Alekano, or Gahuku (Gahuku-Gama), is a Papuan language spoken in Gahuku Rural LLG of Eastern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea. There are about 25,000 speakers.[1]
| Alekano | |
|---|---|
| Gahuku | |
| Native to | Papua New Guinea |
| Region | Gahuku Rural LLG, Goroka District, Eastern Highlands Province |
Native speakers | 40,000 (2008)[1] |
| Latin | |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | gah |
| Glottolog | alek1238 |
| ELP | Alekano |
Alekano is also known as Gahuku, after the name of the largest clan of speakers, or Gama, after the second largest clan. Calling the language by these names has been rejected by speakers who are not members of these clans. Alekano was proposed as a suitable new name by the linguist Ellis Deibler, and it might be considered the official name by linguists. The name is almost unknown to speakers of the Gahuku and Gama clans. "Alekano" means "bring it". In two closely related languages spoken directly to the northwest, Tokano and Dano, it has the same meaning.[2][3]
Phonology edit
Alekano has 5 vowels, all unrounded, which is exceptional. It has 12 consonants, but /w/ is found only in the village Wanima, in derivations or in pidgin loanwords.[4]
Vowels edit
| Front | Back | |
|---|---|---|
| High | i | ɯ |
| Mid | e | ɤ |
| Low | ɑ |
Glottal coda edit
In Alekano, a syllable may be closed only with a glottal stop, as in /ɑʔnesiʔ/ "enough". That is currently not treated as a consonant, but it is unclear if words written as vowel initial begin with a glottal stop. It is written as an acute accent in the orthography, for example, ánesí.[3]
Consonants edit
| Bilabial | Alveolar | Velar | Glottal | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nasal | m | n | |||
| Plosive | p | t | k | ||
| Approximant | β | l~ɽ | ɣ | h | |
| Sibilant | voiceless | s | |||
| voiced | z | ||||
The lateral is [l] initially and [ɽ] between vowels.
Syllables edit
The most complex syllables are of the form /CVVʔ/: VV may be a diphthong of /ɑ/, /e/, or /ɤ/ followed by /i/ or /ɯ/, or of /iɯ/. Other vowels may also occur in sequence (hiatus).
Tone edit
Alekano has low and high tones but with a very low functional load. HL receives strong stress, LH lesser stress.
Grammar edit
Alekano is a subject–object–verb (SOV) language.[5]
Orthography edit
Alekano uses the Latin script.[4]
| IPA | ɑ | e | ɣ | h | i | k | l | m | n | ɤ | p | s | z | t | ɯ | β |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Letter | Aa | Ee | Gg | Hh | Ii | Kk | Ll | Mm | Nn | Oo | Pp | Ss | Zz | Tt | Uu | Vv |
References edit
- ^ a b Alekano at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)
- ^ Deibler, Ellis W. 1987. "The function of glottal stop in Gahuku." In John M. Clifton (ed.), Studies in Melanesian orthographies, 23-30. Data Papers on Papua New Guinea Languages, 33. Ukarumpa: Summer Institute of Linguistics. [1] Archived 2012-10-15 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b Deibler, Ellis W., compiler. Available: 2008; Created: 2008. Dictionaries of Alekano - English and English - Alekano. [Manuscript] iii, 311 p. [2] Archived 2012-10-15 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b 1992. Alekano Organised Phonology Data. [Manuscript] [3] Archived 2012-10-15 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "WALS Online - Language Gahuku". Archived from the original on 2011-07-04. Retrieved 2011-04-11.
External links edit
- Alekano dictionary Archived 2012-10-15 at the Wayback Machine
- An open access archive of Alekano audio and video are available through the Kaipuleohone.