Timothy Usher, Santa Fe Institute
[under construction]
The Mek family consists of eight languages spoken …
… straddles the central cordillera, with northern … Sobger and Idenburg rivers, and southern … Eilanden rivers, to the Arafundi sea. … north Kaure-Kosare, northeast unrelated Pauwasi River families, southwest nearest relative Momina-Momuna, southeast and south related Ok and Central Digul River, west only very distantly related Balim Valley family…
“The boundaries of this family are: in the west, the mountains between the Yaholi and Obahak rivers and Kosarek, and the mountains between the Solo and Erok rivers;and in the east, the mountains between the Kloof and Sobger rivers, and the area between Okbap and Apmisibil. In the lowlands to the north and to the south of this area, hamlets are smaller than in the high valleys, and settlements are scattered more and more widely apart in seemingly uninhabited regions. Lines that could be drawn from Keleka to the mountains between the Kloof and Sobger rivers, and from the confluence of the Solo and Erok rivers to the mountains south of the Be and Ok Cop nvers might approximately indicate the northern and southern boundaries respectively…To the east of the Mek language area, languages of the Ok family arespoken. Languages from this family to be mentioned in this article are: l. Nalum, spoken around Apmisibil, and 2. Telefol, spoken across the borderin Papua New Guinea. Both these languages are members of the Mountain Ok sub-family. 4 To the south of the Mek language area, Awyu languages of the Awyu-Dumut family are spoken, and to the north, in pockets separated by uninhabited areas, languages of the Kaure stock.” …(Heeschen 1992: 467-468.)
The internal classification of Mek is as follows:
Mek
East Mek
Ketengban
Eipo substrate-Una
‡Eipo substrate
Una
West Mek
Eipo
Nalca
Nipsan
Kosarek
Sela
Kimyal
The position of Eipo deserves further comment: both the pronouns and the subject desinences of Eipo belong with West Mek, but the great majority of the lexicon is that of an East Mek language most immediately related to Una. This is the reason why Heeschen (1978: 10) states that, on the one hand, Eipo is a West Mek language, but later states that Eipo and Una are “related at the dlalect level” (1998: 224.) The source of East Mek vocabulary in modern Eipo is designated above as Eipo substrate, and is shown as extinct because it is known to survive only in modern Eipo. Theoretical considerations aside, Eipo then might be considered a rare example of a mixed language which is relatively difficult to notice as such because its two components are closely related to begin with.
Heeschen (1978: 9) provides lexicostatistical figures for twelve Mek dialects as follows, with Larye representing Una and Sirkai through Kamume representing Ketengban:
| Korapun | Kosarek | Nipsan | Nalca | Eipo | Larye | Tanime | Bime | Kamume | Sirkai | Kinome | Ok Bab | |
| Korapun | — | 78.79 | 81.82 | 81.25 | 75.76 | 72.75 | 66.67 | 66.67 | 62.50 | 69.70 | 62.50 | 63.65 |
| Kosarek | 78.79 | — | 79.41 | 79.07 | 70.41 | 74.45 | 66.33 | 66.33 | 61.86 | 59.79 | 75.00 | 66.33 |
| Nipsan | 81.82 | 79.41 | — | 84.85 | 74.29 | 70.59 | 64.71 | 64.71 | 63.64 | 61.76 | 63.64 | 61.76 |
| Nalca | 81.25 | 79.07 | 84.85 | — | 77.91 | 72.94 | 72.09 | 65.12 | 64.71 | 62.79 | 71.79 | 66.28 |
| Eipo | 75.76 | 70.41 | 74.29 | 77.91 | — | 93.88 | 93.00 | 89.00 | 88.84 | 82.83 | 86.59 | 83.00 |
| Larye | 72.75 | 74.45 | 70.59 | 72.94 | 93.88 | — | 94.90 | 89.70 | 85.26 | 84.04 | 75.53 | 84.36 |
| Tanime | 66.67 | 66.33 | 64.71 | 72.09 | 93.00 | 94.90 | — | 93.00 | 89.90 | 84.85 | 87.95 | 85.00 |
| Bime | 66.67 | 66.33 | 64.71 | 65.12 | 89.00 | 89.70 | 93.00 | — | 95.96 | 83.84 | 91.57 | 92.00 |
| Kamume | 62.50 | 61.86 | 63.64 | 64.71 | 88.84 | 85.26 | 89.90 | 95.96 | — | 82.83 | 83.13 | 89.90 |
| Sirkai | 69.70 | 59.79 | 61.76 | 62.79 | 82.83 | 84.04 | 84.95 | 83.84 | 82.83 | — | 79.27 | 82.83 |
| Kinome | 62.50 | 75.00 | 63.64 | 71.79 | 86.59 | 75.53 | 87.95 | 91.57 | 83.13 | 79.27 | — | 80.72 |
| Ok Bab | 63.65 | 66.33 | 61.76 | 66.28 | 83.00 | 84.36 | 85.00 | 92.00 | 89.90 | 82.83 | 80.72 | — |
De Kock's (1912) Mt. Goliath is calculated to share 78.95% with Larye and 68.42% with Eipo, but this figure isn't reliable as Mt. Goliath and Larye are the same language, Una.
It is clear that, lexicostatically, Eipo belongs with East Mek, even though the core of its grammar is West Mek. Indeed, many to most of Eipo roots which are cognate to West Mek forms reflect their East Mek versions with East Mek correspondences.
The division between Mek's subgroups is illustrated by differences in vocabulary, with Eipo generally but not always patterning with East Mek as discussed above (Eipo forms drawn from Heeschen and Schiefenhövel 1983):
| East Mek | Eipo | West Mek | |
| 2 pl. | *sun | aŋʊn | *an-kun |
| 3 pl. | *sun | sɪk | *sik |
| ashes | *siki | atɔ | *atɔ |
| nettle | *jaso̝n | bɛp | *be̝p |
| woman/wife | *nɛd | kɪl | *ge̝l |
| East Mek | Eipo substrate | West Mek | |
| bird | *mak | mak(-ɛ) | *winaŋ |
| ear | *amɔl | amɔl | *ɔ |
| house | *aⁱk | aⁱk | *ɛ |
| joy | *pin-pin | fɪn-fɪn | *jɛŋ |
| nettle | *jaso̝n | ʝasʊn | *be̝p |
| one | *tɔn | tɔn | *naton |
| penis | *dɛn | dɛn | *ge̝de̝ |
| pour out | *di-(g) | dɪ-(k) | *j[e̝/ɛ]-(g) |
| sago | *me̝sak | mɪsa(k) | *bɛ |
| seedling | *jala | ʝala ~ ʝal(-ɛ) | *je̝ⁱna |
| skin | *bɔla | bɔla ~ bɔl | *bVsɔk |
| snake | *bal | bal | *bagɛ |
| spirit/ghost | *isa | ɪsa ~ ɪs-ɛ | *bisa |
| stone | *gɛⁱl | kɛⁱl | *g[i/e̝]dik |
| tree/wood | *kjɔ | ʝɔ | *gal |
One might expect that there should be a large number of cognates shared only by Una and Ketengban, but very few have been found.
A further sense of the proportions of East Mek vs. West Mek vocabulary in Eipo can be gleaned from cognate series in which East Mek and West Mek initial reflexes are easily distinguished from one another; these comparisons suggest 20-28% of Eipo’s lexicon to be West Mek in origin, a figure consistent with that of the chart above. It is unavoidable that the reflex of initial /*k/ as /k/ is specifically an East Mek correspondence, because the zero reflexes of 2 sg. and 2 pl. are central to the argument that Eipo is a West Mek language:
| Mek | East Mek | Eipo | West Mek | |
| *p- | *p | Ø | *Ø | |
| hit/kill | *pɔ-(b) | *pɔ-(b) | ɔ-(b) | *ɔ-(b) |
| pain/illness | *po̝k | *po̝k | ɔkʷ-ɛ | *o̝k |
| *pl- | *p | l | *l | |
| say/speak | *plɛ-(b) | *pɛ-(b) | ˈlɛ-(b) | *lɛ-(b) |
| *k- | *k | Ø | *Ø | |
| 2 sg. | *kan | *kan | an | *an |
| be/live | *ko̝ᵘ-(b/n) | kɔᵘ-(b) | ɔᵘ-(b) | *o̝ᵘ-(b/n) |
| Mek | East Mek | Eipo substrate | West Mek | |
| *p- | *p | f | *Ø | |
| put on | *pi-(b) | *pi-(b) | fɪ-ˈ(b) | *i-(b) |
| pierce | *pɔtɔ-(g) | *pɔtɔ-(g) | fɔˈtɔ-(k) | *ɔtɔ-(g) |
| hair/feather(s) | *pɔtɔŋ | *pɔtɔŋ | fɔtɔŋ | *ɔtɔŋ |
| wing | *pɔl | *pɔl | fɔl | *ɔl |
| fall apart | *pɔᵘ-(b) | *pɔᵘ-(b) | fɔᵘ-(b) | *ɔᵘ-(b) |
| *pl- | *p | f | *l | |
| elbow/eight | *plin | *pin | fɪn | *lin |
| thumb/five | *plam[o̝] | *pamo̝ | famʷ-ɛ | *lam |
| hole/gorge | *plo̝m | *po̝m | fʊm | *lo̝m |
| spring (n.) | *plu | *pu | fʊ | *lu |
| *k- | *k | k | *Ø | |
| sun | *ke̝te̝ŋ | *ke̝te̝ŋ | kɛtɪŋ | *e̝te̝ŋ |
| thigh | *k[ɛⁱ/aⁱ]l | *kɛⁱl | kɛⁱlʲ(-ɛ) | *ɛⁱl |
| flower | *k[ɛ/aⁱ]ta | *k[ɛ/aⁱ]ta | kɛta | *ɛⁱt |
| knowledge | *kɛl | *kɛl | kɛl-ɛ | *ɛl |
| casuarina | *k[ɛ/a]bjal | *k[ɛ/a]bjal | kɛbʝal | *[ɛ/a]bjal |
| later/not yet | *kanam | *kanam | kanam | *anam |
| cowrie shell | *kato̝m | *kato̝m | katʊm | *to̝m |
| ficus sp. | *kal | *kal | kal(-ɛ) | *al |
| belly fat | *kale̝ | *kale̝ | kalʲ-ɛ | *ale̝ |
| wind | *ko̝m | *ko̝m | kʊm | *o̝m |
[under construction]
Le Roux (1950) …
Galis (1955) …
Healey (1964) 32 comparative terms for Mt. Goliath Pygmies after …
Rule, Rule and Cutting (1972) grammar of Hmanggona (Nalca)
Fowler, Fowler, Rule and Rule (1972) grammar of Ketengban of Ok Bab village
Bromley (n.d.) Naltya phonology (unobtained)
Voorhoeve (1975: 116-117) 39 comparative terms for Naltya (Nalca), Yaly (Nipsan), Wanam (Kosarek) and Korapun (Kimyal) after Bromley (n.d.)
Louwerse and van der Wilden (1975) phonology of Una (unobtained)
Louwerse (1976) dictionary of Una (unobtained)
Louwerse (1976) grammar of Una (unobtained)
Louwerse (1978) dictionary of Una
Louwerse (1978) phonology of Una
Louwerse (1978) Una clauses (unobtained)
Louwerse (1978) Una discourse (unobtained)
Louwerse (1978) notes on Una (unobtained)
Louwerse (1982) Una verbal morphology (unobtained)
Louwerse (1982) reconstruction of Proto-Mek (unobtained)
Louwerse (1988) Una morphosyntax
Heeschen (1976) dictionary of Eipo (unobtained)
Heeschen (1978: 41-44) 102 comparative terms for Eipo, Bime (Ketengban) and Kosarek
Heeschen (1978) grammar of Eipo (unobtained)
Heeschen (1982) …
Heeschen (1985) …
Heeschen (1985) …
Heeschen (1985) …
Schiefenhövel (1976) …
Schiefenhövel (1978) Eipo
Heeschen and Schiefenhövel (1983) dictionary of Eipo
Heeschen (1992) grammar and dictionary of Yale (Kosarek)
Heeschen (1998) grammar of Eipo
Young (1981) phonology of Koropun (unobtained)
Young (1986) dictionary of Kimyal of Koropun
Young (1996) … (unobtained)
Sims and Sims (1982) phonology of Ketengban
Sims (1986) Ketengban kin terms
Sims, Sims, Basini, Difur and Uropka (1990) vocabulary of Ketengban
Godschalk (1984) phonology of West Sela
Godschalk (1993) 535 terms for West Sela
Svärd (2013) grammar of Nalca
Svärd (2014) Nalca gender
Wälchli … Nalca negation
Wälchli (2018) Nalca gender
Wälchli (2019) vocabulary of Nalca and comparisons to proto-Mek
Wälchli (2019) vocabulary of Nipsan
Wälchli (2019) vocabulary of Nipsan
[under construction]
… family established by Bromley (1966-1967: 299) …
… Voorhoeve (1975) …
… Heeschen (1978) …
… Wurm (1982: 187) …
[under construction]
Proto-Mek had 15 consonants and 8 vowels as follows:
| *m | *n | *ŋ | ||
| *p | *t | *s | *k | *kʷ |
| *b | *d | *g | *gʷ | |
| *w | *l | *j |
| *i | *u | |
| *e̝ | *ə | *o̝ |
| *ɛ | *ɔ | |
| *a |
In addition to the simple vowels given above, six diphthongs are found as follows:
| *e̝ⁱ | *o̝ᵘ |
| *ɛⁱ | *ɔᵘ |
| *aⁱ | *aᵘ |
Most instances of velar nasal [*ŋ] are reducible to the medial and final allophones of velar prenasalized stop /*(ŋ)g/, with [*g] found only initially. This accords with developments in Ok to the southeast and Digul River to the south, in which final /*ŋg/ is realized as [*ŋ] (then merged with /*n/ in Digul River,) and with Ngalum in which /ŋ/ is found in all positions (q.v. Hylkema 1996.) However, there are a handful of root-initial examples which would appear to require /*ŋ/ as a separate phoneme, a problem also found in Mountain Ok. Since phonemic /*ŋ/ may be needed anyway, medial and final instances of /*(ŋ)g/ [*ŋ] are given as <*ŋ> below for ease of reading.
Rounded velar stops /*kʷ *gʷ/ have been found only intiially.
Rounded velar stops *kʷ *gʷ *w/ do not occur preceding back rounded vowels /*u *o̝ *ɔ/. Otherwise, any consonant may be followed by any vowel.
Besides rounded velar stops, which are considered to be unitary cnsonants due to their frequency as well as their historical presence in a number of related families, seven consonant clusters have been found to occur root-initially::
| *l | *j | |
| *p | *pl | — |
| *b | *bl | — |
| *ŋ | — | *ŋj |
| *k | *kl | *kj |
| *g | *gl | *gj |
(We are indebted to Bernhard Wälchli 2019, p.c. for pointing out the existence of several of these clusters as cited below.)
Only a restricted subset of consonants occurs finally:
| *m | *n | *ŋ | |
| *t | *s | *k | |
| *b | *d | *g | |
| *l |
Final apical voiced stop /*d/ is rare; its appearance may indicate recent loans.
Verb roots do not have final consonants.
Because any word can be compounded with another, all permissable final consonants can be the first member of a medial cluster, and any consonant can be the second member. Probably all original medial clusters indicate a compound. Consonant clusters do not occur finally.
High mid vowels /*e̝*o̝/ have reflexes ranging from [I ɪ e ɛ] and [u ʊ o ɔ] respectively across Mek languages and might have just as easily been reconstructed as /*ɪ *ʊ/, quallities found also in the Balim Valley languages in the highlands to the west. Central mid vowel /*ə/, really a schwa, is not found in ordinary roots but only in the first person singular free pronoun and a few morphological contexts, namely the augment, which can appear following nominals and verbal desinences alike, and a small number of verbal formatives.
Besides the diphthongs given above, phonetic diphthongs [aᵋ aᵓ] exist in several West Mek languages, but are interpreted here as conditioned allophones of low mid vowels *ɛ*ɔ.
Stress or tone is contrastive, but is only directly indicated for Eipo verbs, although its effects on Yale Kosarek stem forms is evident (q.v. Heeschen and Schiefenhövel 1983 ibid., Heeschen 1992 ibid.)
