Timothy Usher, Santa Fe Institute
The Rumu-Omati River family, also known as Turama-Kikorian, is comprised of four or five languages spoken along the Kikori, Omati and Turama Rivers in the western portion of Papua New Guinea's Gulf Province (Franklin 1973: 263-267.) Barikewa, Kaser and Mouwase are quite similar to one another, approaching mutual intelligibility (Petterson 2011: 4,) while Rumu is sharply distinct.
The internal classification of Rumu-Omati River is as follows:
Rumu-Omati River
Rumu
Omati River
Barikewa
Kaser-Mouwase
Kaser
Mouwase
Franklin (1973: 266-267) gives lexicostatistical figures for Turama-Kikori languages as follows:
| Kairi | Barika | Ikobi | Mena | Dugeme | Karima | Omati | |
| Kairi | — | 17 | 16 | 13 | 20 | 15 | 16 |
| Barika | 17 | — | 38 | 36 | 50 | 38 | 31 |
| Ikobi | 16 | 38 | — | 72 | 46 | 37 | 49 |
| Mena | 13 | 36 | 72 | — | 54 | 46 | 48 |
| Dugeme | 20 | 50 | 46 | 54 | — | 56 | 43 |
| Karima | 15 | 38 | 37 | 46 | 56 | — | 43 |
| Omati | 16 | 31 | 49 | 48 | 43 | 43 | — |
Bevan (1890) Tumu (Rumu) (unobtained)
Ray (1907: 391-412) comparative vocabulary of Tumu after Bevan (1890)
Chinnery (1917-1918: 96) 130 comparative terms for Kibiri and Kai-iri (Rumu) of Dopima, Kibiri and Mati villages
Johnston (1919-1920: 119) 130 comparative terms for Karima (Mouwase) of Kibeni village
Johnston (1921-1922: 166) 126 comparative terms for Barika (Barikewa) of Asanu village
Saunders (1923-1924: 57) 118 comparative terms for Dugeme (Dukemi Kaser) of Sororo village
Franklin ed. (1973: 573-575) 100 comparative terms for Kairi, for Ikobi-Kairi (Kikori River) and Mena varieties of Kaser, and for Omati (Mouwase)
Petterson (1989) dictionary of Rumu (unobtained)
Newman and Petterson (1990) Rumu tones
Petterson (1991) 190 comparative terms for Barikiwa (Barikewa) of Iba village
Petterson (1992) sketch phonology of Rumu
Petterson (1999) dictionary of Rumu
Petterson (2011) phonology of Turama River Kaser of Koumaio village
Petterson (2011) dictionary of Kaser (531 terms)
Petterson (2014) verbal inflections for Kaser and Rumu
Petterson (2014) dictionary of Mouwase (1,198 terms)
Carr (2006) 190 comparative terms for Barikewa of Kaiam village, Kaser of Koumaiou and Mowase of Gibidai
Murepe (n.d.) survey vocabulary of Rumu provided in spreadsheet form by Paul Whitehouse via the Summer Institute of Linguistics Ukarumpa.
In addition to these, a survey vocabulary of Kaser was provided in comparative spreadsheet form by Paul Whitehouse via the Summer Institute of Linguistics Ukarumpa; however it is undated and unattributed. It is not the same as Franklin's or Carr's data.
[under construction]
[under construction]
Proto-Rumu-Omati River had at least 11 consonants and 7 vowels:
| *m | *n | ||
| *t | *k | ||
| *b | *d | *g | |
| *ɸ | *s | ||
| *w | *j |
| *i | *u | |
| *e̝ | *o̝ | |
| *ɛ | *ɔ | |
| *a |
Vowels are further distinguished by the presence vs. absence of nasalization:
| *i | *ĩ |
| *u | *ũ |
| *e̝ | *ẽ̝ |
| *o̝ | *õ̝ |
| *ɛ | *ɛ̃ |
| *ɔ | *ɔ̃ |
| *a | *ã |
Consonants correspond as follows:
| Rumu-Omati | Rumu | Omati River |
| *m | m | *m |
| *-m | ø | *m |
| *n | n | *n |
| *-n | ø | *n |
| *t | ɾ | *t |
| *-t | *t [ɾ] | |
| *k- | ø | *k |
| [*-k(-)] | ø | *ø |
| *b | p | *b |
| *-b | po | *b |
| *d- | t | *d |
| *-d(-) | t | *t [ɾ] |
| *g- | k | *g |
| *-g- | k | *g |
| *ɸ | h | *ɸ |
| *-ɸ | *ɸ | |
| *s | h | *s |
| *-s | ø | *s |
| *j | j | *j |
| *w | w | *w |
Vowels correspond as follows:
…
These correspondences are exemplified as follows, with Rumu attestations drawn from Petterson (1989.)
