Kire language

Ramu language spoken in Papua New Guinea
Kire
Giri
Native toPapua New Guinea
RegionMadang Province
Native speakers
2,400 (2003)[1]
Language family
Ramu
  • Ramu proper
    • Lower Ramu
      • Misegian
        • Kire
Language codes
ISO 639-3geb
Glottologkire1240
ELPKire
Coordinates:

Kire (Giri) is a Ramu language of Giri village (4°17′12″S 144°43′29″E / 4.286778°S 144.724753°E / -4.286778; 144.724753 (Giri 1)) in Yawar Rural LLG, Madang Province, Papua New Guinea.[2][3]

Phonology

Out of all the Ramu languages, Kire has the most complex consonant phonemic inventory.[4]

Consonants[5]
Labial Alveolar Dorsal
Plosive p b t d k g
Aspirated pʰ tʰ kʰ
Prenasalized ᵐp ᵐb ⁿt ⁿd ᵑk ᵑg
Fricative β, f v s̪, s z h
Nasal m n ŋ
Approximant w r
  • Aspirated plosives only occur word-initially.
  • /w/ has only been found word-initially.
Vowels[5]
Short Long
Front Central Back Front Central Back
High i ĩ ɨ ɨ̃ u ũ iː ĩː ɨː ɨ̃ː uː
Mid e ẽ o õ eː ẽː õː
Low a ã aː ãː

Additionally, the following diphthongs and triphthongs are found: /ia/, /ĩã/, /ei/, /ẽĩ/, /ai/, /aːi/, /oi/, /ui/, /uiː/, /ũĩ/, /ue/, /ũẽː/, /ua/, /ũã/, /ũãː/, /uei/, /uai/, /ũãĩ/, /ũĩã/, /ũẽĩ/.

Orthography

Kire orthography:[5]

Kire alphabet
Phonemes ɑ ɑ̃ b β d e ẽ f g h i ĩ ɨ ɨ̃ k kʰ m ᵐb ᵐp n
Lowercase letters a ä b ƀ d e ë f g h i ï ɨ ɨ̈ k kh m mb mp n
Phonemes ⁿd ⁿt ŋ ᵑg ᵑk o õ p pʰ r s s̪ t tʰ u ũ v w z
Lowercase letters nd nt ŋ ŋg ŋk o ö p ph r s š t th u ü v w z

References

  1. ^ Kire at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. ^ Eberhard, David M.; Simons, Gary F.; Fennig, Charles D., eds. (2019). "Papua New Guinea languages". Ethnologue: Languages of the World (22nd ed.). Dallas: SIL International.
  3. ^ United Nations in Papua New Guinea (2018). "Papua New Guinea Village Coordinates Lookup". Humanitarian Data Exchange. 1.31.9.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ a b c Pryor, David B. (2004). Kire Organised Phonology Data. SIL International.
Official languages
Major Indigenous
languages
Other Papuan
languages
Angan
Awin–Pa
Binanderean
Bosavi
Chimbu–Wahgi
New Ireland
Duna–Pogaya
East Kutubuan
East Strickland
Engan
Eleman
Ok–Oksapmin
Teberan
Tirio
Turama–Kikorian
Larger families
Sign languages
  • v
  • t
  • e
Ramu
Ottilien
Misegian
Grass (Porapora)
Mongol–Langam (Koam)
Ataitan (Tangu)
Tamolan
Annaberg (Middle Ramu)
Nor–Pondo