Initial simple consonants correspond as follows:
| Mek | E. Mek | Kimyal | NW. Mek |
| *m- | *m | m | *m |
| *n- | *n | n | *n |
| *ŋ- | *ŋ | ŋ | *ŋ |
| *p- | *p | ø | *ø |
| *t- | *t | s | *s |
| *t-/i u | *s | s | *s |
| *s- | *s | s | *s |
| *k- | *k | ø | *ø |
| *kʷ- | *kʷ | w | *w |
| *b- | *b | b | *b |
| *d- | *d | d | *d |
| *g- | *g | g | *g |
| *gʷ- | *gʷ | gʷ | *gʷ |
| *w- | *w | w | *w |
| *l- | *l | l | *l |
| *j- | *j | j | *j |
Initial consonant clusters correspond as follows:
| Mek | E. Mek | Kimyal | NW. Mek |
| *pl- | *p | l | *l |
| *kl- | *cʎ | ||
| *bl- | *ʎ | bl | *bl |
| *gl- | *ʎ | gl | *gl |
| *ŋj- | *ɲ | ŋj | ? |
| *kj- | *c | ||
| *bj- | ? | bʲ | *bʲ |
| *gj- | *ɟ | gʲ | *gʲ |
Medial consonants correspond as follows:
| Mek | E. Mek | Kimyal | NW. Mek |
| *-m- | *m | m | *m |
| *-n- | *n | n | *n |
| *-t- | *t | s | *h |
| *-t-/i u | *s | s | *h |
| *-s- | *s | s | *h |
| *-k- | *k | *ʔ | |
| *-b- | *b | b | *b |
| *-d- | *d | d [r] | *d |
| *-g- | *k | g | *g |
| *-w- | *w | w | *w |
| *-l- | *l | l | *l |
| *-l-/#p_ | *ø | l | *l |
| *-j- | *j | j | *j |
Final consonants correspond as follows:
| Mek | E. Mek | Kimyal | NW. Mek |
| *-m | *m | m | *m |
| *-n | *n | n | *n |
| *-ŋ | *ŋ | ŋ | *ŋ |
| *-p | *p | b | *p |
| *-t | *t | s | *s |
| *-s | *s | ? | *s |
| *-k | *k | g | *k |
| *-k | * | * | |
| *-d | *d | d | *d |
| *-l | *l | l | *l |
Vowels and diphthongs correspond as follows:
| Mek | E. Mek | Kimyal | NW. Mek |
| *i | *i | i | *i |
| *u | *u | u | *u |
| *e̝ | *e̝ | e | *e̝ |
| *o̝ | *o̝ | o | *o̝ |
| *ɛ | *ɛ | ɛ | *ɛ |
| *ɔ | *ɔ | ɔ | *ɔ |
| *a | *a | a | *a |
| *a/_Ci | *a | ɛⁱ | *a |
| *a/_Cu | *a | ɔᵘ | *a |
| *e̝ⁱ | *i | eⁱ | *i |
| *o̝ᵘ | *o̝ᵘ | u | *u |
| *ɛⁱ | *ɛⁱ | eⁱ | *ɛⁱ |
| *ɔᵘ | *ɔᵘ | oᵘ | *ɔᵘ |
| *aⁱ | *aⁱ | eⁱ | *aⁱ |
| *aᵘ | *aᵘ | oᵘ | *aᵘ |
| *aᵋ | *aᵋ | ɛ | *aᵋ |
| *aᵓ | ? | ɔ | *aᵓ |
These correspondences are exemplified as follows. Because Eipo is a mixture of a West Mek language and an East Mek one, etymologies attested for East Mek only in Eipo are not designated as proto-Mek unless the Eipo correspondences unambiguously indicate an East Mek origin. We are indebted to Bernhard Wälchli (2019, p.c) for pointing out the existence of several initial clusters as cited below, as well as a number of mostly West Mek etymologies which did not apper in our earlier analyses.
Any consonant can occur initially.
Initial bilabial nasal /*m/ is retained in both subgroups:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *m- | *m | m | *m | |
| black | *midi[n] | *midin | miri | *midin |
| strength/strong | *migip | *mikip | migib | *migip |
| child/son | *me̝ | *me̝ | me | *me̝ |
| dry/roast | *me̝-(g) | *me̝-(g) | me-(g) | *me̝-(g) |
| first/quickly | *me̝n | *me̝n | *me̝n | |
| exchange gift | *me̝ne̝ŋ[a] | *me̝ne̝ŋ[a] | meneŋ | *me̝ne̝ŋ |
| python sp. | *me̝ta | *me̝ta | *me̝sa | |
| weak/tired | *me̝taŋ | *me̝taŋ | mesaŋ | *mh[e̝a]ŋ |
| top of head | *me̝ge̝ | *me̝ke̝ | mege ~ meg- | *me̝ge̝ |
| gall bladder | *m[e̝/ɛ][b]t[ɔ/o̝] | *m[ɛ][b]t[ɔ] | meso | *m[ɛ][b]s[ɔ] |
| fat/grease | *m[e̝/ɛ]Ta | *mɛta | mesa | *mɛsa |
| vein/tendom | *m[e̝/ɛ]l-m[e̝/ɛ]l | *m[e̝/ɛ]l-m[e̝/ɛ]l | mɛl-mɛl | *m[e̝/ɛ]l-m[e̝/ɛ]l |
| look around | *mɛⁱ-(b) | *mɛⁱ-(b) | *mɛⁱ-(b) | |
| peak/ridge | *mɛⁱn | meⁱn | *mɛⁱn | |
| plant (v.) | *mɛ-(b) | *mɛ-(b) | mɛ-(b) | *mɛ-(b) |
| forbidden | *mɛm | *mɛm | mɛm | *mɛm |
| arrange/keep | *mɛmɛ-(b) | *mɛmɛ-(b) | mɛme-mɛme | *mɛmɛ-(b) |
| wisdom | *mɛni | *mɛni | mɛni | |
| prepare | *mɛne̝-(g) | *mɛne̝-(g) | *mɛne̝-(g) | |
| Pittosporum sp. | *mɛna | *mɛna | *mɛna | |
| fiber sp. | *mɛt | *mɛt | mɛs | |
| chop/chop off | *mɛtɛ-(b) | *mɛtɛ-(b) | *mɛhɛ-(b) | |
| run/jump | *mɛdɛ-(b) | *mɛdɛ-(b) | mɛre-(b) | *mɛdɛ-(b) |
| Papuacedrus | *mɛk | *mɛk | mɛg | *mɛk |
| honeyeater sp. | *mɛk | *mɛk | mɛg | |
| shell sp. | *mɛlɛⁱ[g] | *mɛlɛⁱ | *mɛlɛⁱ[g] | |
| python sp./td> | *m[ɛ/a]no̝ | *m[a]no̝ | mɛno | *m[ɛ/a]no̝ |
| water/river | *m[ɛ/a]k | *mɛk | mag | *m[ɛ/a]k |
| lie down/sleep | *ma-(b) | *ma-(b) | ma-(b) | *ma-(b) |
| mother's br. | *mam | *mam | mam | *mam |
| among selves | *mamun | *mamun | mumun | *mamun |
| child/son | *mabo̝ | *mabo̝ | mabo | *mabo̝ |
| Schefflera sp. | *mabo̝n | *mabo̝n | mabon | *mabo̝n |
| ignorance | *mane̝ | *mane̝ | *mane̝ | |
| grass sp. | *mane̝ŋ | *mane̝ŋ | maneŋ | *mane̝ŋ |
| marsupial | *mana | *mana | *mana | |
| jealousy | *matan | *matan | *mhsn | |
| bird | *mak | *mak | -ma (?) | *-ma (?) |
| bamboo cont. | *mak[i] | *mak-[g]aᵘ | maʔi | *maʔi |
| join/unite | *maka-(b) | maʔa-b- | *maʔa-(b) | |
| saliva/spittle | *maga | *maka | -mag | *maga |
| passerine sp. | *magɔ | *makɔ | magɔ | *magɔ |
| arrow | *mal | *mal | mal | *mal |
| bad | *mali | *mali | mɛli | *mali |
| hit/shove | *malu-(g) | *malu-(g) | *malu-(g) | |
| squeeze | *mɔ-(b) | *mɔ-(b) | mɔ-b- | *mɔ-(b) |
| make ladder | *mɔdɔ-(b/g) | *mɔdɔ-(b/k) | mɔro-(b) | *mɔdɔ-(b) |
| ask/beg | *mɔ[d/l]ɔ-(b) | *mɔ[d/l]ɔ-(b) | *mɔlɔ-(b) | |
| wasp/bee | *mɔŋ | *mɔŋ | ||
| shrub sp. | *mɔglɔm | *mɔklɔm | mɔglom | |
| light/bright | *mɔl | *mɔl | *mɔl | |
| bite off | *m[ɔ/o̝]-(b) | *mɔ-b- | mo-b- | *mɔ-b- |
| mountain | *m[ɔ/o̝]t[ɔ/o̝]k | *m[ɔ/o̝]t[ɔ/o̝]k | *mh[ɔ/o̝]k | |
| rain | *m[ɔ/o̝]k | *mɔk | mog | *mo̝k |
| wrap/cover | *mɔᵘ-(b) | *mɔᵘ-(b) | moᵘ-b- | |
| swell/bear fruit | *mɔᵘ-(b) | *mɔᵘ-(b) | mu-b- | *mɔᵘ-(b) |
| breast | *mɔᵘm | *mɔᵘm | moᵘm | *mɔᵘm |
| Melastoma sp. | *mɔᵘk | *mɔᵘk | *mɔᵘk | |
| head decor. | *mo̝m | *mo̝m | mom | *mo̝m |
| alone | *mo̝[n] | *mo̝[n] | *mo̝ | |
| belly. | *mo̝n | *mo̝n | mon | *mo̝n |
| injury | *mo̝n-mo̝n | *mo̝n-mo̝n | *mo̝n-mo̝n | |
| be half-ripe | *mo̝do̝-(g) | *mo̝do̝k | *mo̝do̝-(g) | |
| Cordyline sp. | *mo̝li | *mo̝li | moli | *mo̝li |
| call/singing | *mumu | *mumu | *mumu | |
| waterfall | *mu[t/s]un | musun | *mhun | |
| join | *mudu-(b) | *mudu-(b) | muru-(b) | *mudu-(b) |
| join | *mudu-(g) | *mudu-(g) | muru-(g) | |
| be unready | *mudu-(g) | *mudu-(g) | *mudu-(g) |
Initial apical nasal /*n/ is much less common than initial bilabial /*m/. It is retained as such in both subgroups.
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *n- | *n | n | *n | |
| all | *ni | *ni | *ni | |
| cover | *ni-(b) | *ni-(b) | ni-(b) | *ni-(b) |
| person | *nimi | *nimi | nimi | *nimi |
| stretch limb(s) | *ne̝ⁱ[n/d]i-(g) | *nini-(g) | neⁱri-(g) | *nini-(g) |
| 1 sg. | *ne̝ | *ne̝ | –ne | |
| careful | *ne̝m | *ne̝m | nem | *ne̝m |
| fern sp. | *ne̝m | *ne̝m | *ne̝m | |
| pandanus sp. | *ne̝ne̝m | *ne̝ne̝m | nenem- | *ne̝ne̝m |
| male | *ne̝ŋ | *ne̝ŋ | neŋ | *ne̝ŋ |
| cross-cousin | *n[e̝ⁱ/ɛⁱ]k | *n[e̝ⁱ/ɛⁱ]k | *n[e̝ⁱ/ɛⁱ]k | |
| together | *nɛⁱk | *nɛⁱk | neⁱg | *nɛⁱk |
| grow | *nɛ-(b) | *nɛ-(b) | -ne-ba- | *nɛ-(b) |
| 1 sg. | *na | *na | na | *na |
| bite/crack | *na-(b) | *na-(b) | *na-(b) | |
| rattan sp, | *namil | *namil | nɛmil | |
| tame/quiet | *name̝n[a] | *name̝n | namen | *name̝n[a] |
| person/people | *naŋ | *naŋ | naŋ | *naŋ |
| wrist/six | *nak[a/o̝]p | *nak[o̝]p | naʔab | *nak[a/o̝]]p |
| white-eye sp. | *nalibɔbla | *nalibɔbla | *nalibɔbla | |
| marsupial sp. | *nale̝m | *nale̝m | *nale̝m | |
| constirct | *nɔdɔ-(b) | *nɔdɔ-(b) | *nɔdɔ-(b) | |
| body | *nɔŋ | *nɔŋ | nɔŋ | *nɔŋ |
| moss sp. | *nɔto̝m | *n[ɔ]to̝m | nɔsom | |
| tie/tie around | *no̝ᵘ-(b) | *nu-(b) | noᵘ-b- | |
| cut up/divide | *no̝-(b) | *no̝-(b) | *no̝-(b) | |
| grass sp. | *no̝na | *no̝na | *no̝na | |
| 1 pl. | *nu[n] | *nun | nun | *nu[n] |
…:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *[na]- | *ø | na | *n | |
| one | *[na]tɔn | *tɔn | nason | *nhɔn |
Initial velar nasal /*ŋ/ is rare, and, as in Mountan Ok to the east, most likely of relatively recent origin. It is retained as such in both subgroups:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *ŋ- | *ŋ | ŋ | *ŋ | |
| scream/groan | *ŋɛ-(b/n) | *ŋa-(n) | ŋɛ-(b) | *ŋɛ-(n) |
| scream/groan | *ŋa-(n) | *ŋa-(n) | *ŋa-(n) | |
| burst | *ŋada-(g) | *ŋada-(g) | *ŋada-(g) | |
| neck | *ŋaŋ | *ŋaŋ | ŋaŋ | *ŋaŋ |
| scream/screech | *ŋalo̝ | *ŋalo̝-(g) | ŋalo-ŋalo | |
| be surprised | *ŋalu-(g) | *ŋalu-(g) | *ŋalu-(g) | |
| buzz/roar | *ŋɔ | *ŋɔ | *ŋɔ |
All the examples above but “neck” are arguably viewable as expressives. This narrow semantic range as well as absolute infrequency and very low functional load suggest initial /*ŋ/ to be something less than a full original phoneme. The same situation is found in Mountain Ok, where one of a handful of examples, /*ŋà:n/ “call out/shout,” looks to be possibly the same root as Mek /*ŋa-(ø/n)/, the others being either expressives or species names.