Nasalization is contrastive, but is difficult to reconstruct because it is preserved only sporadically in Kaser. For example, /*isĩ/ “eye” is not directly attested as such, but nasalization is indicated by outcomparison to Lake Kutubu /*hĩ/.
Tone is contrastive, but has not been indicated in the protoforms below.
Bilabial nasal /*m/ …:
| Rumu-Omati | Rumu | Omati River | |
| *m | m | *m | |
| women's house | *min | mí | *min |
| meat/flesh | *mis | mì 'true' | *mis |
| again | *mɛ[me̝] | mɛ̀me | |
| who? | *ma | má/ma-né | *ma |
| head/top | *mab | mapô | *mab |
| tooth | *magu | makù | *magu |
| knee | *m[a/ɔ]gɔu | mɔkɔ̂u | *m[a]g[u] |
| not | *m[aⁱ] | mɔí | *m[aⁱ] |
| bow | *m[a/o̝] | mō | *m[a] |
| *-m- | m | *m | |
| plural | *-m[e̝/ɛ] | -me | *-mɛ |
| palm/sole | *tam[e̝] | ɾamē | |
| thumb/five | *se̝-m[o/a] | hé-mō | *se̝-m[a] |
| afternoon | *sam[a] | *sam[a] | |
| heart | *gam[aku] | kamaú | *gamo̝ |
Final /*m/ is dropped in Rumu:
| Rumu-Omati | Rumu | Omati River | |
| *-m | ø | *m | |
| egg | *d[ɔ]um | *d[ɔ]um | |
| eyeball | *isi-d[ɔ]um | ihī-tū | *isi-d[ɔ]um |
| louse | *gutɔm | kuɾɔ̀ | *gutɔm |
Apical nasal /*n/ …:
| Rumu-Omati | Rumu | Omati River | |
| *n- | n | *n | |
| 1 pl. | *na | na- | *na |
| eat/drink | *na- | na- | *na- |
| *-n- | n | *n | |
| name | *e̝ne̝ne̝n | enené | *ne̝ne̝n |
| older sister | *ana | anà | |
| knowledge | *tane̝ | ɾanē | *tane̝ |
Final /*n/ is dropped in Rumu:
| Rumu-Omati | Rumu | Omati River | |
| *-n | ø | *n | |
| 1 sg. abs. | *[i/e̝]n | í | *[i/e̝]n |
| name | *e̝ne̝ne̝n | enené | *ne̝ne̝n |
| women's house | *min | mí | *min |
| pig | *gɔ[u]n | kɔù | *gɔn |
Apical voiceless stop /*t/ …:
| Rumu-Omati | Rumu | Omati River | |
| *t- | ɾ | *t | |
| body/trunk | *tigi | ɾikî | |
| foot/leg | *tãᵋ | ɾɛ̂ | *tãᵋ |
| palm/sole | *tam[e̝] | ɾamē | |
| bone | *tab | ɾapò | *tab |
| knowledge | *tane̝ | ɾanē | *tane̝ |
| canoe | *ta[k]u | ɾɔû | *taᵘ |
…:
| Rumu-Omati | Rumu | Omati River | |
| *-t- | ɾ | *t | |
| three | *se̝te̝ | heɾé | *se̝t |
| tail | *duta | tuɾâ |
…:
| Rumu-Omati | Rumu | Omati River | |
| t | |||
| yesterday/tom. | *t[e̝/a]t | taté | *t[e̝/a]t |
Velar voiceless stop /*k/ …:
| Rumu-Omati | Rumu | Omati River | |
| *k- | ø | *k | |
| mouth | *ko̝ | ò | *ko̝ |
Medial /*k/, if one existed in proto-Rumu-Omati River, is not directly discernible, as it has been dropped in all descendants. Here the former presence of /*k/ is established by outcomparison:
| Rumu-Omati | Rumu | Omati River | |
| *-[k]- | ø | *ø | |
| canoe | *ta[k]u | ɾɔû | *taᵘ |
| navel | *du[ku]ma | ɾumâ | *duma |
| heart | *gam[aku] | kamaú | *gamo̝ |
