Kwerba language

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Kwerba is a Papuan language of Indonesia. Alternate names are Airmati (Armati), Koassa, Mataweja, Naibedj, Segar Tor, Tekutameso.

Kwerba
Sasawa
Native toIndonesia
RegionSarmi Regency, Papua
Native speakers
(2,500 cited 1996)[1]
Dialects
  • Serikenam
  • Sasawa
  • Nogukwabai
Language codes
ISO 639-3kwe
Glottolognucl1595

Kwerba is spoken in Apiaweti, Aurime, Munukania, Tatsewalem, and Wamariri villages in Sarmi Regency.[2]

Phonology

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Consonants[3]
Labial Alveolar Palatal Velar
Plosive p t k
Fricative s
Nasal m n ɲ ŋ
Approximant w r j
  • The consonants /p k/ can be heard as [ɸ x] intervocalically.
  • The plosive and affricate consonants can be aspirated word-finally.
  • /s/ sometimes varies to [h] word initially and intervocalically for some speakers.
  • /r/ does not occur word-initially.
Vowels[3]
Front Central Back
High i u
Near-high ɪ
Mid-high e ə o
Mid-low ɛ
Low a

Stress occurs on the penultimate syllable.[3]

Pronouns

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Kwerba nominative pronouns as given in Foley (2018):[4]

singular dual plural
1st person excl co nano’ nino
incl na’no neno
2nd person am nono nom
3rd person iiniim iinembwano iinembwa

References

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  1. ^ Kwerba at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. ^ Eberhard, David M.; Simons, Gary F.; Fennig, Charles D., eds. (2019). "Indonesia languages". Ethnologue: Languages of the World (22nd ed.). Dallas: SIL International.
  3. ^ a b c Slizer, Peter J. (1976). Suharno, Ignatius; Pike, Kenneth L. (eds.). "A six-week phonemic analysis of Air Mati with a tentative orthography". From Baudi to Indonesian. Jayapura: Cenderawasih University and Summer Institute of Linguistics: 192–201.
  4. ^ Foley, William A. (2018). "The languages of Northwest New Guinea". 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. 433–568. ISBN 978-3-11-028642-7.