Initial bilabial voiceless stop /*p/ is retained as [p] only in some dialects of Ketengban. It is aspirated and fricated to [pɸ ɸ f] in other Ketengban varieties and in Eipo and dropped altogether in Una and in West Mek, a trend which is very widspread in the region to the south. Known examples of intiial /*p/ are much less common than initial apical /*t/ or voiced bilabial /*b/ (below):
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *p- | *p | ø | *ø | |
| put on | *pi-(b) | *pi-(b) | *i-(b) | |
| dig | *pali-(b) | *pali-(b) | *pali-(b) | |
| hit/kill | *pɔ-(b) | *pɔ-(b) | ɔ-(b) | *ɔ-(b) |
| fall apart | *pɔᵘ-(b) | *pɔᵘ-(b) | *ɔᵘ-(b) | |
| hair/feather | *p[ɔ]t[ɔ]ŋ | *pɔtɔŋ | osoŋ | *hɔŋ |
| pierce | *pɔtɔ-(g) | *pɔtɔ-(g) | *hɔ-(g) | |
| wing | *pɔl | *pɔl | *ɔl | |
| pain/illness | *po̝k | *po̝k | og | *o̝k |
| close eyes/be blind | *pu-(b) | *pu-(b) | u- | *u-(b) |
Initial apical voiceless stop /*t/ is fricated to /*s/ in West Mek:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *t- | *t | s | *s | |
| stand | *te̝-(g) | *te̝-(g) | se-(g) | *te̝-(g) |
| bat sp. | *te̝te̝m | *te̝te̝m | sesem | |
| cuirass | *te̝ŋ | *te̝ŋ | seŋ | *se̝ŋ |
| be overgrown | *te̝le̝-(b) | *te̝le̝-(b) | *se̝le̝-(b) | |
| thorn | *te̝le̝ŋ | *te̝le̝ŋ | seleŋ | |
| close/block off | *t[e̝/ɛ]de̝-(g) | *t[e̝/ɛ]de̝-(g) | sere-(g) | *s[e̝/ɛ]de̝-(g) |
| think | *tɛn[ɛ]-(b) | *tɛnɛ-(b) | sɛm-(b) | *sɛn[ɛ]-(b) |
| press/jam | *tɛgle̝-(b) | *tɛkle̝ -(b) | *sɛgle̝-(b) | |
| Garcinia sp. | *tɛle̝ | *tɛle̝ | sɛle | *sɛle̝ |
| enclose/cover | *tɛle̝-(b) | *tɛle̝-(b) | sɛle-(b) | *sɛle̝-(b) |
| crack/cleft | *te̝le̝ŋa | *te̝le̝ŋa | seleŋaʔ | *se̝le̝ŋa |
| polished | *tɛlɛ-(n) | *tɛlɛ-(b/n) | *sɛlɛ-(n) | |
| good | *tɛlɛp | *tɛlɛp | sɛleb | |
| forearm | *t[ɛ/aᵋ]k | *tɛk | sɛg | *s[ɛ/aᵋ]k |
| sharp | *taⁱk | *taⁱk | seⁱg | *saⁱk |
| hand | *taᵋ | *taᵋ | sɛ̀ | *saᵋ |
| speak/say | *ta-(b) | *ta-(b) | sa-(b) | *sa-(b) |
| bite/chew | *ta-(b) | *ta-(b) | sa-(b) | *sa-(b) |
| trample/flatten | *ta-(b) | *ta-(b) | sa-(b) | *sa-(b) |
| snip off | *ta-(g) | *ta-(g) | sa-(g) | *sa-(g) |
| side/location | *tam | *tam | sam | *sam |
| dizzy/clumsy | *tam-tam | *tam-tam | *sam-sam | |
| turn around | *tamo̝-(b) | *tamo̝-(b) | sam(o)-(b) | *samo̝-(b) |
| wounded | *tabe̝ga | *tabe̝ga | *sabe̝ga | |
| rattan/rope | *tabu | *tabu | soᵘbu | *sabu |
| tree sp. | *tabla | *tabla | sabla | *sabla |
| smear/adhere | *tabla-(g) | *tabla-(g) | *sabla-(g) | |
| gecko sp. | *tane̝p | *tane̝p | *sane̝p | |
| young woman | *tade̝n | *tade̝n | *sade̝n | |
| chest | *tadam | *tadam | *sadam | |
| palm/sole | *taŋ | *taŋ | saŋ | *saŋ |
| pandanus pulp | *taŋ | *taŋ | saŋ | *saŋ |
| centipede | *taŋ[g]a | *taŋ[g]a | saŋgaʔ | |
| shoulder/ten | *tak[ɔ/o̝] | *tak[ɔ/o̝] | saʔo | *sak[ɔ/o̝] |
| carry on shoulder | *sak[ɔ/o̝]-(b) | *sak[ɔ/o̝]-(b) | *sak[ɔ/o̝]-(b) | |
| dirt/rheum | *tal | *tal | sal | *sal |
| pointless | *tali | *tali | *sali | |
| touch/grasp | *tal[e̝/ɛ]-(b) | *tal[e̝/ɛ]-(b) | sal-(b) | *sal[e̝/ɛ]-(b) |
| tree sp. | *talam | *talam | salam | *salam |
| taste | *tɔ | *tɔ | sɔ̀ | |
| Arctocarpus sp. | *tɔm | *tɔm | sɔm | *sɔm |
| embrace | *tɔmɔ-(b) | *tɔmɔ-(b) | sɔm- | *sɔm[ɔ]-(b) |
| smell (n.) | *tɔŋ | *tɔŋ | sɔŋ | *sɔŋ |
| boil (n.) | *tɔd[ɔ/a][k/g] | *tɔdɔk | sɔraʔ | *tɔdɔk |
| weeping/crying | *tɔl-tɔl | *tɔl-tɔl | *sɔl-sɔl | |
| lower/dcrease | *tɔlo̝-(b) | *tɔlo̝-(b) | *sɔl[o̝]-(b) | |
| like/as | *t[ɔ/o̝] | *t[ɔ] | so | |
| break | *t[ɔ/o̝]-(b) | *t[ɔ]-(b) | so-b- | |
| laugh | *t[ɔ/o̝]-(b) | *t[o̝]-(b) | -sɔ- | *s[ɔ/o̝]-(b) |
| continuously | *t[ɔ/o̝]p | *t[ɔ/o̝]p | sob- | *s[ɔ/o̝]p |
| earth/ground | *t[ɔ/o̝][k/g]o̝ | *t[ɔ/o̝]ko̝ | sogo | *so̝[k/g]o̝ |
| stalk/stem | *tɔᵘgu | *tɔᵘku | soᵘg-aʔ | *s[ɔᵘ]ku |
| flesh/meat | *t[ɔᵘ/o̝]p | *t[ɔᵘ/o̝]p | sob | *so̝p |
| upper arm/nine | *t[ɔᵘ/o̝ᵘ][b/k]na | *tɔᵘbna | sugna | *su[b/g]na |
| build bridge | *to̝-(b) | *to̝-(b) | *so̝-(b) | |
| wet from rain | *to̝n | *to̝n | son- | *so̝n |
| salt funnel | *to̝ŋ | *to̝ŋ | *so̝ŋ | |
| smoke | *to̝lo̝m | *to̝lo̝m | solom | *so̝lo̝m |
| ant sp. | *to̝l[d]e̝k | *to̝le̝k | sòldeg | *so̝le̝k |
| spit | *t[o̝/u]l[o̝/u]-(b) | *t[o̝/u]l[o̝/u]-(b) | solo-(b) | *s[o̝/u]l[o̝/u]-(b) |
| day | *to̝ᵘm | *to̝ᵘm | sum | *sum |
When initial /*t/ is followed by high vowels /*i *u/, it is fricated to /*s/ in both West Mek and East Mek:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *t-/_i | *s | s | *s | |
| blackpalm sp. | *tiŋnim | *siŋnim | siŋnim | *siŋ[n]im |
| ashes | *tigi | *siki | *sigi | |
| fireplace | *tigin | *sikin | sigin | *sigin |
| *t-/_u | *s | s | *s | |
| cucumber | *tumik | *tumik | sumig | *sumik |
| 3 pl. | *tun | *sun | ||
| sore/wound | *tutu | *susu | susu | *susu |
Due to the merger of /*t *s/ when followed by high vowels /*i *u/, it is not possible to distinguish between the two ion this environment without an outcomparison:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *[t/s]-/_i u | *s | s | *s | |
| tooth | *[t/s]i | *si | si | *si |
| hold netbag | *[t/s]i-(b) | *si-(b) | *si-(b) | |
| braided cuff | *[t/s]iba | *siba | *siba | |
| border | *[t/s]idi[g] | *sidi | *sidi[g] | |
| right/real | *[t/s]idik | *sidik | sirig | *sidik |
| flycatcher sp. | *[t/s]iŋsɔŋ | *siŋsɔŋ | siŋsoŋ | *siŋsɔŋ |
| 3 pl. | *[t/s]ik | *sik | sig | *sik |
| belch | *[t/s]igin | *tikin | sigin | *sigin |
| dirt/refuse | *[t/s]igna | *signa | *signa | |
| foam | *[t/s]il[a/ɔ]ŋ | *sil[a]ŋ | siloŋ | *sil[ɔ]ŋ |
| frogmouth sp. | *[t/s]um | *sum | *sum | |
| Pipturus sp. | *[t/s]um-[t/s]um | *sum-sum | sum-sum | *sum-sum |
| mosquito | *[t/s]uma | *suma | *s[u]ma | |
| bird sp. | *[t/s]un | *[t/s]un | sun | |
| compare/try | *[t/s]unu-(b) | *sunu-(b) | sunu-(b) | *sunu-(b) |
| kneel | *[t/s]unu-(g) | *sunu-(g) | sunu-(g) | *sunu-(g) |
| tighten | *[t/s]ugu-(b) | *suku-(b) | sugu- | *sugu-(b) |
| tiurn dark | *[t/s]ugu-(b) | *suku-(b) | sugu-(b) | *sugu-(b) |
| tree sp. | *[t/s]ugad[e̝ja]ŋ | *sukad[e̝ja]ŋ | *sugad[e̝]ŋ | |
| banana leaf | *[t/s]uwa | *suwa | suwa ~ swaʔ | *suwa |
Reconstructing all of these as Mek /*s/ would be internally consistent, but we assume the frication of /*t/ in West Mek and that in East Mek when followed by high vowels to be two different phenomenon, both of which are secondary. One of the best reasons to think this so is that Eipo fricates initial /*t/ in /*to̝ᵘm/ “day”, where high mid back rounded rising diphthong /*o̝ᵘ/ merges with /*u/ in Eipo but not in Ketengban, where /*t/ is retained as such. High front rising diphthong /*e̝ⁱ/ merges with /*i/ in all East Mek languages, but for the following example we have no Una or Ketengnabd reflexes to verify that the initial has been fricated to /s/ as it is in Eipo:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *[t/s]-/_e̝ⁱ | *s | s | *s | |
| pool/pond | *[t/s]e̝ⁱn | *[t/s]in | seⁱn | *sin |
Initial laminal voiceless /*s/ contrasts with apical stop /*t/ (above) when it is followed by a vowel other than high vowels /*i *u/. Itis retained as such in both subgroups:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *s- | *s | s | *s | |
| name | *si | *si | si | *si |
| afternoon | *sin | *sin | sin | *sin |
| bitter/salty | *s[i/e̝]k | *s[i/e̝]k | sig | *se̝k |
| family | *s[i/e̝]lip | *s[i/e̝]lip | *s[i/e̝]lip | |
| possession | *se̝de̝m | *se̝de̝m | serem | *se̝de̝m |
| tongue | *se̝l[ija]mu | *[se̝]l[ija]mu | selamu | *se̝l[i]mu |
| rattan sp. | *s[e̝/ɛ]g[e̝/ɛ]na | *s[ɛ]k[ɛ]na | segna | *s[e̝]gn[a] |
| dance/sing | *sɛ-(b) | *sɛ-(b) | sɛ-(b) | *sɛ-(b) |
| cut/tear | *sɛ-(g) | *sɛ-(g) | sɛ-(g) | *sɛ-(g) |
| light fire | *sɛ-(g) | *sɛ-(g) | *sɛ-(g) | |
| wallaby sp. | *sɛbo̝ | *sɛbo̝ | sɛbo | *sɛbo̝ |
| split | *sɛlɛ-(b) | *sɛlɛ-(b) | sɛle- | *sɛlɛ-(b) |
| pinkie/one | *sɛlɛk | *sɛlɛk | *sɛlɛk | |
| primeval | *sam | *sam | *sam | |
| dance sp. | *saŋ | *saŋ | *saŋ | |
| plait/build | *sɔ-(b) | *sɔ-(b) | sɔ-b- | *sɔ-(b) |
| spirit sp. | *sɔma | *sɔm[a] | sɔmaʔ | *sɔma |
| flycatcher sp. | *so̝nɛniŋ | *so̝nɛniŋ | *so̝nɛniŋ | |
| guts | *so̝ | *so̝ | -so | *so̝ |
| rotten | *so̝k | *so̝k | *so̝k | |
| tail of bird | *s[o̝/u]m | *s[o̝/u]m-s[o̝/u]m |
Initial velar voiceless stop /*k/ is retained as such in East Mek and dropped in West Mek, although one example in which it is the second member of a compound (“belly fat” below) suggests that its underlying form in West Mek may be glottal stop /*ʔ/:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *k- | *k | Ø | *Ø | |
| armpit | *ke̝k | *ke̝k | èg | *e̝k |
| sun | *ke̝te̝ŋ | *ke̝te̝ŋ | isiŋ | *he̝ŋ |
| thigh | *kɛⁱl | *kɛⁱl | el | *ɛⁱl |
| knowledge | *kɛl | *kɛl | ɛl | *ɛl |
| flower | *k[ɛ/aⁱ]ta | *k[ɛ/aⁱ]ta | eⁱsʲaʔ | *[e̝/ɛ]sa |
| 2 sg. | *kan | *kan | àn | *an |
| later/not yet | *kanam | *kanam | anam | *anam |
| cowrie shell sp. | *kato̝m | *kato̝m | *so̝m | |
| cheek/shore | *kat[o̝/u]m | *kat[o̝/u]m | su-sum | *s[o̝]ʔ[o̝]m |
| belly fat | *kale̝ | *kale̝ | *(-ʔ)ale̝ | |
| wind | *ko̝m | *ko̝m | om |
… /*k/ …/ indicates a loan from East Mek into West Mek:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *K- | *k | g | *g | |
| west | *K… |
Initial rounded velar voiceless stop /*kʷ/ is retained as such in East Mek and deoccluded to /*w/ in West Mek. It is not found before back rounded vowels /*u *o̝ *ɔ/:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *kʷ- | *kʷ | w | *w | |
| sweat | *kʷitin | *kʷisin | wisin | *wihin |
| resin/glue | *kʷidi | *kʷidi | *widi | |
| ipull up/pull out | *kʷe̝ne̝-(b) | *kʷe̝ne̝-(b) | wene-ba- | |
| initiation | *kʷe̝t | *kʷe̝t | wes | *we̝s |
| cassowary | *kʷe̝t | *kʷe̝t | ||
| cricket spp. | *kʷe̝se̝ŋ | *kʷe̝se̝ŋ | weseŋ | *we̝he̝ŋ |
| heal | *kʷɛtɛⁱ-(b) | *kʷɛtɛⁱ-(b) | wɛsi-(b) | *wɛs[ɛ]-(b) |
| left | *kʷan[i/e̝][m/ŋ] | *kʷane̝m | waneŋ | *wan[i]ŋ |
| vagina | *kʷat | *kʷat | was | *was |
Initial bilabial voiced stop /*b/ is retained as such in both subgroups:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *b- | *b | b | *b | |
| red | *bi | *bi | bi- | |
| swell | *bi-(g) | *bi-(g) | *bi-(g) | |
| bird sp. | *binim | *binim | *binim | |
| walk around | *bi[t/s]i-(b) | *bisi(b) | bisi-b- | *bhi-(b) |
| cucumber sp. | *bid | *bid | bid | *bid |
| gourd sp. | *bik | *bik | big | *bik |
| shoot | *bi[t/s]i-(g) | *bisi-(g) | *bhi-(g) | |
| path/way | *bi[t/s]ik | *bi[t/s]ik | bisig | *bhik |
| brown | *bidi | *bidi | biri | *bidi |
| drip/trickle | *bil-bil | *bil-bil | *bil-bil | |
| unripe | *bilis | *bilis | *bilis | |
| shin | *b[i/ɛ]di[ŋ] | *bɛdi | biriŋ | |
| pull away/tight | *be̝-(b) | *be̝-(b) | *be̝-(b) | |
| go/walk | *be̝-(n) | *be̝-(n) | *be̝-(n) | |
| stick/be stuck | *be̝-(g) | *be̝-(g) | *be̝-(g) | |
| know/remember | *be̝-(g) | *be̝-(g) | *be̝-(g) | |
| insufficient | *be̝m-be̝m | *be̝m-be̝m | *be̝m-be̝m | |
| dew | *be̝[b/j]a | bebaʔ | *be̝[j]a | |
| tree sp. | *be̝nale̝ | *be̝nale̝ | bènàlè | *be̝nale̝ |
| good/straight | *be̝ta | *be̝ta | besa | *bha |
| make straight | *be̝ta | besa-(b) | *bha-(b) | |
| hang from rope | *be̝de̝-(g) | *be̝de̝-(g) | bere-(g) | |
| pig | *be̝sam | *be̝sam | *bham | |
| jew's harp | *be̝ŋkɔ[n/ŋ] | *be̝ŋkɔ[n/ŋ] | beŋgoŋ | *be̝ŋkɔ[n/ŋ] |
| grass sp. | *be̝le̝ŋ | *be̝le̝ŋ | *be̝le̝ŋ | |
| instrument sp. | *be̝lo̝l | *be̝lo̝l | belol | |
| stinging nettle | *b[e̝/ɛ]p | *b[ɛ]p | beb | *be̝p |
| bird sp. | *… | *… | beⁱsagna | *… |
| two/ring finger | *b[e̝/ɛ]te̝ne̝ | *b[e̝/ɛ]te̝ne̝ | besene | *bhe̝ne̝ |
| earthworm | *… | *… | bèsè | *… |
| put/give birth | *bɛⁱ-(b) | beⁱ-(b) | *bɛⁱ-(b) | |
| flea | *b[ɛ/ɛⁱ]jaŋ | *b[ɛ/ɛⁱ]jaŋ | bejaŋ | *b[ɛ/ɛⁱ]jaŋ |
| sago | *bɛ | -bɛ | *bɛ | |
| lightning | *bɛbɛ | *bɛbɛ | bɛb-aʔ | *bɛbɛ |
| mud/dirt | *bɛn | *bɛn | bɛn | *bɛn |
| cut short/finish | *bɛtɛ-(b) | *bɛtɛ-(b) | *bhɛ-(b) | |
| drip/be soaked | *bɛtɛ-(g) | *bɛtɛ-(g) | bese-g- | *bhɛ-(g) |
| belonging | *bɛdi | *bɛdi | *bɛdi | |
| crosswise | *bɛdɛ | *bɛdɛ | *bɛdɛ | |
| dawn (v/) | *bɛdɛ-(g) | *bɛdɛ-(g) | *bɛdɛ-(g) | |
| bush/outside | *baⁱ | *baⁱ | beⁱ | *baⁱ |
| Castanopsis | *baᵋ | *baᵋ | bɛ̀ | *baᵋ |
| go/walk | *ba-(n) | *ba-(n) | ba-(n) | *ba-(n) |
| lip(s) | *bam | *bam | bàm | *bam |
| lizard sp. | *bamVl | *bam[ɔ]l | bamul | |
| also/too | *babe̝ | *babe̝ | babe | *babe̝ |
| pandanus fruit | *ban | *ban | ban | *ban |
| chin/jaw | *bana | *bana | banaʔ | |
| bundle | *bata | *bata | *bas | |
| decoration sp. | *bataja | *bataja | basiaʔ | |
| forest | *bad[i] | *bad[i] | bar- | *bad- |
| support | *bade̝-(b) | *bade̝-(b) | *bade̝-(b) | |
| rip/tear | *bada-(b) | *bada-(b) | bara-(b) | *bada-(b) |
