====== Kire ====== Timothy Usher, Santa Fe Institute ===== Situation ===== Kire (Giri,) or Kire-Puir, is spoken by 1,900 people (1987) living in ten villages just east of the Ramu River, 19 to 37 miles inland from Hansa Bay, in in the Bogia subdistrict of Papua New Guinea's Madang province. Kire territory ranges from riverine sago swamps to low hills covered with grassland and rainforest. Sago is the staple food of the Kire region (Höltker 1961: 81-85, Stanhope 1972: 49-51, 63, Pryor and Clifton 1987.) ===== Sources ===== **[under construction]**\\ \\ Höltker (1961: 93-95) vocabulary and (pp. 96-97) counting system for Kire-Puir Z'graggen (1969, 1971: …) … Z'graggen (1972) comparative vocabulary of Giri Stanhope (1972) grammar of Kire including (pp. 53-57) 68 number-inflected nominals and (pp. 64-71) 396-term vocabulary and 119 tense-infected verb stems Pryor (1981) phonology of Kire (unobtained) Pryor and Clifton (1987) Kire nasalization Foley (2005: 119-121) 61 comparative terms for Kire drawn from Stanhope (1972) ===== Phonology ===== Stanhope (1972: 51-54) gives 21 consonants and 6 vowels for Kire as follows: |< - 60px 60px 60px 60px 60px >| | m | n | | ŋ | | | pʰ | tʰ | | kʰ | | | p | t | | k | ʔ | | b | d | | g | | | ɸ | | s | | h | | β | r | z | | | | [w] | | [j] | | | |< - 60px 60px 60px >| | ɪ | | ʊ | | ɛ | œ | ɔ | | | a | | Labial fricatives /ɸ β/ may be realized as labiodental [f v], especially word-medially. Apicals /s z/ may be palatalized, especially when followed by front vowels [i e]. Stanhope's /h/ is “roughly aspirated.” Phonetic semivowels [w j] are uncommon, the former occuring almost solely following another consonant in a cluster, the latter found only in /fjaŋ/ “dog” and in proper names. Historically, the reflexes of glides /*w *j/ have been occluded to /β z/.\\ \\ Of the vowels, only high front /ɪ/ and low central /a/ occur initially.\\ \\ Pryor and Clifton (1981: 31) give a significantly expanded inventory, with 28 consonants and 6 vowels for Kire as follows: |< - 60px 60px 60px 60px 60px >| | m | | n | | ŋ | | pʰ | fʰ | tʰ | sʰ | kʰ | | p | f | t | s | k | | b | | d | | g | | mp | | nt | | ŋk | | mb | | nd | nz | ŋg | | β | v | r | z | h | |< - 60px 60px 60px >| | i | ɨ | u | | e | | o | | | a | | Pryor and Clifton's vowels differ from Stanhope's only in their representation, but their consonantal inventory diverges very significantly. They do not posit phonetic semivowels [w j], which are marginal even in Stanhope's description (above.) Prenasalized stops, both voiced and voiceless, are distinguished from plain stops and aspirated /fʰ sʰ/ distinguished from /f s/. Finally, instead of bilabials /ɸ β/ [f v], Pryor and Clifton give /β v]. This result is an unusually complicated and counterintuitive system.