Timothy Usher, Santa Fe Institute
[under construction]
The Momuna-Mek family is composed of nine languages spoken …
The internal classification of Momuna-Mek is as follows:
Momuna-Mek
Momuna
Mek
East Mek
West Mek
[under construction]
…
[under construction]
Bromley (1966-1967) …
Voorhoeve (1975: 398) states that “[Somohai's] closest relationships appear to be with the Ok languages and the languages of the Dumut sub-family of the Awyu-Dumut family.” This is consistent with our findings inasmuch as there is no indication that the Mek languages were considered in Voorhoeve's analysis.
Wurm (1982: 187) …
[under construction]
Proto-Momuna-Mek had 14 consonants and at least 8 vowels as follows:
*m | *n | |||
*p | *t | *s | *k | *kʷ |
*b | *d | *g | *gʷ | |
*w | *l | *j |
*i | *u | |
*e̝ | *o̝ | |
*ɛ | *ɔ | |
*a | *ɒ |
In addition to the simple vowels given above, eight diphthongs are found as follows:
*e̝ⁱ | *o̝ᵘ |
*ɛⁱ | *ɔᵘ |
*aⁱ | *aᵘ |
*aᵋ | *aᵓ |
…:
…:
…:
…:
…:
Initial consonants correspond as follows:
Mom.-Mek | Momuna | Mek |
*… |
Medial consonants correspond as follows:
Mom.-Mek | Momuna | Mek |
*-…- |
Final consonants corerspond as follows:
Mom.-Mek | Momuna | Mek |
*-… |
Vowels and diphthongs corerspond as follows:
Mom.-Mek | Momuna | Mek |
*… |
These correspondences are exemplified as follows, with Momuna attestations drawn from Reimer (1986, CITE.)
Any consonant can occur initially.
Initial bilabial nasal /*m/ is retained as such in both subgroups:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*m- | m | *m | |
child | *me̝ | mé | *me̝ |
vein/tendon | *… | mɛrɛ | *m[e̝/ɛ]l-m[e̝/ɛ]l |
bird | *mak | má | *mak |
opp.-sex sib. | *makal | … | *makal |
mother's br. | *mɒm | … | *mam |
python sp. | *… | monu | *m[ɛ/a]no̝ |
spittle/saliva | *mɒk | *mag[a] | |
rain | *mɔk | mɒ̀ | *m[ɔ/o̝]k |
wasp/bee | *mɔg | *mɔŋ | |
breast | *mɔᵘm | mɒ̃̀ᵘ | *mɔᵘm |
Initial apical nasal /*n/ is retained as such in both subgroups:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*n- | n | *n | |
1 sg. | *na | na | *na |
rattan/vine | *n[ɒ/ɔ]g | nɒ̀ | |
body/trunk | *nɔg | nɔ | *nɔŋ |
Initial bilabial voiceless stop /*p/ is lost in Momuna as it is in most Mek languages:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*p- | ø | *p | |
joy (?) | *pin | *pin | |
hit/kill | *pɔ- | ɒ- | *pɔ-(b) |
wing | *p[ɔ]l | ɒ́ᵘ | *pɔl |
Initial apical voiceless stop /*t/ is retained as such in both subgroups:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*t- | t | *t | |
hand | *tɛ | tɛ́ | *tɛ |
stand | |||
palm/sole | *tɒg | *taŋ | |
mountain | *t… | tɒᵘ | *t[ɔ/o̝][k/g]o̝ |
3 pl. | *tun | tũ | *tun |
wound | *tutu | tutu [CV] | *tutu |
Initial laminal voiceless /*s/ is retained as such in both subgroups:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*s- | s | *s | |
name | *si | sí | *si |
tail feather(s) | *… | *… | *… |
Intiial velar voiceless stop /*k/ …:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*k- | k | *k | |
thigh | *k… | … | … |
flower | *k… | *k₁[ɛ/aⁱ]t | |
2 sg. | *kɒn | kɒ | *kan |
bone | *k… | kòdɒ̀ |
Initial rounded velar voiceless stop /*kʷ/ … :
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*kʷ- | w | ||
night | *… | wi | *… |
cassowary | *… | witi | *kʷ[e̝/ɛ]t |
pig | *… | wɒ́ |
… /*kʷ/ … :
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*kʷ- | |||
sweat | *kʷitin | ||
left | *… | *kʷan[i/e̝][m/ŋ] | |
penis/vagina | *… | kʷàˈté | *kʷat |
Initial bilabial voiced stop /*b/ is retained as such in both subgroups:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*b- | b | *b | |
earthworm | *bVt[e̝/ɛ] | batɛ | *b[e̝/ɛⁱ]te̝ |
sago | *b[e̝/ɛ] | bé | *bɛ |
go/walk | *bɒ- | bɒ- | *ba-(n) |