| side of body | *bado̝ | *bado̝ | baro | *bado̝ |
| Sloanea sp. | *badu | *badu | *badu | |
| brother in law | *ba[t/s]i | *basi | bɛsi | *bhaⁱ |
| sugarcane sp. | *bak[i/e̝] | *bak[i/e̝] | bɛge | *baʔ[e̝] |
| arrow sp. | *bakaⁱ | *bakaⁱ | baʔi | *baʔaⁱ |
| snake | *bagaᵋ | bàgàʔ | *bagaᵋ | |
| back | *bali | *bali | bɛli | *bali |
| drift down | *bala-(g) | *bala-(g) | *bala-(g) | |
| fern sp. | *bɔ | *bɔ | bɔ | |
| carry | *bɔ-(b) | *bɔ-(b) | bɔ-(b) | *bɔ-(b) |
| distribute | *bɔ-(g) | *bɔ-(g) | bɔ-(g) | *bɔ-(g) |
| buttocks | *bɔma | *bɔm- | bɔmaʔ | *bɔma |
| tree sp. | *bɔn | *bɔn | *bɔn | |
| phalanger sp. | *bɔne̝ | *bɔne̝ | bɔnʲ-aʔ | *bɔne̝ |
| perforate | *bɔtɔ-(b) | *bɔtɔ-(b) | bɔso-(b) | *bhɔ-(b) |
| husk/leaf | *bɔk | *bɔk | bɔg | *bɔk |
| flying | *bɔg-bɔk | *bɔk-bɔk | *bɔg-bɔk | |
| tree sp. | *bɔl | *bɔl | *bɔl | |
| gather | *b[ɔ/o]̝lo̝-(b) | *b[ɔ/o]̝lo̝-(b) | bolo-(b) | *b[ɔ/o]̝lo̝-(b) |
| reject/refuse | *bɔᵘ-(b/g) | *bɔᵘ-(b) | *bɔᵘ-(g) | |
| hot/warm | *bɔᵘbo̝ | *bɔᵘb[o̝] | bobo | *b[ɔᵘ]bo̝ |
| liver | *bɔᵘgu | *bɔᵘku | bogu | |
| bamboo knife | *b… | *but | boᵘsi | *bus |
| fly (n.) | *bo̝m | *bo̝m | bom | *bo̝m |
| skin disease | *bo̝bo̝ga | *bo̝bo̝ka | bobogaʔ | |
| paradise sp. | *bo̝bo̝k-ne̝ | *bo̝bo̝k-ne̝ | bobog-ne | *bo̝bo̝k-ne̝ |
| bridge | *bo̝n | *bo̝n | bon | |
| sw. potato sp. | *bo̝n | *bo̝n | bòn | *bo̝n |
| trembling | *bo̝do̝m | *bo̝do̝m | *bo̝do̝m | |
| branch/twig | *bo̝ŋ | bo̝ŋ | bòŋ | *bo̝ŋ |
| flame | *bo̝k | *bo̝k | *bo̝k | |
| throat/larynx | *b[ɔ/o̝]gaᵋ | *b[ɔ/o̝]kaᵋ | bogaʔ ~ bɔgaʔ | *b[ɔ/o̝]gaᵋ |
| borer sp. | *bo̝l-bo̝la | *bo̝[l]-bo̝la | bol-bolaʔ | |
| turtle | *b[o̝ᵘ]m[a] | bumà | ||
| soft | *bo̝ᵘn | *bo̝ᵘn | *bun | |
| sit/stay | *bu-(g) | *bu-(g) | bu-(g) | *bu-(g) |
| short | *bumaŋ | *bumaŋ | bumaŋ | *bumaŋ |
| fledge/swarm | *bunu-(b) | *bunu-(b) | *bunu-(b) | |
| tree sp. | *but[ɔ/o̝]l[i/e̝] | *but[ɔ/o̝]l[i/e̝] | busul | *bhul |
| bird sp. | *bud | *bud | bud | |
| hoof/claw | *budi | *budi | buri | *budi |
| short/near | *budum | *budum | burum | *budu[n] |
One very puzzling example has initial /*b/ dropped in East Mek or added in West Mek for seemingly no reason:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *[b]- | *ø | b | *b | |
| spirit/ghost | *[b]isa | *isa | bisaʔ | *bhia |
Initial apical voiced stop /*d/ is retained as such in both subgroups:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *d- | *d | d | *d | |
| fix/support | *di-(b) | *di-(b) | di-(b) | *di-(b) |
| see/look | *di-(b/n) | *di-(n) | *di-(b) | |
| banana sp. | *dibit | *dibit | dibis | *dibis |
| permanent | *diba | *diba | *diba | |
| women's house | *diba | *diba | dib- | *diba |
| soot/eyebrow | *dibu | *dibu | dibu | *dibu |
| suckle | *dini-(b) | *dini-(b) | dini-(b) | |
| fall down | *din[i/e̝]-(b) | *din[i/e̝]-(b) | *din[i/e̝]-(b) | |
| cross/around | *din[i/e̝]-(b) | *din[i/e̝]-(b) | *din[i/e̝]-(b) | |
| fern sp. | *diŋgila | *diŋgila | diŋgilaʔ | *diŋgila |
| floor | *diga | *dika | digaʔ | *diga |
| alike | *digum | digum | *digum | |
| trace/scar | *diliga | diligaʔ | *diliga | |
| eat/drink | *de̝-(b) | *de̝-(b) | de- | *de̝-(b) |
| die | *de̝-(b) | *de̝-(b) | de-(b) | *de̝-(b) |
| fix/be stuck | *de̝-(g) | *de̝-(g) | *de̝-(g) | |
| bird sp. | *de̝mdɛⁱ | *de̝mdɛⁱ | *de̝mdɛⁱ | |
| cloud(s)/fog | *de̝p | deb | *de̝p | |
| song sp. | *de̝t | *de̝t | ||
| fern sp. | *de̝de̝ŋ | *de̝de̝ŋ | dereŋ | *de̝de̝ŋ |
| exhausted | *de̝k-de̝k | *de̝k-de̝k | deg-deg | *de̝l-de̝k |
| full count | *de̝ŋ | *de̝ŋ | deŋ | *de̝ŋ |
| bald | *d[e̝/ɛ]lV | *d[e̝/ɛlaᵘ | delaʔ | *d[e̝/ɛl[a] |
| excrement | *dɛⁱ | *dɛⁱ | deⁱ | *dɛⁱ |
| put/put down | *dɛⁱ-(b) | *dɛⁱ-(b) | deⁱ-(b) | *dɛⁱ-(b) |
| interrogative | *dɛ | *-dɛ | dɛ | *-dɛ |
| pull/tear | *dɛ-(b) | *dɛ-(b) | *dɛ-(b) | |
| exchange | *dɛ-(g) | *dɛ-(g) | dɛ-(g) | *dɛ-(g) |
| nothing | *dɛm | *dɛm | *dɛm | |
| rain (v.) | *dɛnɛ-(b) | *dɛnɛ-(b) | dem-b- | *dɛnɛ-(b) |
| tree sp. | *dɛkn[ɛ/a] | *dɛkn[ɛ] | *dɛkn[a] | |
| pull out | *dɛlɛ-(b) | *dɛlɛ-(b) | *dɛlɛ-(b) | |
| tear/split | *dɛlɛ-(g) | *dɛlɛ-(g) | dele-ga- | *dɛlɛ-(g) |
| burn/roast | *da-(b) | *da-(b) | da-(b) | *da-(b) |
| change | *da-(n) | *da-(n) | da-(ŋ-) | *da-(n) |
| pick off/br. off | *da-(g) | *da-(g) | da-(g) | *da-(g) |
| near | *dam | *dam | *dam | |
| downriver | *dabo̝ | *dabo̝ | dabo- | *dabo̝ |
| half/other side | *dada | *dada | dara | *dada |
| be fixed | *dada-(b) | *dada-(b) | dara-ba- | *dada-(b) |
| bean spp. | *daŋ | *daŋ | *daŋ | |
| turn around | *daŋo̝-(b) | *daŋo̝-(b) | *daŋo̝-(b) | |
| shell sp. | *daŋman | *daŋman | daŋman | *daŋman |
| tree sp. | *dako̝l | *dako̝l | *dako̝l | |
| duck sp. | *daku | *daku | *daku | |
| caterpillar sp. | *dawe̝ | *dawe̝ | dowe | *dawe̝ |
| bank/riverbed | *dal[a] | *dal[a] | dal | |
| fall over/knock over | *dalo̝-(b) | *dalo̝-(b) | dalo-ba- | *dalo̝-(b) |
| give | *d[a/ɔ]-(b/d) | *dɔ-(b) | *dɔ-(d) | *d[a/ɔ]-(d) |
| interrogative | *dɔ | *-dɔ | do | *-dɔ |
| take | *dɔ-(b) | *dɔ-(b) | dɔ-(b) | *dɔ-(b) |
| plant/sow | *dɔ-(g) | *dɔ-(g) | dɔ-(g) | *dɔ-(g) |
| hide/disappear | *dɔ-(g) | *dɔ-(g) | dɔ-(g) | *dɔ-(g) |
| take out | *dɔlɔ-(b) | *dɔlɔ-(b) | *dɔlɔ-(b) | |
| take off/throw away | *dɔlɔ-(g) | *dɔlɔ-(g) | *dɔlɔ-(g) | |
| cloud | *d[ɔ/o̝]wa | *d[ɔ/o̝]wa | *d[ɔ/o̝]wa | |
| far | *dɔᵘ | *dɔᵘ | *dɔᵘ | |
| clear weather | *dɔᵘ | *dɔᵘ | doᵘ | |
| stop/hold | *dɔᵘ-(b) | *dɔᵘ-(b) | *dɔᵘ-(b) | |
| banana sp. | *dɔᵘp | *dɔᵘp | doᵘb | *dɔᵘp |
| older brother | *do̝ | *do̝ | do | *do̝ |
| put in order | *do̝-(g) | *do̝-(g) | *do̝-(g) | |
| index f./four | *do̝m | *do̝m | dom | *do̝m |
| ridgepole | *do̝ma | *do̝ma | domaʔ | *do̝ma |
| valley/middle | *do̝man | *-do̝man | *-do̝man | |
| collect (water) | *do̝do̝-(b) | *do̝do̝-(b) | doro- | *do̝do̝-(b) |
| water pipe | *do̝do̝-b-na | *do̝do̝-b-na | doro-m-naʔ | *do̝do̝-b-na |
| drowsy | *do̝ŋ-do̝ŋ | *do̝ŋ-do̝ŋ | doŋ-doŋ | |
| egg/fruit/seed | *do̝[k] | *do̝k | do | *do̝[k] |
| fill/crowd | *do̝ko̝-(b) | *do̝ko̝-(b) | dogo-(b) | *do̝ʔo̝-(b) |
| pitpit sp. | *do̝ge̝ | *do̝ge̝ | *do̝ge̝ | |
| rot/mold | *do̝ᵘ-do̝ᵘŋ | *duduŋ | doroŋ-aʔ | *duduŋ |
| fern sp. | *du | *du | *du | |
| stumble/fall | *du-(b) | *du-(b) | *du-(b) | |
| split | *du-(g) | *du-(g) | du-(g) | *du-(g) |
| vomit | *du-(g) | *du-(g) | du-(g) | *du-(g) |
| island | *dum-dum | *dum-dum | dum dum | |
| parrot sp. | *dumɛl | *dumɛl | *dumɛl | |
| dew | *dum-duma | *dum-duma | dum dumaʔ | *dum-duma |
| top/crown | *dup | *dup | *dup | |
| lean on | *duŋu-(b) | *duŋu-(b) | duŋu- | *duŋu-(b) |
| call | *duk-duk | *duk-duk | *duk-duk |
Initial velar voiced stop /*g/ …
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek |
| *g- | *k | g | *g |
… /*g/ …
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek |
| *g- | *g | g | *g |
Intiail rounded velar voiced stop /*gʷ/ … It is not found before back rounded vowels /*u *o̝ *ɔ/:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek |
| *gʷ- | * | * | |
…/*gʷ/ …
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek |
| *gʷ- | * | * | |
Initial bilabial non-stop /*w/ is retained as such in both subgroups. It is not found before back rounded vowels /*u *o̝ *ɔ/:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *w- | *w | w | *w | |
| sleep/tired | *wi | *wi | wi | |
| plait/weave | *wi-(b) | *wi-(b) | wi-(b) | *wi-(b) |
| Ficus sp. | *wim | *wim | wim | *wim |
| striped possum | *wib[i/u] | *wibi | wibu | *wibi |
| bird/hornbill | *winaŋ | *winaŋ | winaŋ | *winaŋ |
| demarcate | *wilni-(b) | *wi[l]ni-(b) | wilni-(b) | *wilni-(b) |
| now/in this way | *we̝ⁱnɛ | *winɛ | wene | *winɛ |
| ripe/mature | *we̝ⁱ[t/s]i | *wisi | wesi- ~ wisi- | *wihi |
| make garden | *we̝-(b) | *we̝-(b) | we-(b) | *we̝-(b) |
| choose/select | *we̝-(b) | *we̝-(b) | we-(b) | *we̝-(b) |
| vine sp. | *we̝ni | *we̝ne̝ | weni | |
| sand/gravel | *we̝ne̝ŋ | *we̝ne̝ŋ | weneŋ | |
| torch | *we̝sa | *we̝sa | wesaʔ | *we̝ha |
| bow sp. | ||||
| hornbill | ||||
| younger sib | *wɛⁱt | *wɛⁱt | *wɛⁱs | |
| big | *wɛⁱk | *wɛⁱk | weⁱg | *wɛⁱk |
| middle finger | ||||
| possum sp. | *wɛⁱja | *wɛⁱja | weⁱja | *wɛⁱja |
| shoot/throw at | *wɛ-(b) | *wɛ-(b) | wɛ-(b) | *wɛ-(b) |
| go in/disappear | *wɛ-(g) | *wɛ-(g) | *wɛ-(g) | |
| sugarcane sp. | *wɛna | *wɛna | *wɛn[a] | |
| lorikeet sp. | *wɛtɛn | *wɛtɛn | wɛsen | *wɛhɛn |
| fiber sp. | *wɛd | *wɛd | wɛd | *wɛd |
| put in | *wɛdɛ-(b) | *wɛdɛ-(b) | *wɛdɛ-(b) | |
| sap/resin | *wɛja | *wɛja | *wɛja | |
| garden | *waᵋ | *waᵋ | wɛ | *waᵋ |
| scold | *wa-(b) | *wa-(b) | *wa-(b) | |
| divert water | *wa-(g) | *wa-(g) | *wa-(g) | |
| evergreen sp. | *wabum | *wabum | wobum | *wabum |
| yam spp. | *wan[i/ɛⁱ/aⁱ] | *wan[i] | wɛne | *wan[ɛⁱ/aⁱ] |
| go around | *wade̝-(g) | *wadɾ-(g) | ware-(g) | *wade̝-(g) |
| hand drum | *wasu | *wasu | woᵘsu | *wahaᵘ |
| moon | *wal[a] | *wal[a] | wal | *wal[a] |
| ignorance | *wal[e̝]-wal[e̝] | *wal-wal | wale wale | *wal-wal |
| be wet/be cold | *wal[e̝/ɛ]-(g) | *wal[ɛ]-(g) | wale-(g) | *wal[e̝/ɛ]-(g) |
| spread soil | *wala-(b) | *wala-(b) | wala- | *wala-(b) |
Initial apical non-stop /*l is retained as such in both subgroups:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek |
| *l- | *l | l | *l |
Initial palatal non-stop /*j/ is etained as such in both subgroups. Unlike bilabial /*w/ (above,) /*j/ can be followed by any vowel:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *j- | *j | j | *j | |
| bow | *jin | *jin | jin | *jin |
| ridge/peak | *je̝ⁱm | *jem | jem | *jim |
| seedling | *je̝ⁱna | jenaʔ | *jina | |
| male | *je̝m | *je̝m | jem | *je̝m |
| joy/gentle | *je̝ŋ | jeŋ | *je̝ŋ | |
| dwarfen/small | *je̝l | *je̝l | *je̝l | |
| stone axe | *jaᵋ | *jaᵋ | jɛ | *jaᵋ |
| come | *ja-(n) | *ja-(n) | ja- | *ja-(n) |
| m. line/row | *ja-(g) | *ja-(g) | ja-g- | *ja-(g) |
| chase/expel | *ja-(g) | *ja-(g) | ja-g- | *ja-(g) |
| tree sp. | *jamo̝ | *jamo̝ | jamo | *jamo̝ |
| relative(s) | *jabo̝ | *jabo̝ | jabo | *jabo̝ |
| foot/leg | *jan | *jan | jan | *jan |
| put aside | *jata-(b) | *jata-(b) | *jaha-(b) | |
| parsley sp. | *jata-(b) | *jaso̝le̝ | jasole | *jah[o̝]le̝ |
| spread | *jaŋa-(b) | *jaŋa-(b) | jaŋa- | *jaŋa-(b) |
| play | *jaŋa-(b) | *jaŋa-(b) | jaŋ- | *jaŋa-(b) |
| rib(s) | *jaki | *jaki | jaʔ jwaʔ | *jaʔi |
| frog | *jakaⁱ | *jakaⁱ | jaʔi | *jaʔaⁱ |
| east | *jale̝ | *jale̝ | jale | *jale̝ |
| singe | *jal[e̝/ɛ]-(b) | *jal[e̝/ɛ]-(b) | *jal[e̝/ɛ]-(b) | |
| pigeon sp. | *jalma | *jalma | jalma | *jalma |
| yes | *jɔ | *jɔ | jɔ | |
| whet/copuate | *jɔ-(b) | *jɔ-(b) | jɔ-(b) | *jɔ-(b) |
| put out/take out | ||||
| drop down | ||||
| soft | *jɔŋɔn | *jɔŋɔn | jɔŋon | *jɔŋɔn |
| bone | ||||
| weight trap | *jɔgɔm | *jɔkɔm | *jɔgɔm | |
| dig out | *j[ɔ/o̝]ŋ[ɔ/o̝]-(b/g) | *j[ɔ]ŋ[ɔ]-(b) | joŋ-(g) | *j[ɔ/o̝]ŋ[ɔ/o̝]-(b/g) |
| barren/sterile | *jɔᵘ | *jɔᵘ | joᵘ ~ jo | *jɔᵘ |
| men's house | *jɔᵘwi | *jɔᵘ[wi]- | juw- | *jɔᵘwi |
| sharp/angry | *jo̝ | *jo̝ | jo | *jo̝ |
| cook in ground | ||||
| bone needle | *jo̝m | *jo̝m | *jo̝m | |
| sap/mucous | ||||
… /*j/ …:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek |
| *[j]- | |||
… intial consonant clusters … Wälchli (2019):
…/*pl/ …:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *pl- | *p | l | *l | |
| elbow/eight | *plin | *pin | lin | *lin |
| speak | *plɛ-(b) | *pɛ-(b) | lɛ-(b) | *lɛ -(b) |
| thumb/five | *plam[o̝] | *pam[o̝] | lam | *lam |
| hole/gorge | *plo̝m | *po̝m | lom | *lo̝m |
| headwaters | *plu | *pu | lù | *lu |
…/*kl/ …:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek |
| *kl- | |||
…/*bl/ … (Wälchli 2019 :3, ibid.):
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek |
| *bl- | *lʲ | bl | *bl |
…/*gl/ … (Wälchli 2019 :3, ibid.):
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek |
| *gl- | gl | *gl | |
…/*ŋj/ …:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek |
| *ŋj- | *ɲ | ŋj | |
…/*kj/ …:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek |
| *kj- | |||
…/*gj/ …:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek |
| *gj- | *ɟ | gj | *gj |
Medial consonants …
Medial bilabial nasal /*m/ is retained as such in both subgroups:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *-m- | *m | m | *m | |
| turn around | *tamo̝-(b) | *tamo̝-(b) | sam(o)-(b) | *samo̝-(b) |
Medial apical nasal /*n/ is retained as such in both subgroups:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek |
| *-n- | *n | n | *n |
Bilabial voiceless stop /*p/ does not occur medially, having presumably been dropped or merged with the reflexes of some other phoneme.
