Ama (Sawiyanu) is a Left May language of Papua New Guinea, in East Sepik Province. Former dialects have merged.
| Ama | |
|---|---|
| Sawiyanu | |
| Native to | Papua New Guinea |
| Region | East Sepik Province |
Native speakers | 490 (2000)[1] |
Arai–Samaia
| |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | amm |
| Glottolog | amap1240 |
| ELP | Ama |
Ethnologue reports that it is spoken in Ama (Wopolu I) (4°06′12″S 141°39′54″E / 4.103263°S 141.665012°E), Kauvia (Kawiya) (4°07′24″S 141°39′47″E / 4.123436°S 141.662939°E), Waniap creek (4°12′57″S 141°43′44″E / 4.215844°S 141.728851°E), Wopolu II (Nokonufa) (4°04′23″S 141°42′22″E / 4.072957°S 141.706211°E), and Yonuwai (4°11′37″S 141°36′14″E / 4.193624°S 141.603848°E) villages of Tunap/Hunstein Rural LLG, East Sepik Province.[1][2]
Phonology edit
Ama has 12 consonants, which are:[3]: 344
p t k kʷ ɸ s h m n w ɻ j
Ama has 7 vowels, which are:[3]: 344
i u e o ɔ a ɒ
Pronouns edit
Pronouns are:[3]: 345
sg du pl 1incl moti moi 1excl yo/ya koti koi 2 nono/na moti moi 3 to/ta toti toi
Grammar edit
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 edit
- ^ a b Ama at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)
- ^ United Nations in Papua New Guinea (2018). "Papua New Guinea Village Coordinates Lookup". Humanitarian Data Exchange. 1.31.9.
- ^ a b c 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.
