Ama language (New Guinea)

Ama (Sawiyanu) is a Left May language of Papua New Guinea, in East Sepik Province. Former dialects have merged.

Ama
Sawiyanu
Native toPapua New Guinea
RegionEast Sepik Province
Native speakers
490 (2000)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3amm
Glottologamap1240
ELPAma

Ethnologue reports that it is spoken in Ama (Wopolu I) (4.103263°S 141.665012°E / -4.103263; 141.665012 (Ama)), Kauvia (Kawiya) (4.123436°S 141.662939°E / -4.123436; 141.662939 (Kavia)), Waniap creek (4.215844°S 141.728851°E / -4.215844; 141.728851 (Waniap)), Wopolu II (Nokonufa) (4.072957°S 141.706211°E / -4.072957; 141.706211 (Waburu 1&2)), and Yonuwai (4.193624°S 141.603848°E / -4.193624; 141.603848 (Yenuai)) villages of Tunap/Hunstein Rural LLG, East Sepik Province.[1][2]

Phonology

Ama has 12 consonants, which are:[3]:344

ptk
ɸsh
mn
w ɻj

Ama has 7 vowels, which are:[3]:344

iu
eo
ɔ
aɒ

Pronouns

Pronouns are:[3]:345

sgdupl
1incl motimoi
1excl yo/yakotikoi
2 nono/namotimoi
3 to/tatotitoi

Grammar

Ama has four tenses, which are marked by suffixes.

  • remote past (-ki)
  • near past (i. e. yesterday) (-a)
  • present (today) (Ø, unmarked)
  • future (-imoi ~ -i)

References

  1. Ama at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022) closed access
  2. United Nations in Papua New Guinea (2018). "Papua New Guinea Village Coordinates Lookup". Humanitarian Data Exchange. 1.31.9.
  3. 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. 197–432. ISBN 978-3-11-028642-7.
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