Medial apical voiceless stop /*t/ is fricated to /s/ in Kimyal and deoccluded to /*h/ in Northwest Mek regardless of the quality of neighboring vowels. In Northwest Mek, the vowel preceding resulting /*h/ is typically metathesized to the following syllable to create a diphthong, and preceding voiced stops are realized as unvoiced aspirated stops:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *(C)V₁t- | *(C)V₁t | (C)V₁s | *(C)hV₁ | |
| fireplace post | *at[e̝/ɛ]k | *at[e̝/ɛ]k | asege- | *haᵋk |
| ashes | *atɔ | *at[ɔ] | àso | *haᵓ |
| forehead | *… | *… | eⁱs-jog | *… |
| weak/tired | *me̝taŋ | *me̝taŋ | mesaŋ | *mh[e̝a]ŋ |
| mountain | *m[ɔ/o̝]t[ɔ/o̝]k | *m[ɔ/o̝]t[ɔ/o̝]k | *mh[ɔ/o̝]k | |
| hair/feather | *p[ɔ]t[ɔ]ŋ | *pɔtɔŋ | osoŋ | *hɔŋ |
| pierce | *pɔtɔ-(g) | *pɔtɔ-(g) | *hɔ-(g) | |
| good/straight | *be̝ta | *be̝ta | besa | *bha |
| make straight | *be̝ta | besa-(b) | *bha-(b) | |
| two/ring finger | *b[e̝/ɛ]te̝ne̝ | *b[e̝/ɛ]te̝ne̝ | besene | *bhe̝ne̝ |
| earthworm | *… | *… | bèsè | *… |
| cut short/finish | *bɛtɛ-(b) | *bɛtɛ-(b) | *bhɛ-(b) | |
| drip/be soaked | *bɛtɛ-(g) | *bɛtɛ-(g) | *bhɛ-(g) | |
| decoration sp. | *bataja | *bataja | basi-aʔ | |
| perforate | *bɔtɔ-(b) | *bɔtɔ-(b) | bɔso-(b) | *bhɔ-(b) |
| one | *[na]tɔn | *tɔn | nason | *nhɔn |
| moss sp. | *nɔto̝m | *n[ɔ]to̝m | nɔsom | |
| bat sp. | *te̝te̝m | *te̝te̝m | sesem | |
| sun | *ke̝te̝ŋ | *ke̝te̝ŋ | isiŋ | *he̝ŋ |
| cuscus sp. | *gato̝ | *[k/g]ato̝ | *ghaᵓ (?) | |
| knee | *g₂o̝tam | *go̝tam | gosam | *gh[ɔ/o̝]m |
| *(C)Vt-/i u | *(C)Vs | (C)Vs | *(C)h | |
| breath | *[i/e̝][t/s][i/e̝]n | *isin | isin | *h[i/e̝]n |
| ask | *a[t/s]i-(b) | *asi-(b) | *haⁱ-(b) | |
| eye | *atiŋ | *asiŋ | isiŋ | *haⁱŋ |
| waterfall | *mu[t/s]un | musun | *mhun | |
| walk around | *bi[t/s]i-(b) | *bisi(b) | bisi-b- | *bhi-(b) |
| shoot | *bi[t/s]i-(g) | *bisi-(g) | *bhi-(g) | |
| path/way | *bi[t/s]ik | *bi[t/s]ik | bisig | *bhik |
| brother-in-law | *ba[t/s]i | *basi | bɛsi | *bhaⁱ |
| collect/reserve | *ge̝[t/s]i-(b) | *[k/g]e̝si-(b) | *ghaⁱ-(b) | |
| collect water | *ga[t/s]i-(b) | *[k/g]asi-(b) | *ghaⁱ-(b) |
Northwest Mek does not reduce syllables preceding medial /*h/ where the initial consonant is a rounded velar stop /*kʷ gʷ/ or a non-stop /*w *l *j/:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *… | *t | s | *h | |
| sweat | *kʷitin | *kʷisin | wisin | *wihin |
| cricket spp. | *kʷe̝se̝ŋ | *kʷe̝se̝ŋ | weseŋ | *we̝he̝ŋ |
| heal | *kʷɛtɛⁱ-(b) | *kʷɛtɛⁱ-(b) | wɛsi-(b) | *wɛs[ɛ]-(b) |
| skull/brain | *kʷi[t/s]i | *kʷisi | wisi | *wihi |
| *… | *t | s | *h | |
| twist/roll | *gʷat[e̝/ɛ]-(b) | *[kʷ/gʷ]at[e̝/ɛ]-(b) | gʷase-(b) | *gʷahaᵋ-(b) |
| *-[t/s]-/wV_ | *s | s | *h | |
| ripe/mature | *we̝ⁱ[t/s]i | *wisi | wesi- ~ wisi- | *wihi |
| torch | *we̝sa[k] | *we̝sa | wesaʔ | *we̝ha[k] |
| lorikeet sp. | *wɛtɛn | *wɛtɛn | wɛsen | *wɛhɛn |
| hand drum | *wasu | *wasu | woᵘsu | *wahaᵘ |
| *-[t/s]-/lV_ | *… | ? | *h | |
| be deflected | *lɛ[t/s][i/e̝]-(g) | *lɛs[i]-(g) | *lɛhe̝-(g) | |
| *-t-/jV_ | *t | ? | *h | |
| put aside | *jata-(b) | *jata-(b) | *jaha-(b) | |
| *-s-/jV_ | *s | s | *h | |
| sago | *jase̝ | jase | *jahaᵋ | |
| parsley sp. | *jata-(b) | *jaso̝le̝ | jasole | *jah[o̝]le̝ |
…:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *-t- | *t | *h | ||
| chop/chop off | *mɛtɛ-(b) | *mɛtɛ-(b) | *mɛhɛ-(b) |
One apparent exception might be explained as a reduplication or as a loan from Kimyal or Momuna into West Sela:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *-t- | *t | s | *s | |
| sore/wound | *tutu | *susu | susu | *susu |
…:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *-T- | *t | s | *s | |
| fat/grease | *m[e̝/ɛ]Ta | *mɛta | mesa | *mɛsa |
One apparent exception to these rules is a widespread loan from the north and northeast, although a regular Northwest Mek form also exists (above):
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *-S- | ? | s | *s | |
| sago | *jaSe̝ | jase | *jase̝ |
That Northwest Mek's frication and deocclusion of medial /*t/ occured later than the loss of initial /*k/, while suggested by the Kimyal correspondences, is demonstrated conclusively by this doublet from /*kɛte̝ŋ/ “sun” (above):
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *(C)Vt- | *(C)Vt | (C)Vs | *(C)h | |
| west | *kɛte̝ŋ-ban | *kɛte̝ŋ-ban | *kh[ɛ]e̝[ŋ]ban |
In medial clusters /*ŋs/ and /*gt/ or /*gs/, Northwest Mek /*s/ does not become /h/, perhaps suggesting these words to be compounds (see also the exceptions to vowel raising below which involve several of the same words):
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *-ŋs- | *ŋs | ŋs | *ŋs | |
| flycatcher sp. | *[t/s]iŋsɔŋ | *siŋsɔŋ | siŋsoŋ | *siŋsɔŋ |
| *-g[t/s]- | *ks | gs | *gs | |
| sneeze | *ag[t/s]i | *agsi- | agsi | *agsi- |
| bend/fold | *ag[t/s]u-(b) | *… | agsu-(b) | *… |
…
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *-[t/d]- | *[t/d] | s | *d | |
| root | *ja[t/d][e̝/ɛ]ŋ | *ja[t/d][e̝/ɛ]ŋ | jaseŋ | *jad[e̝/ɛ]ŋ |
Medial laminal voiceless /*s/ …
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *-s- | *s | s | *h | |
| jealousy | *matan | *matan | *mhsn | |
| spirit/ghost | *[b]isa | *isa | bis-aʔ | *bhia |
| pig | *be̝sam | *be̝sam | *bham | |
| bird sp. | *… | *… | beⁱsagna | *… |
Medial velar voiceless stop /*k/ …
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek |
| *-k- | *k | *ʔ | |
Medial bilabial voiced stop /*b/ is retained as such in both subgroups:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *-b- | *b | b | *b | |
| number sfx. | *-bade̝ | *-bade̝ | *-bade̝ | |
Medial apical voiced stop /*d/ …
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *-d- | *d [ɾ] | d [r] | *d | |
| reflexive | *-da-(n) | |||
Medial velar voiced stop /*g/ …
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek |
| *-g- | * | * | |
Medial bilabial non-stop /*w/ …
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek |
| *-w- | * | * | |
Medial apical non-stop /*l/ is retained as such in both subgroups:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek |
| *-l- | *l | l | *l |
Medial palatal non-stop /*j/ has been found in only a few roots:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek |
| *-j- | *j | j | *j |
Final consonants …
Final bilabial nasal /*m/ is retained as such in both subgroups:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *-m | *m | m | *m | |
| Bubbia sp. | *im | *im | im | *im |
| sky/above | *e̝ⁱm | *im | eⁱm | *im |
| dry | *ɛle̝m | *ɛle̝m | ɛlem | *ɛle̝m |
| taro | *am | *am | am | *am |
| tree sp. | *ɔm | *ɔm | ɔm | *ɔm |
| forbidden | *mɛm | *mɛm | mɛm | *mɛm |
| mother's br. | *mam | *mam | mam | *mam |
| opp.-sex sib. | *makal | *makal | maʔal | *maʕal |
| shrub sp. | *mɔglɔm | *mɔklɔm | mɔglom | |
| breast | *mɔᵘm | *mɔᵘm | moᵘm | *mɔᵘm |
| head decor. | *mo̝m | *mo̝m | mom | *mo̝m |
| hole/gorge | *plo̝m | *po̝m | lom | *lo̝m |
| bird sp. | *binim | *binim | *binim | |
| insufficient | *be̝m-be̝m | *be̝m-be̝m | *be̝m-be̝m | |
| pig | *be̝sam | *be̝sam | *bham | |
| lip(s) | *bam | *bam; | bàm | *bam |
| fly (n.) | *bo̝m | *bo̝m | bom | *bo̝m |
| trrembling | *bo̝do̝m | *bo̝do̝m | *bo̝do̝m | |
| short/near | *budum | *budum | burum | *budu[n] (?) |
| careful | *ne̝m | *ne̝m | nem | *ne̝m |
| fern sp. | *ne̝m | *ne̝m | *ne̝m | |
| pandanus sp. | *ne̝ne̝m | *ne̝ne̝m | nenem- | *ne̝ne̝m |
| marsupial sp. | *nale̝m | *nale̝m | *nale̝m | |
| moss sp. | *nɔto̝m | *n[ɔ]to̝m | nɔsom | |
| blackpalm sp. | *tiŋnim | *siŋnim | siŋnim | *siŋ[n]im |
| bat sp. | *te̝te̝m | *te̝te̝m | sesem | |
| side/location | *tam | *tam | sam | *sam |
| dizzy/clumsy | *tam-tam | *tam-tam | *sam-sam | |
| chest | *tadam | *tadam | *sadam | |
| tree sp. | *talam | *talam | salam | *salam |
| Artocarpus sp. | *tɔm | *tɔm | sɔm | *sɔm |
| smoke | *to̝lo̝m | *to̝lo̝m | solom | *so̝lo̝m |
| day | *to̝ᵘm | *to̝ᵘm | sum | *sum |
| frogmouth sp. | *[t/s]um | *sum | *sum | |
| Pipturus sp. | *[t/s]um-[t/s]um | *sum-sum | sum-sum | *sum-sum |
| alike | *digum | digum | *digum | |
| nothing | *dɛm | *dɛm | *dɛm | |
| near | *dam | *dam | *dam | |
| index finger | *do̝m | *do̝m | dom | *do̝m |
| island | *dum-dum | *dum-dum | dum dum | |
| possession | *se̝de̝m | *se̝de̝m | serem | *se̝de̝m |
| primeval | *sam | *sam | *sam | |
| tail of bird | *s[o̝/u]m | *s[o̝/u]m-s[o̝/u]m | ||
| later/not yet | *kanam | *kanam | anam | *anam |
| cowrie shell sp. | *kato̝m | *kato̝m | *so̝m | |
| cheek/shore | *kat[o̝/u]m | *kat[o̝/u]m | su-sum | *s[o̝]ʔ[o̝]m |
| wind | *ko̝m | *ko̝m | om | |
| perineum | *ge̝m | *[k/g]e̝m | gem | *ge̝m |
| dog | *gam | *[k/g]am | gam | *gam |
| scalp disease | *gabum | *[k/g]abum | *gabum | |
| crab sp. | *galo̝m | *[k/g]alo̝m | *galo̝m | |
| charcoal/soot | *galum | *[k/g]alum | gulum | *galum |
| side of neck | *g[a/ɔ]klɔm | *[k/g]gɔklɔm | gaʔlom | *g[a/ɔ][k]lɔm |
| legend | *gɔm | *[k/g]ɔm | *gɔm | |
| parrot sp. | *gɔbɔm | *[k/g]ɔbɔm | gɔbom | |
| base/stump | *gum | *[k/g]um | gum | *gum |
| life/alive | *g₂am | *gam | gam | *gam |
| not/no | *g₂o̝m | *go̝m | gom | *go̝m |
| knee | *g₂o̝tam | *go̝tam | gosam | *gh[ɔ/o̝]m |
| Falcataria sp. | *gʷe̝l[i/e̝]m | *[kʷ/gʷ]e̝l[e̝]m | *gʷe̝l[i]m | |
| Ficus sp. | *wim | *wim | wim | *wim |
| evergreen sp. | *wabum | *wabum | wobum | *wabum |
| pandanus sp. | *ligam | *likam | *ligam | |
| noise | *lilim | *lilim | *lilim | |
| ridge/peak | *je̝ⁱm | *jem | jem | *jim |
| male | *je̝m | *je̝m | jem | *je̝m |
| weight trap | *jɔgɔm | *jɔkɔm | *jɔgɔm | |
| bone needle | *jo̝m | *jo̝m | *jo̝m |