\\ \\ Vowel length is contrastive. Nasaslized vowels also occur, and contrast with both short and long oral vowels word-finally, but these are analyzed by both Stanhope and by Pryor and Clifton as reflecting underlying final velar nasal /ŋ/.\\ \\ … ===== Pronouns ===== Stanhope (1972: 57-58) gives pronouns for Kire in three case forms as follows: |< - 100px 100px 100px 100px >| | |nominative|accusative|genitive| |1 sg.|gʊ |na |na-n | |2 sg.|ndʊ |ndʊ |nʊ-n | |3 sg.|a, ana |a, ana |ana-n | |1 pl.|za |za |za-n | |2 pl.|ndɛ |ndɛ |nɛ-n | |3 pl.|mbɛ |mbɛ, ta |mɛ-n | |1 dl.|ga |--- |ga-n | |2 dl.|gɔ |--- |gɔ-n | |3 dl.|manɪ |--- |manɪ-n | ===== Nominal morphology ===== **[under construction]**\\ \\ Stanhope (1972: 55-57) … ===== Verbal morphology ===== **[under construction]**\\ \\ Stanhope (1972: 68-70) gives up to five inflected forms for Kire 119 verb stems, the best understood of which we arrange in paradigms as follows.\\ \\ Tense, mood and aspect are indicated by suffixes: |< - 100px 100px >| |present |-ɪ | |past |-gɪ | |future |-rga| |imperative|-ø | |participle|-ap | The final syllables of verb roots vary according to … The form of the future in turn varies according to …. Initial nasals /m n/ are occluded to [mb nd] in most inflected forms, but not originally in the imperative, although some of these imperative forms have been are in the process of being regularized by analogy with the indicatives.\\ \\ … |< - 100px 100px 100px 100px 100px 100px 100px >| | |stem |present|past |future |imperative|participle| | |**ɪ** |**ø-ɪ**|**ɪ-gɪ** |**ɪ-rga** |**ɪ-ø** |**ɪ-ap** | |bring/take |nɪ |nd-ɪ |ndɪ-gɪ |ndɪ-rga |nɪ ≈ ndɪ |ndɪ-ap | |bore hole |βɪ |β-ɪ |βɪ-gɪ |βɪ-rga | | | | |**ʊɪ** |**ʊ-ɪ**|**ʊɪ-gɪ** |**ʊ-rga** |**** |**** | |sleep |kʊɪ |kw-ɪ |kwɪ-gɪ |kʊ-rga | | | | |**ɪ:** |**ɪ-ɪ**|**ɪ:-gɪ** |**ɪ-rga** |**ɪ-ø** |**ɪ-ap** | |swim |dɪ: |dɪ-ɪ |dɪ:-gɪ |dɪ-rga | |dɪ-ap | |defacate |βɪ: |βɪ-ɪ |βɪ:-gɪ |βɪ-rga | | | |cry |zɪ: |zɪ-ɪ |zɪ:-gɪ |zɪ-rga |zɪ |zɪ-ap | | |**ɪ:2**|**ɪ-ɪ**|**ɪ:-gɪ** |**ɪ:-rga** |**** |**** | |sneeze |sʊɪ: |swɪ-ɪ |swɪ:-gɪ |swɪ:-rga | | | | |**ɛ** |**ø-ɪ**|**ɛ-gɪ** |**ɛ-rga** |**ɛ-ø** |**** | |dish out |tʰʊɛ |tʰw-ɪ |tʰwɛ-gɪ |tʰʊ-rga |tʰwɛ ≈ tʰʊ| | |scratch/draw|kʰɛrɛ |kʰɛr-ɪ |kʰɛrɪ-gɪ |kʰɛrɛ-rga |kʰɛrɛ | | | |**œ1** |**ø-ɪ**|**ɛ-gɪ** |**œ-rga** |**œ-ø** |**ø-ap** | |be |ɪkœ |ɪk-ɪ |ɪkɛ-gɪ |ɪkœ-rga |ɪkœ |ɪk-ap | |eat/drink₂ |mœ | |mbɛ-gɪ |mbœ-rga |mbœ | | | |**œ2** |**ø-ɪ**|**ɪ-gɪ** |**œ-rga** |**œ-ø** |**ø-ap** | |break across|pœrœ |pœr-ɪ |pœrɪ-gɪ |pœrœ-rga |pœrœ | | |run |kʰœβœ |kʰœβ-ɪ |kʰœβɪ-gɪ |kʰœβœ-rga | | | |teach/show |kœβœ |kœβ-ɪ |kœβɪ-gɪ | |kœβœ |kœβ-ap | | |**œ/ʊ**|**ø-ɪ**|**ɛ-gɪ** |**ʊ-rga** |**œ-ø** |**** | |laugh |kœ/kʊ |k-ɪ |kɛ-gɪ |kʊ-rga |kœ | | | |**a** |**a-ɪ**|**a-gɪ** |**a-anga** |**a-ø** |**ø-ap** | |go up |na |nda-ɪ |nda-gɪ |na-anga |na |nd-ap | | |**ʊ1** |**ʊ-ɪ**|**ʊ-gɪ** |**ʊ-rga** |**ʊ-ø** |**** | |go₂ |ŋʊ | | |ŋgʊ-rga |ŋgʊ | | |go₁ |βʊ |βw-ɪ |βʊ-gɪ | | | | | |**ʊ2** |**ø-ɪ**|**ɪ-gɪ** |**ʊ-rga** |**ʊ-ø** |**** | |gather |ɸʊgʊ |ɸʊg-ɪ | |ɸʊgʊ-rga |ɸʊgʊ | | |plant |ɸʊzʊ |ɸʊz-ɪ |ɸʊzɪ-gɪ\\ ≈ ɸwœz-gɪ|ɸʊzʊ-rga\\ ≈ ɸwœzœ-rga|ɸʊzʊ | | | |**ʊ3** |**ø-ɪ**|**ɛ-gɪ** |**** |**ʊ-ø** |**** | |tell/recount|nɛngʊ |nɛng-ɪ |nɛngɛ-gɪ | |nɛngʊ | | … |< - 100px 100px 100px 100px 100px 100px 100px >| | |stem |present|past |future |imperative|participle| | |**m**|**ø-ɪ**|**m-gɪ**|**m-œŋga**|**m-ø** |**ø-ap** | |boil |sam |sa-ɪ |sam-gɪ |sam-œŋga |sam | | |call |kam |ka-ɪ |kam-gɪ |kam-œŋga |kam |ka-ap | |be sick|rœm |rœ-ɪ | | | |rœ-ap | … |< - 100px 100px 100px 100px 100px 100px 100px >| ||stem |present|past |future |imperative|participle| ||**n**|**r-ɪ**|**n-ɪgɪ**|**n-œŋga**|**n-œ** |**** | … |< - 100px 100px 100px 100px 100px 100px 100px >| | |stem |present|past |future |imperative|participle| | |**ɪŋ**|**ɪ-ɪ**|**ɪ(:)ŋ-gɪ**|**ɪ:-nga**|**ɪŋ-ø** |**ɪ-ap** | |stir pot |ɸɪŋ |ɸɪ-ɪ |ɸɪŋ-gɪ |ɸɪ:-nga |ɸɪŋ | | |scratch self|nɪŋ |ndɪ-ɪ |nɪŋ-gɪ |nɪ:-nga | | | |cough |kʰɪŋ |kʰɪ-ɪ |kʰɪ:-ŋgɪ |kʰɪ:-nga |kʰɪŋ |kʰɪ-ap | |climb over |kɪŋ |kɪ-ɪ |kɪ:-ŋgɪ |kɪ:-nga | | | |wash sago |βɪŋ |βɪ-ɪ |βɪ-ŋgɪ |βɪ:-nga | | | | |**œŋ**|**œ-ɪ**|**œŋ-gɪ** |**œ-œŋga**|**œŋ-ø** |**** | |give |nœŋ |nœ-ɪ |nœŋ-gɪ |nœ-œŋga |nœ-ŋ | | | |**aŋ**|**a-ɪ**|**aŋ-gɪ** |**a-ŋga** |**aŋ-ø** |**ø-ap** | |speak |sʊaŋ |swa-ɪ |swaŋ-gɪ |swa-ŋga |swaŋ |sw-ap | | |**ɔŋ**|**ɔ-ɪ**|**ɔŋ-gɪ** |**ɔ:-ŋga**|**** |**** | |circumcize |ɸɔŋ |ɸɔ-ɪ |ɸɔŋ-gɪ | | | | |sprout |tʰɔŋ |tʰɔ-ɪ |tʰɔŋ-gɪ |tʰɔ-ɔnga | | | | |**ʊŋ**|**ʊ-ɪ**|**ʊŋ-gɪ** |**ʊ-ŋga** |**ʊŋ-ø** |**** | |make |mʊŋ |mbw-ɪ |mʊŋ-gɪ |mʊ-ŋka (?)|mʊŋ | | |howl |rʊŋ |rʊ-ɪ |rʊŋ-gɪ | | | | The disposition of verb roots with final /*k/ is dependent upon the quality of the preceding vowel, with those ending in /ak/ showing a different pattern in the future and one example of /œk/ retaining final /k/ as such in the imperative: |< - 100px 100px 100px 100px 100px 100px 100px >| | |stem |present |past |future |imperative|participle| | |**k** |**g-ɪ** |**ʔ-Vgɪ** |**g-rga** |**ʔ-ø** |**** | |fasten/bind|nɔk |ndɔg-ɪ |ndɔʔ-ɔgɪ |ndɔg-rga |ndɔʔ | | |peel food |tʰɔk |tʰɔg-ɪ |tʰɔʔ-ɔgɪ |tʰɔg-rga |tʰɔʔ | | |be able |tʊtʊk |tʊtʊg-ɪ | |tʊtʊg-rga | | | |beat |sɔk |sɔg-ɪ |sɔʔ-ɔgɪ |sɔg-rga |sɔʔ | | |be