lip(s) | *bɒm | bɒ | *bam |
pandanus fruit | *bɒn | bɒ́ | *ban |
flame | *b… | … | *bɔg |
hot/warm | *bɔᵘb | bɒᵘ [CV] | *bɔᵘbo̝ |
fly (n.) | *bo̝m | *bo̝m | |
sit/stay | *bu- | bu- | *bu-(g) |
turtle | *… | buo | *b[o̝ᵘ]m |
Initial apical voiced stop /*d/ is retained as such in both subgroups:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*d- | d | *d | |
eat/drink | *… | de- | *… |
cloud/fog | *de̝b | de [CV] | *de̝b |
exchange | *dɛ- | *dɛ-(g) | |
change/trade | *da- | da- | *da-(n) |
burn/roast | *dɒ- | *da-(b) | |
dig/plant | *dɔ- | dɒ- | *dɔ-(g) |
egg/fruit/seed | *… | dɒko ~ dɒku | *… |
index finger | *dVm[u] | … | *do̝m |
vomit | *du- | du- | *du-(g) |
Initial velar voiced stop /*g/ is devoiced to /k/ in Momuna. merging with with the reflexes of initial voiceless /*k/ (above):
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*g- | k | *g | |
stone | *… | kè | *gɛⁱl |
affine | *… | ké | *gɛ |
dog | *gɒm | kɒ̀ | *gam |
tree/wood | *gɒl | kɒ̀ | *gal |
joint/node | *go̝g | *go̝ŋ | |
be dark | *gunu-(g) | … | *gunu-(g) |
Initial rounded velar voiced stop /*gʷ/ is devoiced to /*kʷ/ in Momuna:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*gʷ- | kʷ | *gʷ | |
sugarcane | *gʷɛⁱ | kʷɛⁱ | *gʷɛⁱ |
Initial bilabial non-stop /*w/ is retained as such in both subgroups:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*w- | w | *w | |
ripe | *wVsi | wàsì | *we̝ⁱ[t/s]i |
big/many | *wɛⁱk | … | *wɛⁱk |
yam | *wan[i] | wani | *wan[i/ɛⁱ/aⁱ] |
hand drum | *wɒsu | *wasu |
Initial apical non-stop /*l/ …:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*l- | d | *l | |
arrow sp. | *li | dí | *li |
Initial palatal non-stop /*j/ is generally retained as such in both subgroups:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*j- | j | *j | |
foot/leg | *j[a/ɒ]n | *jan | |
axe | *… | *… | |
leg/bone | *… | jɒku | *… |
tooth/sharp | *jo̝ | jó | *jo̝ |
bone needle | *… | *jo̝m | |
speech/voice | *jo̝ᵘb | jo | *jo̝ᵘb[o̝] |
… /*j/ …:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*j- | i | *j | |
parent-in-law | *j[a/ɒ][l]m[ɒ]l | imo | *jalmal |
…/*j/ …:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*j- | j | *ø | |
blood | *jo̝ne̝g | … | *e̝ne̝ŋ |
Medial consonants …
Medial bilabial nasal /*m/ is retained as such in both subgroups:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*-m- | m | *m | |
louse | *ami | ˈámì | *ami |
parent-in-law | *j[a/ɒ][l]m[ɒ]l | imo | *jalmal |
Medial apical nasal /*n/ is retained as such in both subgroups:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*-n- | |||
python sp. | *… | monu | *m[ɛ/a]no̝ |
yam | *wan[i] | wani | *wan[i/ɛⁱ/aⁱ] |
blood | *jo̝ne̝g | … | *e̝ne̝ŋ |
Medial apical voiceless stop /*t/ …:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*-t- | |||
eye | *ɒtig | ɒtù | *atiŋ |
earthworm | *… | batɛ | *b[e̝/ɛⁱ]t[e̝/ɛ] |
wound | *tutu | tutu [CV] | *susu |
cassowary | *… | witi | *kʷ[e̝/ɛ]t |
Medial laminal voiceless /*s/ …:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*-s- | s | -s | |
ripe | *wVsi | wàsì | *we̝ⁱsi |
hand drum | *wɒsu | *wasu |
Medial velar voiceless stop /*k/ …:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*-k- | |||
opp.-sex sib. | *makal | … | *makal |
…/*k/ …:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*-k- | |||
net bag | *… | ɒko | *ak |
egg/fruit/seed | *… | dɒko ~ dɒku | *… |
leg/bone | *… | jɒku | *… |
Medial bilabial voiced stop /*b/ …
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek |
*-b- | ||
Medial apical voiced stop /*d/ …:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*-d- | d [ɾ] | *d | |
elbow/knee | *uduk | udu [CV] | *udug |
bone | *… | kodɒ | |