Final apical nasal /*n/ is retained as such in both subgroups:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *-n | *n | n | *n | |
| mother | *in | *in | in | *in |
| river | *in | *in | *in | |
| heavy | *igin | *ikin | igin | *igin |
| breath | *[i/e̝][t/s][i/e̝]n | *isin | isin | *h[i/e̝]n |
| tree sp. | *aŋan | *aŋan | aŋan | |
| 2 pl. | *… | *… | aʔun | *… |
| black/dark | *midi[n] | *midin | miri | *midin |
| first/quickly | *me̝n | *me̝n | *me̝n | |
| peak/ridge | *mɛⁱn | meⁱn | *mɛⁱn | |
| among selves | *mamun | *mamun | mumun | *mamun |
| Schefflera sp. | *mabo̝n | *mabo̝n | mabon | *mabo̝n |
| jealousy | *matan | *matan | *mhsn | |
| belly. | *mo̝n | *mo̝n | mon | *mo̝n |
| injury | *mo̝n-mo̝n | *mo̝n-mo̝n | *mo̝n-mo̝n | |
| elbow/eight | *plin | *pin | lin | *lin |
| catch of trap | *bɛ-b-na | *bɛ-b-na | *bɛ-b-na | |
| mud/dirt | *bɛn | *bɛn | bɛn | *bɛn |
| pandanus fruit | *ban | *ban | ban | *ban |
| hole | *bɔn | *bɔn | *bɔn | |
| tree sp. | *bɔn | *bɔn | bɔn | |
| bridge | *bo̝n | *bo̝n | bon | |
| sw. potato sp. | *bo̝n | *bo̝n | bòn | *bo̝n |
| soft | *bo̝ᵘn | *bo̝ᵘn | *bun | |
| one | *[na]tɔn | *tɔn | nason | *nhɔn |
| fireplace | *tigin | *sikin | sigin | *sigin |
| wet from rain | *to̝n | *to̝n | son- | *so̝n |
| 3 pl. | *tun | *tun | ||
| belch | *[t/s]igin | *tikin | sigin | *sigin |
| pool/pond | *[t/s]e̝ⁱn | *[t/s]in | seⁱn | *sin |
| bird sp. | *[t/s]un | *[t/s]un | sun | |
| shell sp. | *daŋman | *daŋman | daŋman | *daŋman |
| valley/middle | *do̝man | *do̝man | *do̝man | |
| afternoon | *sin | *sin | sin | *sin |
| 2 sg. | *kan | *kan | àn | *an |
| tree sp. | *gin-gin | *[k/g]in-[k/g]in | *gin-gin | |
| pandanus sp. | *gɛn | *[k/g][ɛ]n | gɛn | *gɛn |
| net sp. | *galun | *[k/g]alun | *galun | |
| top/summit | *gɔn | *[k/g]ɔn | *gɔn | |
| bark sp. | *go̝n | *[k/g]o̝n | *go̝n | |
| sweat | *kʷitin | *kʷisin | wisin | *wihin |
| lake/pond | *gʷan | *[kʷ/gʷ]an | *gʷan | |
| lorikeet sp. | *wɛtɛn | *wɛtɛn | wɛsen | *wɛhɛn |
| dove sp. | *lɔn | *lɔn | lɔn | *lɔn |
| night/morning | *lugun | *lukun | lugun | *lugun |
| bow | *jin | *jin | jin | *jin |
| foot/leg | *jan | *jan | jan | *jan |
| soft | *jɔŋɔn | *jɔŋɔn | jɔŋon | *jɔŋɔn |
| fever | *j[o̝ᵘ]n | *j[o̝ᵘ]n | jùn | *j[u]n |
Final velar nasal /*ŋ/ is retained as such in both subgroups:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *-ŋ | *ŋ | ŋ | *ŋ | |
| blood | *e̝ne̝ŋ | *e̝ne̝ŋ | eneŋ | *e̝ne̝ŋ |
| weeping/crying | *ɛŋ | *ɛŋ | ɛŋ | *ɛŋ |
| eye | *atiŋ | *asiŋ | isiŋ | *haⁱŋ |
| mother's br. | *awaŋ | *awaŋ | ||
| bl. cockatoo | *ale̝ŋ | *ale̝ŋ | *ale̝ŋ | |
| weak/tired | *me̝taŋ | *me̝taŋ | mesaŋ | *mh[e̝a]ŋ |
| grass sp. | *mane̝ŋ | *mane̝ŋ | maneŋ | *mane̝ŋ |
| wasp/bee | *mɔŋ | *mɔŋ | ||
| hair/feather | *p[ɔ]t[ɔ]ŋ | *pɔtɔŋ | osoŋ | *hɔŋ |
| grass sp. | *be̝le̝ŋ | *be̝le̝ŋ | *be̝le̝ŋ | |
| flea | *b[ɛ/ɛⁱ]jaŋ | *b[ɛ/ɛⁱ]jaŋ | bejaŋ | *b[ɛ/ɛⁱ]jaŋ |
| short | *bumaŋ | *bumaŋ | bumaŋ | *bumaŋ |
| male | *ne̝ŋ | *ne̝ŋ | neŋ | *ne̝ŋ |
| person/people | *naŋ | *naŋ | naŋ | *naŋ |
| body | *nɔŋ | *nɔŋ | nɔŋ | *nɔŋ |
| cuirass | *te̝ŋ | *te̝ŋ | seŋ | *se̝ŋ |
| thorn | *te̝le̝ŋ | *te̝le̝ŋ | seleŋ | |
| palm/sole | *taŋ | *taŋ | saŋ | *saŋ |
| pandanus pulp | *taŋ | *taŋ | saŋ | *saŋ |
| smell (n.) | *tɔŋ | *tɔŋ | sɔŋ | *sɔŋ |
| funnel sp. | *to̝ŋ | *to̝ŋ | *so̝ŋ | |
| fern sp. | *de̝de̝ŋ | *de̝de̝ŋ | dereŋ | *de̝de̝ŋ |
| full count | *de̝ŋ | *de̝ŋ | deŋ | *de̝ŋ |
| bean spp. | *daŋ | *daŋ | *daŋ | |
| drowsy | *do̝ŋ-do̝ŋ | *do̝ŋ-do̝ŋ | doŋ-doŋ | |
| rot/mold | *do̝ᵘ-do̝ᵘŋ | *duduŋ | doroŋ-aʔ | *duduŋ |
| flycatcher sp. | *[t/s]iŋsɔŋ | *siŋsɔŋ | siŋsoŋ | *siŋsɔŋ |
| tree sp. | *[t/s]ukad[e̝ja]ŋ | *sukad[e̝ja]ŋ | *sugad[ɛ]ŋ | |
| flycatcher sp. | *so̝nɛniŋ | *so̝nɛniŋ | *so̝nɛniŋ | |
| dance sp. | *saŋ | *saŋ | *saŋ | |
| neck/throat | *ŋaŋ | *ŋaŋ | ŋaŋ | *ŋaŋ |
| sun | *ke̝te̝ŋ | *ke̝te̝ŋ | isiŋ | *he̝ŋ |
| cuscus sp. | *gabaŋ | *[k/g]abaŋ | *gabaŋ | |
| many/crowd | *gɔŋ | *[k/g]ɔŋ | *gɔŋ | |
| joint/node | *go̝ŋ | *[k/g]o̝ŋ | *go̝ŋ | |
| cricket spp. | *kʷe̝se̝ŋ | *kʷe̝se̝ŋ | weseŋ | *we̝he̝ŋ |
| sw. potato sp. | *gʷane̝ŋ | *[kʷ/gʷ]ane̝ŋ | gʷaneŋ | *gʷane̝ŋ |
| red/yellow clay | *gʷanaŋ | *[kʷ/gʷ]anaŋ | gʷanaŋ | *gʷanaŋ |
| Ficus sp. | *gʷadaŋ | *[kʷ/gʷ]adaŋ | gʷaraŋ | *gʷadaŋ |
| hornbill | *winaŋ | *winaŋ | winaŋ | *winaŋ |
| sand/gravel | *we̝ne̝ŋ | *we̝ne̝ŋ | weneŋ | *we̝ne̝ŋ |
| crack/cleft | *liŋ | *liŋ | ||
| joy/gentle | *je̝ŋ | jeŋ | *je̝ŋ | |
| sap/milk/brain | *jo̝ŋ | *jo̝ŋ | *joŋ | *jo̝ŋ |
| pus | *[j]ab[ɔ/o̝]ŋ | *jab[ɔ/o̝]ŋ | aboŋ | *abɔŋ |
Final apical voiceless stop /*t/ is fricated to /*s/ in West Mek:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *-t | *t | s | *s | |
| lizard sp. | *it | *it | *is | |
| fiber sp. | *mɛt | *mɛt | mɛs | |
| dance sp. | *m[ɔ/o̝]t | *m[ɔ/o̝]t | mɔs | *mɔs |
| bundle | *bat | *bat | *bas | |
| bamboo knife | *b… | *but | boᵘsi | *bus |
| banana sp. | *dibit | *dibit | dibis | *dibis |
| song sp. | *de̝t | *de̝t | ||
| cliff/slope | *gɔt | *[k/g]ɔt | gɔs | |
| tree sp. | *gɔdɔt | *[k/g]ɔdɔt | gɔros | *gɔdɔs |
| hard/firm | *g₂at | *gat | gas | *gas |
| initiation | *kʷe̝t | *kʷe̝t | wes | *we̝s |
| cassowary | *kʷe̝t | *kʷe̝t | ||
| vagina | *kʷat | *kʷat | was | *was |
| younger sib | *wɛⁱt | *wɛⁱt | *wɛⁱs |
Final laminal voiceleess /*s/ is uncommon, but appears to contrast with final /*t/ (above):
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *s | *s | ? | *s | |
| unripe | *bilis | *bilis | *bilis | |
| bee/hornet sp. | *lus | *lus | *lus |
Final velar voiceless stop /*k/ is retained as such …:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *-k | *k | g [k] | *k | |
| pigeon sp. | *imbe̝k | *imbe̝k | *imbek | |
| raw/unripe | *ɛk | *ɛk | ɛg | *ɛk |
| fireplace post | *at[e̝/ɛ]k | *at[e̝/ɛ]k | asege- | *haᵋk |
| tree sp. | *ade̝de̝k | *ade̝de̝k | àrèrèg | |
| netbag | *ak | *ak- | ag | *ak |
| locative | *ak | *-ak | (-)ag | *(-)ak |
| nail | *aluk | olug | *aluk | |
| empty | *ɔdo̝k | *ɔdo̝k | *ɔdo̝k | |
| fire | *o̝ᵘk | *o̝ᵘk | ug | *[u]k |
| Papuacedrus | *mɛk | *mɛk | mɛg | *mɛk |
| honeyeater sp. | *mɛk | *mɛk | mɛg | |
| water/river | *m[ɛ/a]k | *mɛk | mag | *m[ɛ/a]k |
| rain | *m[ɔ/o̝]k | *mɔk | mog | *mo̝k |
| tree sp. | *mɔᵘk | *mɔᵘk | *mɔᵘk | |
| mountain | *m[ɔ/o̝]t[ɔ/o̝]k | *m[ɔ/o̝]t[ɔ/o̝]k | *mh[ɔ/o̝]k | |
| pain/illness | *po̝k | *po̝k | og | *o̝k |
| path/way | *bi[t/s]ik | *bi[t/s]ik | bisig | *bhik |
| gourd sp. | *bik | *bik | big | *bik |
| husk/leaf | *bɔk | *bɔk | bɔg | *bɔk |
| flame | *bo̝k | *bo̝k | *bo̝k | |
| flying | *bɔk-bɔk | *bɔk-bɔk | *bɔk-bɔk | |
| cross-cousin | *n[e̝ⁱ/ɛⁱ]k | *n[e̝ⁱ/ɛⁱ]k | *n[e̝ⁱ/ɛⁱ]k | |
| together | *nɛⁱk | *nɛⁱk | neⁱg | *nɛⁱk |
| forearm | *t[ɛ/aᵋ]k | *tɛk | sɛg | *s[ɛ/aᵋ]k |
| sharp | *taⁱk | *taⁱk | seⁱg | *saⁱk |
| ant sp. | *to̝lde̝k | *to̝le̝k | sòldeg | *so̝le̝k |
| cucumber | *tumik | *tumik | sumig | *sumik |
| exhausted | *de̝k-de̝k | *de̝k-de̝k | deg-deg | *de̝l-de̝k |
| right/real | *[t/s]idik | *sidik | sirig | *sidik |
| 3 pl. | *[t/s]ik | *sik | sig | *sik |
| bitter/salty | *s[i/e̝]k | *s[i/e̝]k | sig | *se̝k |
| call | *duk-duk | *duk-duk | *duk-duk | |
| pinkie/one | *sɛlɛk | *sɛlɛk | *sɛlɛk | |
| rotten | *so̝k | *so̝k | *so̝k | |
| armpit | *ke̝k | *k[e̝/ɛ]k | èg | *e̝k |
| bird sp. | *gik | *[k/g]ik | gig | |
| stone | *gidik | girig | *gidik | |
| owlet-nightjar | *gaᵘwak | *gaᵘwak | gogo (?) | *gaᵘwak |
| big | *wɛⁱk | *wɛⁱk | weⁱg | *wɛⁱk |
| Carpodetus sp. | *lik | *lik | lig | *lik |
| unwillingness | *le̝k | *le̝k | leg | *le̝k |
| open/free | *lak | *lak | lag | *lak |
| shoot/sprout | *luk | *luk | lug | *luk |
| alone/different | *jo̝k | *jo̝k | jog | *jo̝k |
Final velar voiceless stop /*k/ …
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *-k | *k | * | ||
| buttocks | *bɔm[a/ɔ]k | *bɔm[ɔk] | bɔmaʔ | *bɔmaʔ |
| egg/fruit/seed | *do̝[k] | *do̝k | do | *do̝[k] |
| bone | *jɔk | *jɔk | jw-aʔ | *jɔʔ[ɔ] |
Final bilabial voied stop /*b/ is retained as such in both subgroups:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *-p | *p | b | *p | |
| gnat | *ip | *ip | ib | *ip |
| yam sp. | *ip | *ip | *ip | |
| separate | *ɛlɛp-ɛlɛp | *ɛlɛp-ɛlɛp | ɛlep-ɛlep | |
| and/also | *ap | *ap | ab | *ap |
| now/today | *ad[o̝/u]p | *ad[o̝/u]p | ||
| top/above | *alip | *alip | eⁱlib | *alip |
| bandicoot sp. | *alo̝p | *alo̝p | alob | |
| strength/strong | *migip | *mikip | migib | *migip |
| stinging nettle | *b[e̝/ɛ]p | *b[ɛ]p | beb | *be̝p |
| wrist/six | *nak[a/o̝]p | *nak[o̝]p | naʔab | *nak[a/o̝]]p |
| good | *tɛlɛp | *tɛlɛp | sɛleb | |
| gecko sp. | *tane̝p | *tane̝p | *sane̝p | |
| continuously | *t[ɔ/o̝]p | *t[ɔ/o̝]p | sob-(sob) | *so̝p |
| flesh/meat | *t[ɔᵘ/o̝]p | *t[ɔᵘ/o̝]p | sob | *so̝p |
| cloud(s)/fog | *de̝p | deb | *de̝p | |
| banana sp. | *dɔᵘp | *dɔᵘp | doᵘb | *dɔᵘp |
| top/crown | *dup | *dup | *dup | |
| goiter | *gɛⁱp | *[k/g]ɛⁱp | geⁱb | *gɛⁱp |
| fat/grease | *gɔp | *[k/g]ɔp | *gɔp | |
| edge/side | *go̝p-go̝p | *[k/g]o̝p-[k/g]o̝p | gob-gob | |
| paradise sp. | *gʷe̝le̝p | *[kʷ/gʷ]e̝le̝p | gʷeleb | *gʷe̝le̝p |
| testicle(s) | *l[ɔ/o̝]p | *l[ɔ]p | lob | *l[ɔ/o̝]p |
Final apical voiced stop /*d/ is uncommon. It is retained as such in both subgroups:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *-d | *d | d | *d | |
| cucumber sp. | *bid | *bid | bid | *bid |
| forest | *bad | *bad | bar- | *bad |
| bird sp. | *bud | *bud | bud | |
| fiber sp. | *wɛd | *wɛd | wɛd | *wɛd |
As Digul River-Ok final /*nd/ is known to correspond to Mek final /*l/, it's probable that all these examples are secondary.
…:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *-[t/d] | *[t/d] | d [d r] | *[t/d] | |
| sorcery | *ge̝[t/d] | *{k/g]e̝[t/d] | ged ~ gere-(b) | *ge̝d |
Final apical non-stop /*l/ is retained as such in both subgroups:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *-l | *l | l | *l | |
| new/different | *ɛge̝l | *ɛke̝l | *ɛge̝l | |
| fear/disgust | *e̝le̝l | *e̝le̝l | elel | *e̝le̝l |
| 3 sg. | *[ɛ/a]l | *ɛl | al | *[ɛ/a]l |
| violent | *ad[i/e̝]gal | *adɛgal | ɛrigal ~ eⁱrigal | *adɛgal |
| vein/tendom | *m[e̝/ɛ]l-m[e̝/ɛ]l | *m[e̝/ɛ]l-m[e̝/ɛ]l | mɛl-mɛl | *m[e̝/ɛ]l-m[e̝/ɛ]l |
| opp.-sex sib. | *makal | *makal | maʔal | *maʕal |
| arrow | *mal | *mal | mal | *mal |
| light/bright | *mɔl | *mɔl | *mɔl | |
| wing | *pɔl | *pɔl | *ɔl | |
| drip/trickle | *bil-bil | *bil-bil | *bil-bil | |
| instrument sp. | *be̝lo̝l | *be̝lo̝l | belol | |
| lizard sp. | *bamVl | *bam[ɔ]l | bamul | |
| tree sp. | *bɔl | *bɔl | *bɔl | |
| borer sp. | *bo̝l-bo̝la | *bo̝[l]-bo̝la | bol-bolaʔ | |
| rattan sp, | *namil | *namil | nɛmil | |
| dirt/rheum | *tal | *tal | sal | *sal |
| weeping/crying | *tɔl-tɔl | *tɔl-tɔl | *sɔl-sɔl | |
| tree sp. | *dako̝l | *dako̝l | *dako̝l | |
| parrot sp. | *dumɛl | *dumɛl | *dumɛl | |
| thigh | *kɛⁱl | *kɛⁱl | el | *ɛⁱl |
| knowledge | *kɛl | *kɛl | ɛl | *ɛl |
| woman/wife | *ge̝l | *[k/g]e̝l | gel | *ge̝l |
| stone | *gɛⁱl | *[k/g]ɛⁱl | ||
| tree/wood | *gal | gal | *gal | |
| snake sp. | *gɔl | *[k/g]ɔl | *gɔl | |
| white/grey | *go̝ᵘl | *[k/g]o̝ᵘl | gul | *gul |
| dwarfen/small | *je̝l | *je̝l | *je̝l |
Vowels and diphthongs …
Contrasts between the seven simple vowels are exemplified with minimal sets as follows:
| *i | fix/support | *di-(b) | ||
| *u | stumble/fall | *du-(b) | split | *du-(g) |
| *e̝ | die | *de̝-(b) | fix/be stuck | *de̝-(g) |
| *o̝ | put parallel | *do̝-(g) | ||
| *ɛ | tear | *dɛ-(b) | meet | *dɛ-(g) |
| *ɔ | take | *dɔ-(b) | plant/sow | *dɔ-(g) |
| *a | burn/roast | *da-(b) | split | *da-(g) |
High front vowel /*i/ …
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek |
| *i | *i | i | *i |
High back rounded vowel /*u/ …
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek |
| *u | *u | u | *u |
High mid front vowel /*e̝/ …
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek |
| *e̝ | *e̝ | e | *e̝ |
High mid back rounded vowel /*o̝/ …
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek |
| *o̝ | *o̝ | o | *o̝ |
Low mid front vowel /*ɛ/ …
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek |
| *ɛ | *ɛ | ɛ | *ɛ |
The distinction between /*e̝ *ɛ/ is lost in Young's (1986) Kimyal in unstressed positions:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek |
| *ɛ | *ɛ | e | *ɛ |
Low mid back rounded vowel /*ɔ/ …
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek |
| *ɔ | *ɔ | ɔ | *ɔ |
The distinction between /*o̝ *ɔ/ is lost in Young's (1986) Kimyal in unstressed positions:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek |
| *ɔ | *ɔ | o | *ɔ |
Low central vowel /*a/ is generally retained as such in both subgroups, unless followed by high vowels /*i *u/ iun the next syllable (below):
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek |
| *a | *a | a | *a |
When /*a/ is followed by high front vowel /*i/ in the next syllable, it is fronted and raised to [ɛ eⁱ i] in Kimyal. Kimyal's underlying synchronic phoneme would seem to be a diphthong, however is distinct from /eⁱ/ which reflects Mek diphthongs /*e̝ⁱ *ɛⁱ *aⁱ/ (below) in including low mid [ɛ] among its reflexes; therefore we tentatively propose a new diphthong /ɛⁱ/ in Kimyal as we assume the change to be regular:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *a/_Ci | *a | ɛⁱ [ɛ eⁱ i] | *a | |
| louse | *ami | *ami | imi | *ami |
| shame | *ali | *ali | eⁱli | *ali |
| bad | *mali | *mali | mɛli | *mali |
| brother in law | *ba[t/s]i | *basi | bɛsi | *bhaⁱ |
| back | *bali | *bali | bɛli | *bali |
| pointless | *tali | *tali | *sali | |
| ask | *a[t/s]i-(b) | *asi-(b) | isi- | *haⁱ-(b) |
| catch wter | *ga[t/s]i-(b) | *[k/g]asi-(b) | *ghaⁱ-(b) | |
| turn | *gadi-(g) | *[k/g]adi-(g) | *gadi-(g) | |
| top/above | *alip | *alip | eⁱlib | *alip |
| rattan sp, | *namil | *namil | nɛmil | |
| white-eye sp. | *nalibɔbla | *nalibɔbla | *nalibɔbla |
In one word, Kimyal's raising of /*a/ to [ɛ] suggests a following /*i/, but Young's (1986: 70) second vowel is /e/. Heeschen's (1992: 147) Kosarek /βan̪ɛⁱ/ suggests a diphthong /*ɛⁱ *aⁱ/, while Heeschen and Schiefenhövel's (1983: 233) Eipo /βanʲ-ɛ/ might reflect either of these. Meanwhile, outcomparison to Momuna /wani/ “sweet potato” (Reimer) and Ok /*waːn/ “sweet potato/yam spp.” might be viewed as supporting an unstressed simple vowel:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *a/_Ci (?) | *a | ɛⁱ [ɛ] | *a | |
| yam spp. | *wan[i/ɛⁱ/aⁱ] | *wan[i] | wɛne | *wan[ɛⁱ/aⁱ] |
…:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| sugarcane sp. | *bak[i/e̝] | *bak[i/e̝] | bɛge | *baʔ[e̝] |
…:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *a/_Cj | *a | eⁱ | *a | |
| forehead | *… | *… | eⁱs-jog | *… |
One word in which /*a/ is immedaitely followed by a consonant cluster is not thusly affected, perhaps suggesting this word to be a compound (see also the exceptions to medial /*s/ occlusion above):
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *a/_CCi | *a | a | *a | |
| sneeze | *ag[t/s]i | *agsi- | agsi | *agsi- |
…:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *a/_Ci | *a | a | *a | |
| bamboo cont. | *mak[i] | *mak-[g]aᵘ | maʔi | *maʔi |
When /*a/ is followed by high back rounded vowel /*u/ in the next syllable, it is backed, rounded and raised to [ɔ o oᵘ u] in Kimyal. Kimyal's underlying synchronic phoneme would seem to be a diphthong, however is distinct from /oᵘ/ which reflects Mek diphthongs /*ɔᵘ *aᵘ/ (below) in including low mid [ɔ] among its reflexes; therefore we tentatively propose a new diphthong /ɔᵘ/ in Kimyal as we assume the change to be regular:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *a/_Cu | *a | ɔᵘ [ɔ o oᵘ u] | *a | |
| ancestor | *abu | *abu | oᵘbu | |
| rattan/rope | *tabu | *tabu | soᵘbu | *sabu |
| duck spp. | *daku | *daku | *daʔu | |
| hand drum | *wasu | *wasu | woᵘsu | *wahaᵘ |
| call upon | *adu-(g) | *adu-(g) | *adu-(g) | |
| be surprised | *ŋalu-(g) | *ŋalu-(g) | *ŋalu-(g) | |
| cover/protect | *galu-(b) | *[k/g]alu-(b) | gɔlu- ~ golu- ~ goᵘlu- | *galu-(b) |
| nail | *aluk | olug | *aluk | |
| among selves | *mamun | *mamun | mumun | *mamun |
| charcoal/soot | *galum | *[k/g]alum | gulum | *galum |
| net sp. | *galun | *[k/g]alun | *galun | |
| evergreen sp. | *wabum | *wabum | wobum | *wabum |
One word in which /*a/ is immediately followed by a consonant cluster is not thusly affected, perhaps suggesting this word to be a compound (see also the exceptions to medial /*s/ occlusion above):
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *a/_CCu | *a | a | *a | |
| bend/fold | *ag[t/s]u-(b) | *… | agsu-(b) | *… |
When /*a/ is followed by bilabial non-stop /*w/, it is realized as [o] in Young's (1986) Kimyal and as [aᵘ] in Heeschen's (1992) Kosarek and in Heeschen and Schiefenhövel's (1983) Eipo. It is distinguished from diphthong /*aᵘ/ (below) because Kosarek fails to merge it with /ɔᵘ/:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *a/_w | *a | o | *a | |
| caterpillar sp. | *dawe̝ | *dawe̝ | dowe | *dawe̝ |
| mother's br. | *awaŋ | *awaŋ |
When /*a/ is root-final, it is subphonemically appended with a glottal stop [ʔ] in Kimyal as well as in …:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *a/_# | a | aʔ | a | |
| salt | *ɔᵘwa | *[ɔᵘ]wa | oᵘwaʔ | *[ɔᵘ]wa |
| spirit/ghost | *[b]isa | *isa | bisaʔ | *bhia |
| dew | *be̝[b/j]a | bebaʔ | *be̝[j]a | |
| chin/jaw | *bana | *bana | banaʔ | |
| decoration sp. | *bataja | *bataja | basiaʔ | |
| snake | *bagaᵋ | bàgàʔ | *baga | |
| buttocks | *bɔma | *bɔm- | bɔmaʔ | *bɔma |
| skin disease | *bo̝bo̝ga | *bo̝bo̝ga | bobogaʔ | |
| grass sp. | *no̝na | *no̝na | *no̝na | |
| centipede | *taŋ[g]a | *taŋ[g]a | saŋgaʔ | |
| banana leaf | *[t/s]uwa | *suwa | suwa ~ swaʔ | *suwa |
| permanent | *diba | *diba | *diba | |
| women's house | *diba | *diba | dib- | *diba |
| fern sp. | *diŋgila | *diŋgila | diŋgilaʔ | *diŋgila |
| floor | *diga | *dika | digaʔ | *diga |
| trace/scar | *diliga | diligaʔ | *diliga | |
| ridgepole | *do̝ma | *do̝ma | domaʔ | *do̝ma |
| water pipe | *do̝do̝-b-na | *do̝do̝-b-na | doro-m-naʔ | *do̝do̝-b-na |
| dew | *dum-duma | *dum-duma | dum dumaʔ | *dum-duma |
| spirit sp. | *sɔma | *sɔm[a] | sɔmaʔ | *sɔma |
| torch | *we̝sa | *we̝sa | wesaʔ | *we̝ha |
| seedling | *je̝ⁱna | jenaʔ | *jina |
Diphthongs include front rising /*e̝ⁱ *ɛⁱ *aⁱ *aᵋ/ and back rounded rising./*o̝ᵘ *ɔᵘ *aᵘ *aᵓ/. High mid rising diphsthongs /*e̝ⁱ *o̝ᵘ/ can be difficult to distinguish from high simple vowels /*i *u/ (above.) Low back rounded mid-rising diphthong /*aᵓ/ has been found in only one root.
High mid front rising diphthong /*e̝ⁱ/ is merged with high front vowel /*i/ in East Mek and in Northwest Mek but is retained as /eⁱ/ in Young's (1986) Kimyal:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *e̝ⁱ | *i | eⁱ [eⁱ e i] | *i | |
| sky/above | *e̝ⁱm | *im | eⁱm | *im |
| pool/pond | *[t/s]e̝ⁱn | *[t/s]in | seⁱn | *sin |
| ridge/peak | *je̝ⁱm | *jem | jem | *jim |
| grow dark | *e̝ⁱni-(b) | *ini-(b) | eⁱni-(b) ~ ini-(b) | *ini-(b) |
| ripe/mature | *we̝ⁱ[t/s]i | *wisi | wesi- ~ wisi- | *wihi |
| stretch limb(s) | *ne̝ⁱ[n/d]i-(g) | *nini-(g) | neⁱri-(g) | *nini-(g) |
| now/in this way | *we̝ⁱnɛ | *winɛ | wene | *winɛ |
| seedling | *je̝ⁱna | jenaʔ | *jina |
Because of these mergers, it is possible that some reconstructions given herein with high front /vowel *i/ may in fact have had /*e̝ⁱ/ where there is no Kimyal attestation.
High mid back rounded rising diphthong /*o̝ᵘ/ …
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *o̝ᵘ | *o̝ᵘ | u | *u | |
| be/live | *ko̝ᵘ-(b/n) | *ko̝ᵘ-(b) | u- | *u-(b) |
| tie/tie around | *no̝ᵘ-(b) | *nu-(b) | noᵘ-b- | |
| fire | *o̝ᵘk | *o̝ᵘk | ug | *[u]k |
| soft | *bo̝ᵘn | *bo̝ᵘn | *bun | |
| day | *to̝ᵘm | *to̝ᵘm | sum | *sum |
| white/grey | *go̝ᵘl | *[k/g]o̝ᵘl | gul | *gul |
| fever | *j[o̝ᵘ]n | *j[o̝ᵘ]n | jùn | *j[u]n |
| rot/mold | *do̝ᵘ-do̝ᵘŋ | *duduŋ | doroŋ-aʔ | *duduŋ |
| speech/voice | *jo̝ᵘb[o̝] | *jo̝ᵘb[o̝] | jubu | *jub[o̝] |
| turtle | *b[o̝ᵘ]m[a] | bumà |
Because of these mergers, it is possible that some reconstructions given herein with high back rounded vowel /*u/ may in fact have had /o̝ᵘ/ where there is no Ketengban attestation.
Low mid front rising diphthong /*ɛⁱ/ …
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *ɛⁱ | *ɛⁱ | eⁱ [eⁱ e i] | *ɛⁱ | |
| excrement | *dɛⁱ | *dɛⁱ | deⁱ | *dɛⁱ |
| sugarcane | *g₂ʷɛⁱ | *gʷɛⁱ | gʷeⁱ | *gʷɛⁱ |
| see | *ɛⁱ-(b) | *ɛⁱ-(b) | eⁱ-(b) | *ɛⁱ-(b) |
| look around | *mɛⁱ-(b) | *mɛⁱ-(b) | *mɛⁱ-(b) | |
| put/give birth | *bɛⁱ-(b) | beⁱ-(b) | *bɛⁱ-(b) | |
| put/put down | *dɛⁱ-(b) | *dɛⁱ-(b) | deⁱ-(b) | *dɛⁱ-(b) |
| lay down/leave | *lɛⁱ-(b) | *lɛⁱ-(b) | *lɛⁱ-(b) | |
| peak/ridge | *mɛⁱn | meⁱn | *mɛⁱn | |
| together | *nɛⁱk | *nɛⁱk | neⁱg | *nɛⁱk |
| thigh | *kɛⁱl | *kɛⁱl | el | *ɛⁱl |
| goiter | *gɛⁱp | *[k/g]ɛⁱp | geⁱb | *gɛⁱp |
| stone | *gɛⁱl | *[k/g]ɛⁱl | ||
| heal | *kʷɛtɛⁱ-(b) | *kʷɛtɛⁱ-(b) | wɛsi-(b) | *wɛs[ɛ]-(b) |
| younger sib | *wɛⁱt | *wɛⁱt | *wɛⁱs | |
| big | *wɛⁱk | *wɛⁱk | weⁱg | *wɛⁱk |
| lizard sp. | *ɛⁱlɛ | *ɛⁱlɛ | *ɛⁱlɛ | |
| shell sp. | *mɛlɛⁱ[g] | *mɛlɛⁱ | *mɛlɛⁱ[g] | |
| possum sp. | *wɛⁱja | *wɛⁱja | weⁱja | *wɛⁱja |
Low mid back rounded rising diphthong /*ɔᵘ/ …
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *ɔᵘ | *ɔᵘ | oᵘ [oᵘ o] | *ɔᵘ | |
| middle | *nɔᵘ | *nɔᵘ- | noᵘ- | *nɔᵘ- |
| far | *dɔᵘ | *dɔᵘ | *dɔᵘ | |
| clear weather | *dɔᵘ | *dɔᵘ | doᵘ | |
| Galbulimima sp. | *lɔᵘ | *lɔᵘ | lòᵘ | |
| barren/sterile | *jɔᵘ | *jɔᵘ | joᵘ ~ jo | *jɔᵘ |
| wrap/cover | *mɔᵘ-(b) | *mɔᵘ-(b) | moᵘ-b- | |
| swell/bear fruit | *mɔᵘ-(b) | *mɔᵘ-(b) | mu-b- | *mɔᵘ-(b) |
| fall apart | *pɔᵘ-(b) | *pɔᵘ-(b) | *ɔᵘ-(b) | |
| reject/refuse | *bɔᵘ-(b/g) | *bɔᵘ-(b) | *bɔᵘ-(g) | |
| stop/hold | *dɔᵘ-(b) | *dɔᵘ-(b) | *dɔᵘ-(b) | |
| tie | *gɔᵘ-(b) | *…ɔᵘ-(b) | goᵘ-(b) | *gɔᵘ-(b) |
| cross | *gɔᵘ-(b) | *…ɔᵘ-(b) | *gɔᵘ-(b) | |
| breast | *mɔᵘm | *mɔᵘm | moᵘm | *mɔᵘm |
| Melastoma sp. | *mɔᵘk | *mɔᵘk | *mɔᵘk | |
| banana sp. | *dɔᵘp | *dɔᵘp | doᵘb | *dɔᵘp |
| men's house | *jɔᵘwi | *jɔᵘ[wi]- | juw- | *jɔᵘwi |
| ray of sun | *ɔᵘl[u] | *ɔᵘl[u] | oᵘlu | |
| liver | *bɔᵘgu | *bɔᵘku | bogu | |
| stalk/stem | *tɔᵘgu | *tɔᵘku | soᵘg-aʔ | *s[ɔᵘ]ku |
| hot/warm | *bɔᵘbo̝ | *bɔᵘb[o̝] | bobo | *b[ɔᵘ]bo̝ |
| salt | *ɔᵘwa | *[ɔᵘ]wa | oᵘwaʔ | *[ɔᵘ]wa |
Low front high-rising diphthong /*aⁱ/ … While this diphthong is raised to /ɛⁱ/ in /Heeschen's (1992) Kosarek, it is retained as /aⁱ/ in Godschalk's (1993) West Sela , hence the reconstruction of Northwest Mek /*aⁱ/:
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *aⁱ | *aⁱ | eⁱ | *aⁱ | |
| father | *aⁱ | *aⁱ | *aⁱ | |
| bush/outside | *baⁱ | *baⁱ | beⁱ | *baⁱ |
| bamboo sp. | *laⁱ | *laⁱ | leⁱ | *laⁱ |
| sharp | *taⁱk | *taⁱk | seⁱg | *saⁱk |
| white | *gaⁱt | *[k/g]aⁱt | geⁱs | *gaⁱs |
| cass. bone | *lo̝laⁱ | *lo̝laⁱ | *lo̝laⁱ | |
| frog | *jakaⁱ | *jakaⁱ | jaʔi | *jaʔaⁱ |
Low back rounded high-rising diphthong /*aᵘ/ … While the only attested reflexes in Northwest Mek, those of Heeschen's (1992) Kosarek and Godschalk's (1993) West Sela, show vowel /ɔᵘ/, we assume this sound to have been /*aᵘ/ in proto-Northwest Mek because this development parallels that of /*aⁱ/ (above):
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *aᵘ | *aᵘ | oᵘ [oᵘ o] | *aᵘ | |
| grandmother | *aᵘ | oᵘ | *aᵘ | |
| bark container | *gaᵘ | *[k/g]aᵘ | goᵘ ~ go | *gaᵘ |
| blunt/dull | *gaᵘ | *[k/g]aᵘ | goᵘ | *gaᵘ |
| owlet-nightjar | *gaᵘwak | *gaᵘwak | gogo | *gaᵘwak |
Low front mid-rising diphthong /*aᵋ/ …
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *aᵋ | *aᵋ | ɛ | *aᵋ | |
| Castanopsis | *baᵋ | *baᵋ | bɛ̀ | *baᵋ |
| hand | *taᵋ | *taᵋ | sɛ̀ | *saᵋ |
| tree sp. | *gʷaᵋ | gʷɛ | *gʷaᵋ | |
| garden | *waᵋ | *waᵋ | wɛ | *waᵋ |
| stone axe | *jaᵋ | *jaᵋ | jɛ | *jaᵋ |
… /*aᵋ/ …
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *aᵋ | *aⁱ (?) | ɛ | *aᵋ | |
| house/hut | *aᵋ | *aⁱ (?) | ɛ | *aᵋ |
… /*aᵋ/ …
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *[aᵋ/a] | *a | a | *[aᵋ/a] | |
| affine | *g[aᵋ/a] | *[k/g]a | ga | *g[aᵋ/a] |
Low back rounded mid-rising diphthong /*aᵓ/ …
| Mek | East Mek | Kimyal | Northwest Mek | |
| *aᵓ | ? | ɔ | *aᵓ | |
| ear/twelve | *aᵓ | ɔ | *aᵓ |
Mek free pronouns are reconstructed as follows, with Eipo drawn Heeschen (…) from following West Mek patterns as shown:
| Mek | East Mek | Eipo | West Mek | |
| 1 sg. | *na | *ne̝ | na | *na |
| 2 sg. | *kan | *kan | an | *an |
| 3 sg. | *ɛl | *ɛd | ɛl | *ɛl |
| 1 pl. | *nu[n] | *nun | nʊn | *nu[n] |
| 2 pl. | *kun | *sun | aŋʊn | *an-kun |
| 3 pl. | *tun | *sun | sɪk | *sik |
The originality of second and third person plurals /*kun *tun/ is supported by comparison to Momuna /kũ tũ/ (q.v. Reimer 1986: xxx.) Similarly, the vowel of the first person singlar is supported by Momuna /na/, though it’s possible that both versions existed with different meanings.