| sneeze | *asi[k]ɛ | asiɛ̄ |
Bilabial voiced stop /*b/ is devoiced to /p/ in Rumu:
| Rumu-Omati | Rumu | Omati River | |
| *b- | p | *b | |
| come | *be̝n- | *be̝n- | |
| leaf/hair/feather | *b[au]t | ?paɾâu | *bɔt |
| lip(s) | *ko-[a]baut | ò-apâu | *… |
| what? | *ba | ko-pâ ~ kò-pā | *ba |
| grandfather (?) | *bab[o] | papô | |
| old (thing) | *badi | pati | *b[a]ti |
| brother-in-law | *base̝ | bahè | |
| butterfly | *bɔⁱ-bɔⁱ | pɔipɔì | *bɔⁱ-bɔⁱ |
| ball of thumb/six | *se̝-bɔtɔ | hé-pɔɾɔ | *se̝-bɔt |
| *-b- | p | *b | |
| indicative | *-bɔ | pɔ̄ | *-bɔ |
| father | *aba | apâ | *aba |
| liver | *ub[i] [?*k-] | upì | *ub |
| earth/ground | *sab[ɔ/u] | hapû | *sabɔ |
| vine | *jabV | japē | *jabu |
Rumu appends high back vowel /o/ to root-final /*b/:
| Rumu-Omati | Rumu | Omati River | |
| *-b | po | *b | |
| hot | *e̝b | epò | *e̝b |
| head/top | *mab | mapô | *mab |
| bone | *tab | ɾapò | *tab |
| rain | *gab | kapō | *gab |
| snake/rainbow | *gab | kapô | *gab |
Apical voiced stop /*d/ …:
| Rumu-Omati | Rumu | Omati River | |
| *d- | t | *d | |
| path | *dɛⁱ | tɛî | *dɛⁱ |
| two | *t[aⁱ/aᵋ] | taí | *taᵋ |
| egg | *d[ɔ]um | *d[ɔ]um | |
| eyeball | *isi-d[ɔ]um | ihī-tū | *isi-d[ɔ]um |
| excrement | *dũ | tū | *du |
| index finger/four | *duɸi | tuhî | *duɸ[i] |
| tail | *duta | tuɾâ |
One mismatch indicates a loan from pre-Inland Gulf:
| Inland Gulf | Rumu | Omati River | |
| *d- | ɾ | *d | |
| navel | *du[ku]ma | ɾumâ | *duma |
…:
| Rumu | Omati River | ||
| *d- | ɾ | *d | |
| lime | *d₂[ɔ/o̝] | ɾô | *d₂ɔ |
Medial /*d/ has merged with medial /*t/ in Omati River:
| Rumu-Omati | Rumu | Omati River | |
| *-d- | t | *t | |
| dual | *-di | -di | *-ti |
| old (thing) | *badi | pati | *b[a]ti |
Velar voiced stop /*g/ …:
| Rumu-Omati | Rumu | Omati River | |
| *g- | k | *g | |
| claw | *gi[b/ɸ][i] | kipî | *giɸ |
| thorn | *… | keiā | |
| pandanus mat | *gɛda | kɛ̀ta | |
| rat/mouse | *gaⁱɸati | kihaɾî ~ kɛihaɾî | *gaⁱɸati |
| bird | *gaᵋ | ká ~ kaé | *gaᵋ |
| heart | *gam[aku] | kamaú | *gamo̝ |
| rain | *gab | kapō | *gab |
| snake/rainbow | *gab | kapô | *gab |
| dog | *gas | ká ~ kaé | *gas |
| new | *gasi | kahì | *gasi |
| die | *gase̝- | kahe- | *gase̝- |
| pig | *gɔ[u]n | kɔù | *gɔn |
| seed | *gɔ-wãᵋ | kɔ-wɛ̀ | *gɔ-wãᵋ |
| saliva/spittle | *gɔs[ɛ] | kɔhapì | *gɔs[ɛ] |
| ear | *go̝ | kō | *go̝ |
| fly (n.) | *go̝ɸ[o̝/õ̝] | kohò | |
| louse | *gutɔm | kuɾɔ̀ | *gutɔm |
| *-g- | k | *g | |
| tooth | *magu | makù | *magu |
| knee | *m[ɔ]g[ɔ]u | mɔkɔ̂u | *m[a]g[u] |
| body/trunk | *tigi | ɾikî |
Bilabial fricative /*ɸ/ …:
| Rumu-Omati | Rumu | Omati River | |