Medial velar voiced stop /*g/ …:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek |
*-g- | ||
Medial bilabial non-stop /*w/ …:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek |
*-w- | ||
Medial apical non-stop /*l/ …:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*-l- | |||
cockatoo | |||
Medial palatal non-stop /*j/ …:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek |
*-j- | ||
Final consonants …
Final bilabial nasal /*m/ is retained as such in both subgroups:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*-m | Ṽ | *m | |
taro | *ɒm | ɒ́ | *am |
mother's br. | *mɒm | … | *mam |
breast | *mɔᵘm | mɒ̃̀ᵘ | *mɔᵘm |
lip(s) | *bɒm | bɒ | *bam |
fly (n.) | *bo̝m | *bo̝m | |
turtle | *b… | buo | *b[o̝ᵘ]m |
tail feather(s) | *… | *… | *… |
dog | *gɒm | kɒ̀ | *gam |
Final apical nasal /*n/ …:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*-n | Ṽ | *n | |
river | *in | ĩ́ | *in |
joy (?) | *pin | *pin | |
pandanus fruit | *bɒn | bɒ́ | *ban |
3 pl. | *tun | tũ | *tun |
2 sg. | *kɒn | kɒ | *kan |
2 pl. | *… | kũ | *… |
night | *… | wi | *… |
sweat | |||
foot/leg | *j[a/ɒ]n | *jan |
Final velar nasal /*ŋ/ …:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek |
*-ŋ | ||
Final apical voiceless stop /*t/ …:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek |
*-t | ||
Final laminal voiceless /*s/ …
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek |
*-s | - | |
Final velar voiceless stop /*k/ …:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*-k | ø | *-k | |
elbow/knee | *uduk | udu [CV] | *uduk |
bird | *mak | má | *mak |
rain | *mɔk | mɒ̀ | *m[ɔ/o̝]k |
big/many | *wɛⁱk | … | *wɛⁱk |
Final bilabial voiced stop /*b/ …
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*-p | ø | *-p | |
cloud/fog | *de̝p | de [CV] | *de̝p |
… final /*b/ …
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*-b/… | ø | *-bo̝ | |
hot/warm | *bɔᵘb | bɒᵘ [CV] | *bɔᵘbo̝ |
speech/voice | *jo̝ᵘb | jo | *jo̝ᵘb[o̝] |
Final apical voiced stop /*d/ …:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek |
*-d | ||
Final velar voiced stop /*g/ …:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*-g | ø | *ŋ | |
eye | *ɒtig | ɒtù | *atiŋ |
wasp/bee | *mɔg | *mɔŋ | |
ratan/vine | *n[ɒ/ɔ]g | nɒ̀ | |
body/trunk | *nɔg | nɔ | *nɔŋ |
palm/sole | *tɒg | *taŋ | |
joint/node | *go̝g | *go̝ŋ | |
pig | *… | wɒ́ | |
blood | *jo̝ne̝g | … | *e̝ne̝ŋ |
Final apical non-stop /*l/ …:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*-l | ø | *l | |
opp.-sex sib. | *makal | … | *makal |
wing | *p[ɔ]l | ɒ́ᵘ | *pɔl |
thigh | *k… | … | … |
stone | *… | kè | *gɛⁱl |
tree/wood | *gɒl | kɒ̀ | *gal |
parent-in-law | *j[a/ɒ][l]m[ɒ]l | imo | *jalmal |
Vowels and diphthongs …
High front vowel /*i/ …:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*i | i | *i | |
name | *si | sí | *si |
night | *… | wi | *… |
arrow sp. | *li | dí | *li |
joy (?) | *pin | *pin |
According to Reimer (CITE,) Momuna front and back vowels are prohibited from cooccuring in the same morpheme in the Balim River dialect from which her materials were drawn. This rule suggests Momuna /u/ in the following to result from this harmony rule:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*i/ɒC_ | u | *i | |
eye | *ɒtig | ɒtù | *atiŋ |
Reimer (CITE) mentions also an “anti-harmony rule” in the Rekai River dialect, such that high back rounded vowel /*u/ is replaced by high front /i/ if there is a rounded back vowel in an adjacent syllable; thus the village [sumɒ] is called instead [simɒ] while the language [mɒmuna] is called [mɒmina]. In light of the example above, it seems probable that these are the more original forms, as Mek has no harmony rule which might account for this discrepancy.