angry |βɛk |βɛg-ɪ |βɛʔ-ɛgɪ |βɛg-rga |βɛʔ | | | |**œk** |**œg-ɪ** |**** |**** |**œk-ø** |**** | |stand still|tʰœk |tʰœg-ɪ | | |tʰœk | | | |**ak1**|**ag-ɪ** |**aʔ-agɪ** |**aʔ-arga** |**aʔ-ø** |**ø-ap** | |hear |mararak|mbararag-ɪ|mbararaʔ-agɪ|mbararaʔ-arga|mbararaʔ | | |precede |ɸarak |ɸarag-ɪ | |ɸaraʔ-arga |ɸaraʔ |ɸar-ap | |dislike |tʰak |tʰag-ɪ |tʰaʔ-agɪ |tʰaʔ-arga |tʰaʔ | | |prod/stab |dak |dag-ɪ |daʔ-agɪ |daʔ-arga |daʔ | | | |**ak2**|**ɪg-ɪ** |**aʔ-agɪ** |**aʔ-arga** |**aʔ-ø** |**ø-ap** | |be silent |mpœrak |mpœrɪg-ɪ | |mpœraʔ-arga |mpœraʔ | | |sit |pɛrak |pɛrɪg-ɪ | |pɛraʔ-arga |pɛraʔ |pɛr-ap | |help |kʊrak |kʊrɪg-ɪ |kʊraʔ-agɪ |kʊraʔ-arga |kʊraʔ | | |be healthy |zɛrak |zɛrɪg-ɪ | |zɛraʔ-arga | | | … |< - 100px 100px 100px 100px 100px 100px 100px >| ||stem|present|past|future|imperative|participle| ||****|**** |****|**** |**** |**** | || | | | | | | Some stems take augments /-kɪ/ in the future and /-ɪk/ in the imperative, which presumably originated as an auxilliary verb. Unlike final /k/ in most imperative forms, this augment is not realized as glottal stop /ʔ/: |< - 100px 100px 100px 100px 100px 100px 100px >| ||stem|present|past|future|imperative|participle| ||****|**** |****|**** |**** |**** | || | | | | | | Other stems take an augment /-rɪ/ in the imperative. |< - 100px 100px 100px 100px 100px 100px 100px >| ||stem|present|past|future|imperative|participle| ||****|**** |****|**** |**** |**** | || | | | | | | At least two verb stems are suppletive, with synchronically unrelated forms in the present and participle on the one hand and the future and imperative on the other: |< - 100px 100px 100px 100px 100px 100px 100px >| | |stem |present|past |future |imperative|participle| |eat/drink₁|pV |p-ɪ | | | |p-ap | |eat/drink₂|mœ | |mbɛ-gɪ|mbœ-rga|mbœ | | |go₁ |βʊ/βʊk|βw-ɪ |βʊ-gɪ | | |βʊg-ap | |go₂ |ŋʊ | | |ŋgʊ-rga|ŋgʊ | | ===== Counting system ===== Kire has a body-part counting system of the type characteristic of New Guinea languages, in which the term for the number is the same as that for the body part which is touched during tallying. Counting begins from the left pinkie at one, proceeding to the thumb and then up the left side of the body until reaching the side of the head at thirteen, then proceeding downward on the right side of the body, with numbers to thirteen as follows (Stanhope 1972: 62): |< - 100px 100px 100px >| |pinkie |1 |gɛrɛ | |ring finger |2 |gɛrɛ-han| |middle finger|3 |βɪʔbarɛ | |index finger |4 |ɸɛ: | |thumb |5 |mɛ: | |wrist |6 |ɸar-mbɔr| |forearm |7 |har | |elbow |8 |sœgar | |upper arm |9 |ɸatʊtʰɪ | |shoulder |10|pʰœk | |side of neck |11|bʊr | |ear |12|kʷar | |side of head |13|pan |