| *ɸ- | h | *ɸ | |
| areca nut | *ɸaᵋ | hɛ̄ | *ɸaᵋ |
| swamp | *ɸaw[o̝/õ̝] | hawà ~ hawó | |
| blow | *ɸo̝- | hò | |
| *-ɸ- | h | *ɸ | |
| light (weight) | *[ɛ/ɔ]ɸ[ɛ/ɔ] | ɛhɔ̀ | *[ɔ]ɸɛ |
| friend/relative | *naɸu | nahû | *naɸu |
| index finger/four | *duɸi | tuhî | *duɸ[i] |
| rat/mouse | *gaⁱɸati | kihaɾî ~ kɛihaɾî | *gaⁱɸati |
| fly (n.) | *go̝ɸ[o̝/õ̝] | kohò |
Laminal fricative /*s/ …:
| Rumu-Omati | Rumu | Omati River | |
| *s- | h | *s | |
| hand/arm | *se̝ | hé | *se̝ |
| long | *s[aᵘ] | haû | *sɔ |
| hornbill | *sãᵘ | ɾapô-haû | *s[ãᵘ] |
| afternoon | *sam[ɛ/a] | *sam[ɛ/a] | |
| earth/ground | *sab[ɔ/u] | hapû | *sabɔ |
| wallaby | *sɔwaɾi | hɔwaɾí | |
| breast | *sõ̝ | hó | *sõ̝ |
| *-s- | h | *s | |
| eye | *isĩ | ihī | *isĩ |
| sun | *ɛsɔa | ɛhɔ̂ | *ɛsɔa |
| sneeze | *asi[k]ɛ | asiɛ̄ | |
| smoke | *[a]s[uⁱ]n[ɔ] | ahinɔ̀ | *suⁱn |
| brother-in-law | *base̝ | bahè | |
| new | *gasi | kahì | *gasi |
| saliva/spittle | *gɔs[ɛ] | kɔhapì | *gɔs[ɛ] |
Final /*s/ is dropped in Rumu:
| Rumu-Omati | Rumu | Omati River | |
| *-s | ø | *s | |
| net bag | *… | aū | |
| meat/flesh | *mis | mì 'true' | *mis |
| dog | *gas | ká ~ kaé | *gas |
Bilabial non-stop /*w/ …:
| Rumu-Omati | Rumu | Omati River | |
| *w- | |||
| penis | *wi | wī | |
| water | *wẽ̝ | *wẽ̝ | |
| seedling | *wãᵋ | wɛ̀ ~ wɔɛ̀ | *wãᵋ |
| person | *wam[e̝] | wamê | *wɔm |
Palatal non-stop /*j/ …:
| Rumu-Omati | Rumu | Omati River | |
| *j- | j | *j | |
| yellow | *ja[j]a | jaeà | *ja[j]a |
| vine | *jabV | japē | *jabu |
| nose | *ju | jū | *ju |
…:
| Rumu-Omati | Rumu | Omati River |
Vowels …
…:
| Rumu-Omati | Rumu | Omati River | |
| *i | i | *i | |
| tree/fire | *i | ì | *i |
| eye | *isĩ | ihī | *isĩ |
…:
| Rumu-Omati | Rumu | Omati River | |
| *u | u | *u | |
| excrement | *dũ | tū | *du |
| index finger/four | *duɸi | tuhî | *duɸ[i] |
…:
| Rumu-Omati | Rumu | Omati River |
| *e̝ | ||
…:
| Rumu-Omati | Rumu | Omati River | |
| *o̝ | o | *o̝ | |
| mouth | *ko̝ | ò | *ko̝ |
| ear | *go̝ | kō | *go̝ |
…:
| Rumu-Omati | Rumu | Omati River |
| *ɛ | ||
…:
| Rumu-Omati | Rumu | Omati River | |
| *ɔ | ɔ | *ɔ | |
| indicative | *-bɔ | pɔ̄ | -bɔ |
…:
| Rumu-Omati | Rumu | Omati River |
| *a | ||
[under construction]
Absolutive forms of the personal pronouns are as follows, with Rumu forms drawn from Pettersen (1989 ibid.):
| Kikori RIver | Rumu | Omati River | |
| 1 sg. | *[i/e̝]n | í | *[i/e̝]n |
| 2 sg. | ikí | *ia | |
| 3 sg. | *aᵋ | á ~ áé | *aᵋ |
| 1 pl. | na-mé | *na(-mɛ) | |
| 2 pl. | ka-mé | *ia(-mɛ) | |
| 3 pl. | a-mé | *amɛ | |
| 1 dl. | na-tí | *na-[t]i | |
| 2 dl. | ka-tí | *ia-[t]i | |
| 3 dl. | a-tí | *a-[t]i |