High back rounded vowel /*u/ …:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*u | u | *u | |
sit/stay | *bu- | bu- | *bu-(g) |
vomit | *du- | du- | *du-(g) |
3 pl. | *tun | tũ | *tun |
2 pl. | *… | kũ | *… |
wound | *tutu | tutu [CV] | *tutu |
hand drum | *wɒsu | *wasu |
High mid fron vowel /*e̝/ …::
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek |
*e̝ | e | *e̝ |
High mid back rounded vowel /*o̝/ …:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*o̝ | |||
tooth/sharp | *jo̝ | jó | *jo̝ |
Low mid front vowel /*ɛ/…:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek |
*ɛ | ||
Low mid back rounded vowel /*ɔ/ …:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*ɔ | ɒ | *ɔ | |
hit/kill | *pɔ- | ɒ- | *pɔ-(b) |
dig/plant | *dɔ- | dɒ- | *dɔ-(g) |
rain | *mɔk | mɒ̀ | *m[ɔ/o̝]k |
wing | *p[ɔ]l | ɒ́ᵘ | *pɔl |
Low back rounded vowel /*ɒ/ …:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*ɒ | ɒ | *a | |
go/walk | *bɒ- | bɒ- | *ba-(n) |
burn/roast | *dɒ- | … | *da-(b) |
taro | *ɒm | ɒ́ | *am |
mother's br. | *mɒm | … | *mam |
spittle/saliva | *mɒk | *mag[a] | |
lip(s) | *bɒm | bɒ | *bam |
pandanus fruit | *bɒn | bɒ́ | *ban |
palm/sole | *tɒg | *taŋ | |
2 sg. | *kɒn | kɒ | *kan |
dog | *gɒm | kɒ̀ | *gam |
tree/wood | *gɒl | kɒ̀ | *gal |
eye | *ɒtig | ɒtù | *atiŋ |
hand drum | *wɒsu | *wasu | |
net bag | *… | ɒko | *ak |
Low central vowel /*a/ …:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*a | a | *a | |
1 sg. | *na | na | *na |
change/trade | *da- | da- | *da-(n) |
bird | *mak | má | *mak |
louse | *ami | ˈámì | *ami |
yam | *wan[i] | wani | *wan[i/ɛⁱ/aⁱ] |
…:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek |
… /*o̝ᵘ/ …:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*o̝ᵘ | o | *o̝ᵘ | |
speech/voice | *jo̝ᵘb | jo | *jo̝ᵘb[o̝] |
…:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*ɛⁱ | ɛⁱ | *ɛⁱ | |
sugarcane | *gʷɛⁱ | kʷɛⁱ | *gʷɛⁱ |
… /*ɔᵘ/ …:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*ɔᵘ | ɒᵘ | *ɔᵘ | |
breast | *mɔᵘm | mɒ̃̀ᵘ | *mɔᵘm |
hot/warm | *bɔᵘb | bɒᵘ [lcv] | *bɔᵘbo̝ |
… /*aⁱ/ …:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*aⁱ | aⁱ | *aⁱ | |
father | *aⁱ | áⁱ | *aⁱ |
… /*aᵘ/ …:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*aᵘ | *aᵘ | ||
grandmother | *aᵘ | *aᵘ |
… /*aᵋ/ …:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek | |
*aᵋ | ɛ | *aᵋ | |
hand | *tɛ | tɛ́ | *tɛ |
…:
Momuna-Mek | Momuna | Mek |
[under construction]
…
…
[under construction]
…