Ambakich language

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Aion a.k.a. Ambakich is a Keram language of Papua New Guinea. It is only spoken by adults; children grow up speaking Tok Pisin.

Aion
Ambakich
Native toPapua New Guinea
RegionEast Sepik Province
Ethnicity2,000 (2003)[1]
Native speakers
770 (2003)[1]
Ramu–Keram
Language codes
ISO 639-3aew
Glottologamba1269
ELPAmbakich

Phonology

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Consonants[3]
Labial Alveolar Palatal Velar
Plosive p (t) k
Prenasalized ᵐb ⁿd ⁿdʒ ᵑɡ
Fricative s
Nasal m n (ŋ)
Approximant w r j
  • /t/ and /ŋ/ only appear in loanwords.
  • /p/ may sometimes be heard as [ɸ].
  • /k/ is sometimes pronounced as [q] or [ʔ], usually word-initially.
  • /tʃ/ can manifest as [s], or when adjacent to /ɨ/, [t].
  • In certain words, the prenasalized consonants are denasalized.
  • /s/ is occasionally [ʃ] before /i/.
  • /n/ is heard as [ɲ] before /i/, and [ŋ] before /u/.
  • Following /o/ and before any other vowel, /w/ is realized as [ŋ].
  • Before /a/, /j/ is heard as [ɲ].
  • Before the high vowels /i ɨ u/, /j/ is pronounced [dʒ].
Vowels[3]
Front Central Back
High i ɨ u
Mid e o
Low a
  • The high vowels /i ɨ u/ do not occur word-initially.
  • /e/ is occasionally centralized to [ə].
  • /a/ is typically raised to [ə] in open syllables.
  • /a/ can also range in realization to [ɛ], [ʌ], and [ɔ].
  • /u/ is sometimes unrounded to [ɤ].
  • /ɨ/ is often deleted between two consonants.

Additionally, the following diphthongs have been observed: /ai/, /ei/, /oi/, /au/, /ou/.

References

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  1. ^ a b Aion at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. ^ Timothy Usher, East Keram River
  3. ^ a b Barlow, Russell (2021). "Ambakich phonological sketch". Language and Linguistics in Oceania. 13: 32–88.