Wikipedia

Ambulas language

Ambulas
Ambelas
Native toPapua New Guinea
RegionSepik River basin
EthnicityAbelam
Native speakers
33,000 (2004)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3abt
Glottologambu1247
ELPAmbulas

Ambulas (or Abelam, Abulas) is a member of the Ndu languages of Sepik River region of northern Papua New Guinea.[2] Dialects are Maprik, Wingei, Wosera-Kamu, Wosera-Mamu.[1]

Phonology

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Consonants[3]
Labial Alveolar Palatal Velar
Plosive/
Affricate 		plain p t k
prenasal ᵐb ⁿd ᶮdʒ ᵑg
Nasal m n ɲ ŋ
Fricative β s
Liquid lateral l
rhotic r
Semivowel w j
Vowels[4]
Front Central Back
High (i)[a] ɨ (u)[a]
Mid ə
Low a
  1. ^ a b [i, u] may be heard as a realization of the sequences /əj/, /əw/ or resulting in syllabic forms of /j, w/.

Vocabulary

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Word-Formation

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Most words in Ambulas are roots, although some word-stems are reduplicated, compounded, or derived.[5]

Examples of Reduplication
Stem Category Meaning
pepe noun "flying fox species"
kiyakiya noun "fever"
kwaskwas noun "frog species"
jékjék adjective "tough"
nyeknyek adjective "soft"

Compound Stems

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In Ambulas, compound stems occur within nouns (including temporal nouns and quantifiers) and verbs.

Examples of Noun Stems
Root 1 Root 2 Compound Stem Meaning
méni-EYE taama-NOSE ménidama "face"
kaadé-HUNGER mu-THING kadému "food"
séré-TOMORROW maa-DAY.AFTER séréma "in the future"
nak-ONE waasa-DOG nakwasa "four"
nak-ONE taaba-HAND naktaba "five"
Examples of Verb Stems
Root 1 Root 2 Compound Stem Meaning
ra-SIT ségé-WATCH raségé "look after"
bul-TALK tégé-CLOSE bultépé "interrupt"
taaku-BREAK.SHARPLY burép-TOUCH.AGAINST takuburép "chip against"
taa-CARVE kény-WHITTLE taakény "carve something small"

Derivational Stems

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Adjective stems can be formed by adding suffixes, such as -mama (meaning "possessing much"), to noun roots or noun stems.

Examples of Noun Root Suffixing (using -mama)
Root Stem Meaning
apa-STRENGTH apamama "very strong"
yéwaa-MONEY yéwamama "very wealthy"
baalé-PIG balémama "possessing many pigs"
Examples of Noun Stem Suffixing (using -mama)
Root Stem Meaning
kadému-FOOD kadémumama "possessing much food"
gwalmu-MONEY gwalmumama "very wealthy in possessions"

References

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  1. ^ a b Ambulas at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022) Closed access icon
  2. ^ OLAC resources in and about the Ambulas language
  3. ^ Foley, William A. (2018). "The Languages of the Sepik-Ramu Basin and Environs". In Palmer, Bill (ed.). The Languages and Linguistics of the New Guinea Area: A Comprehensive Guide. The World of Linguistics. Vol. 4. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. pp. 197–432. ISBN 978-3-11-028642-7.
  4. ^ Palmer, Bill (2017-12-04). The Languages and Linguistics of the New Guinea Area: A Comprehensive Guide. Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. ISBN 978-3-11-029525-2.
  5. ^ Wilson, Patricia R. (1980). "Ambulas Grammar" (PDF). Workpapers in Papua New Guinea Languages. 26. Ukarumpa, Papua New Guinea: Summer Institute of Linguistics. ISBN 0-7263-0702-5.
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