine 2 abo abodua apa 3 yo atadua ata
Noun classesâ»
In Asaba, noun class affixes are suffixedââto nouns. There are five noun classes. Examples:
class singular (ex.) plural (ex.) gloss (ex.) class 1 nu-bu nu-le house(s) class 2 mena-du mena-no pig(s) class 3 kabia-si kabia-le stone(s) class 4 moko-ni moko-le fork(s) class 5 nomo-so nomo-l stone adze(s)
Class 1 is the "default noun class."
Modifying adjectives agree with head nouns in class:
na-bu
tree-I.SG
kamaya-bu
big-I.SG
na-bu kamaya-bu
tree-I.SG big-I.SG
âtall treeâ
kaiyebe-du
cassowary-II.SG
kamaya-du
big-II.SG
kaiyebe-du kamaya-du
cassowary-II.SG big-II.SG
âbig cassowaryâ
Referencesâ»
- ^ Suarmin at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
- ^ Foley, "William A." (2018). "The Languages of the Sepik-Ramu Basin and Environs". In Palmer, Bill (ed.). The Languages and Linguistics of the New Guinea Area: A Comprehensive Guide. The World of Linguistics. Vol. 4. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. pp. 197â432. ISBN 978-3-11-028642-7.