…
…
Verbal objects occur between the verbal root and the subject desinences (below,) and unusual typological trait shared with Asmat-Kamoro to the southwest. The third person plural is identical to either the thid person singular or the first and second person plural in different languages:
| Mek | East Mek | West Mek | |
| 1 sg. | *-ne̝- | *-ne̝- | *-ne̝- |
| 2 sg. | *-ge̝- | *-ge̝- | *-ge̝- |
| 3 sg. | *-Ø- | *-Ø- | *-Ø- |
| 1/2 pl. | *-s[i/e̝]- | *… | *… |
[under construction]
Mek verbs fall into three classes according to the suffix they take … /*-(n)/, /*-(b)/ and /*-(g)/. These are assumed to have once been auxilliaries. The /*-(n)/ class is found only upon a restricted set of intransitive verbs with very basic meanings, e.g. /*a/ “do”, /*ba/ “go”, /*ja/ “come”. Heeschen (1998: page) analyzes these for Eipo … Whatever difference in meaning there may have been between verbs with /*-(b)/ or /*-(g)/ respectively is not entirely clear. Some minimal pairs, which are not common, suggest them to have originally signified transitivity against intransitivity, in keeping with their overall semantic distribution on other roots; however there is not presently a strict correllation to this effect. It seems possible that /*-g/ is to be equated with Digul River-Ok /*ke:/ “be”, which is used as an intransitive suffix in Central Digul River.
Like many other New Guinean families, Mek has a fairly elaborate system of suffixes which indicate the person and number of the verbal subject as well as tense and aspect. Unlike free pronouns, duals are distinguished from plurals. Subject suffixes are reconstructed in six basic tense/mood forms as follows, with Eipo forms drawn from Heeschen (1978: 28, 1998: 257-258) included in these charts to demonstrate that the core of its grammar is West Mek in origin.
East Mek and West Mek reconstructed forms are based upon the atttestions of Fowler, Fowler, Rule and Rule (1972: 30-35, Ketengban of Ok Bab,) Sims (1986: 28-29, 30, Ketengban of Omban,) Heeschen (1998: 75, Ketengban of Bime and Tanime,) Louwerse (1978: xvi-xxx, 1988: …, Una of Langda,) Heeschen (1978: 28, 1998: 257-258, Eipo of Dingerkon and Munggona,) Rule, Rule and Cutting (1972: 28, 38-49, 58-59, 62b, Hmanggona of Naltja,) Svärd (2013: 12-15, Nalca,) Heeschen (1992: 27-28, Kosarek Yale of Iluk Valley,) Godchalk (1984, Sela Valley) and Young (1986, Kimyal of Koropun.)
While it may superficially appear that most or all of the subjects forms are suppleted between the tenses/moods, upon analysis only a few are, the great majority being derivable from the interactions of tense/mood markers with originally invariable base forms. These base forms are as follows:
| present/future | recent past | remote past | potential/opt. | medial seq. | |
| S₁ | S₂ | S₃ | S₄ | S₅ | |
| 1 sg. | *-n | *-n- | *-s- | *-n- | *-n- |
| 2 sg | *-ləm | *-əm- | *-əm- | *-əm- | *-me̝n |
| 3 sg. | *-l | *-Ø- | *-o̝k | *-Ø- | *-l- |
| 1 pl. | *-əp | *-əp- | *-əp- | *-əp- | *-əp- |
| 2 pl. | *-lo̝m | *-lo̝m- | *-lo̝m- | *-əm- | *-mun |
| 3 pl. | *-əŋ ~ *-ək | *-əŋ- | *-ək- | *-əŋ- | *-əŋ- ~ *-ək- |
| 1 dl. | *-nəm | *-nəm- | *-nəm- | *-nəm- | *-nəm- |
| 2 dl. | *-d-lo̝m | *-d-lo̝m- | *-d-lo̝m- | *-d-lo̝m | *-d-mun |
| 3 dl. | *-d-əŋ ~ *-d-ək | *-d-əŋ- | *-d-ək- | *-d-əŋ- | *-d-əŋ- ~*-d-ək- |
It may be observed that, of the dual forms, only the first person is truly independent, the second and third person duals being formed by the addition of an element /*-d-/ (or possibly /*-də-/) to the form of the plural.
The tense/mood affixes which combine with the subject indicators are as follows, with the position of subject indicators marked by <S>:
| present | *-S₁ |
| hortative | *-nu-S₁ |
| future | *-uga-S₁ |
| recent past | *-S₂-o̝ |
| remote past | *-S₃-i/*-S₃-u |
| medial seq. | *-S₅-e̝ |
| potential/opt. | *-tə-S₄-e̝ /*-tə-S₄-o̝ |
All examples of /*l/ in any portion of these suffixes, including the aspect markers whcih precede them, have become /*d/ in East Mek. We assume /*l/ to be the original value because the most common alliphone of medial /*d/, that found between vowels, is [*ɾ], thus arguably a simlpifcation of /*l/, and because a few nominal roots undergoe the same change, albeit only sporadically. Otherwise, this correspondence is unique to the verbal suffix complex.
…present and future …
Subjects in the presen tense are reconstructed as follows:
| Mek | East Mek | Eipo | West Mek | |
| 1 sg. present | *-n | *-n | -n ~ -n-ɛ | *-n |
| 2 sg. present | *-ləm | *-dəm | -lam | *-lam |
| 3 sg. present | *-l | *-d | -l ~ -l-ɛ | *-l |
| 1 pl. present | *-əp | *-əp | -ap | *-ap |
| 2 pl. present | *-lo̝m | *-do̝m | -lʊm | *-lo̝m |
| 3 pl. present | *-ə[k/ŋ] | *-əŋ | -ak | *-a[k/ŋ] |
| 1 dl. present | *-nəm | *-nəm | -nam | *-nam |
| 2 dl. present | *-d-lo̝m | *-də-do̝m | -d-ʊm | *-d-o̝m |
| 3 dl. present | *-d-ə[k/ŋ] | *-d-əŋ | -d-ak | *-d-a[k/ŋ] |
The hortative paradigm takes the present/future subject markers with the addition of an element /*-Cu-/, where /*C/ agrees with the apical onset of the following subject. Most likely this element was /*-nu-/ as is found in the first person plural, which cannot be explained by agreement with a following onset or by nasalization due to a following nasal. East Mek has replaced the second person plural and dual with the forms of the present/future paradigm (above) and the second person singular with the form of the plural. Heeschen(1998: 257-258) likewise gives an identical second person dual form for Eipo future and present/future, but this may be a typographic error as he earlier (1978: 28) gave the expected form:
| Mek | East Mek | Eipo | West Mek | |
| 1 sg. hortative | *-nu-n | *-nu-n | -nu-n; [-nʲ-am] | *-nu-n |
| 2 sg. hortative | *-lu-ləm | [*-do̝m] | -lʲ-am | *-lu-lam |
| 3 sg. hortative | *-lu-l | *-du-d | -lu-l | *-lu-l |
| 1 pl. hortative | *-nu-əp | *-nu-[ə]p | -nʲ-ap | *-nu-ap |
| 2 pl. hortative | *-lu-lo̝m | [*-do̝m] | -lu-lʊm | *-lu-lo̝m |
| 3 pl. hortative | *-nu-ə[k/ŋ] | *-nu-[ə]ŋ | -nʲ-ak | *-nu-a[k/ŋ] |
| 1 dl. hortative | *-nu-nəm | *-nu-nəm | -nʊ-nam ~-nʲ-anam | *-nu-nam |
| 2 dl. hortative | *-du-d-lo̝m | [*-də-do̝m] | -ɾu-ɾ-ʊm [-d-ʊm] | *-du-d-o̝m |
| 3 dl. hortative | *-du-d-ə[k/ŋ] | *-du-d-əŋ | -du-ɾ-ak ~ -ɾu-ɾ-ak | *-du-d-a[k/ŋ] |
Eipo segments [nʲ lʲ] are unusual and unexpected in this context. We assume them to reflect [*-nu- *-lu-] followed by /a/, for which we have no other examples in the language. The subject marker in Eipo’s alternative form for the first person singular /-nʲ-am/ has no obvious explanation; it looks rather like an alternative form of the first person dual, but is given as singular in both (1978, 1998) so cannot hafe resulted from a row alignment error.
The future is only partly attested in West Mek, where it and the hortative (above) have collapsed into a single paradigm/:
| Mek | East Mek | Eipo | West Mek | |
| 1 sg. future | *-uga-n | *-uka-n | — | ? |
| 2 sg. future | *-uga-ləm | *-uka-dəm | — | ? |
| 3 sg. future | *-uga-l | *-uka-d | — | ? |
| 1 pl. future | *-uga-əp | *-uka-[ə]p | — | *-ug-ap |
| 2 pl. future | *-uga-lo̝m | *-uka-do̝m | — | ? |
| 3 pl. future | *-uga-əŋ | *-uka-[ə]ŋ | — | *-ug-a[ŋ/k] |
| 1 dl. future | *-uga-nəm | *-uka-nəm | — | ? |
| 2 dl. future | *-uga-d-lo̝m | *-uka-də-do̝m | — | :? |
| 3 dl. | *-uga-d-ə[ŋ/k] | *-uka-d-əŋ | — | *-d-ug-a[ŋ/k] |
The recent past is formed by the suffixation of an element /*-o̝/ to the present/future subject markers, except that the second and third person singulars are indicated by /*-əm- *-Ø-/ rather than /*-ləm- *-l-/, while West Mek third person plural and dual do not undergo the curious alternation between finals [*ŋ] and [*k] which characterizes those of the present/future subject markers (above.) This /*o̝/ induces umlaut upon preceding schwa /*ə/, causing it too to become /o̝/ in West Mek rather than /*a/; this happens only sporadically in Ketengban. Conversely, final /*o̝/ is usually lost in West Mek languages, as is final /*-u/ of the remote past (below,) but is consistently attested in Una offglides followed by the augment. Note that bilabial voiceless final /*p/ in the first person plural becomes indistinguishable from voiced /*b/ when both preceded and followed by a vowel:
| Mek | East Mek | Eipo | West Mek | |
| 1 sg. rec. past | *-n-o̝ | *-n-o̝ | -n-ʷ-ɛ | *-n-o̝ |
| 2 sg. rec. past | *-əm-o̝ | *-əm-o̝ | -ʊm | *-o̝m-o̝ |
| 3 sg. rec. past | *-Ø-o̝ | *-Ø-o̝ | -w-ɛ ~ -ɔ | *-Ø-o̝ |
| 1 pl. rec. past | *-əp-o̝ | *-əp-o̝ | -ʊp-ɛ ~ -p-ɛ | *-o̝p-o̝ |
| 2 pl. rec. past | *-lo̝m-o̝ | *-do̝m-o̝ | -lʊm | *-lo̝m-o̝ |
| 3 pl. rec. past | *-əŋ-o̝ | *-əŋ-o̝ | -ʊŋ ~ -ʊŋ-ɛ | *-o̝ŋ-o̝ |
| 1 dl. rec. past | *-nəm-o̝ | *-nəm-o̝ | -nʊmʷ-ɛ | *-no̝m-o̝ |
| 2 dl. rec. past | *-d-lo̝m-o̝ | *-də-do̝m-o̝ | -d-ʊm ~ -ɾ-ʊm | *-d-o̝m-o̝ |
| 3 dl. rec. past | *-d-əŋ-o̝ | *-d-əŋ-o̝ | -d-ʊŋ ~ -ɾ-ʊŋ | *-d-o̝ŋ-o̝ |
Most of the subject markers in the remote past are formed by the suffixation of an element /*-u/ to the present/future subject markers, resulting in the umlaut of preceding vowels as found in the recent past (above.) As in the recent past (above,) the second person singular is indicated by /*-əm-/ ratehr than by /*-ləm-/ as it is in the present/future. The first person singular form. however, is unambiguously suppletive and unrelated to those of other tense/mood paradigms, as seems to be the case with the third personl singular as well. Meanwhile, the vowels of third person plural and dual have been raised, suggesting the former presence of a suffixed high front vowel which might also be present in the first person singular:
| Mek | East Mek | Eipo | West Mek | |
| 1 sg. rem. past | *-si | *-si | -s-ɛ | *-si |
| 2 sg. rem. past | *-əm-u | *-əm-u | [-lʊm] | [*-lum-u] |
| 3 sg. rem. past | *-o̝k | *-o̝k | -ʊk | *-o̝k |
| 1 pl. rem. past | *-əp-u | *-əp-u | -ʊp-ɛ | *-up-u |
| 2 pl. rem. past | *-lo̝m-u | *-lo̝m-u | -lʊm | *-lum-u |
| 3 pl. rem. past | *-[e̝/ɛⁱ]k | *-ɛⁱk | -ɪk | *-e̝k |
| 1 dl. rem. past | *-nəm-u | *-nəm-u | -nʊm | *-num-u |
| 2 dl. rem. past | *-d-lo̝m-u | *-də-do̝m-u | -d-ʊm | *-d-um-u |
| 3 dl. rem. past | *-d-[e̝/ɛⁱ]k | *-d-ɛⁱk | -d-ɪk | *-d-e̝k |
…potential/optative … /*-tə- *-t-/ … /*-e̝/ … The second person singular appears to have replaced the plural at the proto-Mek level, as /*-t-o̝m/ is found where /*-tə-lo̝m/ would be expected; the subject form /*-lo̝m/ is still found in Una’s second person dual:
| Mek | East Mek | Eipo | West Mek | |
| 1 sg. pot./opt. | *-tə-n-e̝ | *-tə-n-e̝ | -tɪ-n-ʲ-ɛ | *-te̝-n-e̝ |
| 2 sg. pot./opt. | *-t-o̝m | *-t-o̝m | -t-ʊm | *-t-o̝m |
| 3 sg. pot./opt. | *-t-Ø-o̝ | *-t-Ø-o̝ | -t-ʷ-ɛ ~ -t-ɔ | *-t-Ø-o̝ |
| 1 pl. pot./opt. | *-t-əb-e̝ | *-t-əb-e̝ | -t-ɛⁱb-ʲ-ɛ | *-t-e̝b-e̝ |
| 2 pl. pot./opt. | *-t-o̝m | *-t-o̝m | -t-ʊm | *-t-o̝m |
| 3 pl. pot./opt. | *-t-əŋ-e̝ | *-t-əŋ-e̝ | -tɪ-ŋ | *-t-e̝ŋ-e̝ |
| 1 dl. pot./opt. | *-tə-nəm-e̝ | *-tə-nəm-e̝ | -tɛ-nɪm-ʲ-ɛ | *-te̝-n-e̝m-e̝ |
| 2 dl. pot./opt. | *-tə-d-lo̝m | *-tə-də-lo̝m | -tʊ-ɾ-ʊm ~ -tɛ-ɾ-ʊm | *-tV-d-o̝m |
| 3 dl. pot./opt. | *-tə-d-əŋ-e̝ | *-tə-d-əŋ-e̝ | -tɛ-ɾ-ɪŋ | *-te̝-d-e̝ŋ-e̝ |
… medial sequential …
| Mek | East Mek | Eipo | West Mek | |
| 1 sg. med. seq. | *-n-e̝ | *-n-e̝ | -n-ʲ-ɛ | *-n-e̝ |
| 2 sg. med. seq. | *-me̝n | *-me̝n | -mɪn | *-me̝n |
| 3 sg. med. seq. | *-l-e̝ | *-d-e̝ | -l-ʲ-ɛ | *-l-e̝ |
| 1 pl. med. seq. | *-əp-e̝ | *-əp-e̝ | -ɛⁱb-ʲ-ɛ | *-e̝p-e̝ |
| 2 pl. med. seq. | *-mun | *-mun | -mʊn | *-mun |
| 3 pl. med. seq. | *-ə[k/ŋ]-e̝ | *-əŋ-e̝ | -ɪk | *-e̝k-e̝ |
| 1 dl. med. seq. | *-nəm-e̝ | *-nəm-e̝ | -nɪm-ʲ-ɛ~-nɛm-ɛ | *-nəm-e̝ |
| 2 dl. med. seq. | *-d-mun | ? | -dʊ-mɪn ~ -dʊ-mʊn | *-du-mun |
| 3 dl. med. seq. | *-d-ə[k/ŋ]-e̝ | *-d-əŋ-e̝ | -d-ɪk | *-d-e̝k-e̝ |
…
…
Nominalizations and infinitives are indicated by a suffix /*-na/.
In addition to overtly marked medial forms, Mek verbs can occur in zero-marked serial contructions, with the final verb immediately following its predecessor. The auxilliary of the first root is included or excluded according to rules which have not yet been analyzed. The most common final verbs in these constructions are /*dɔ-(b)/ “take” and /*lɔ-(b)/ “leave”. Final /*a-(b)/ “do” is found overwhelmingly following reduplicated stems, and unlike /*dɔ-(b)/ and /*lɔ-(b)/ usually remains an independent word.
[under construction]
…,
| Mek | Mountain Ok |
…, with Kaure attestations drawn from Dommel, Dommel, Auri and Pokoko (1991 ibid.) and Kosare from Heeschen (1978: 41-44):
| Mek | Kaure | Kosare |