Enga
Trans-New Guinea (Engan)
Enga is the most widely spoken language of Papua New Guinea's Highlands and the largest Papuan (non-Austronesian) language by speaker count. Native to Enga Province around Wabag, it is the principal lingua franca of high-altitude Wapenamanda and Laiagam valleys. Enga reflects the extraordinary linguistic diversity of New Guinea — over 800 distinct languages — and forms part of the Trans-New Guinea phylum's Engan branch alongside Ipili and Huli.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Enga
Water
endaki
/endaki/
Fire
ita
/ita/
Sun
niko
/niko/
Moon
kana
/kana/
Mother
ainya
/aiɲa/
Father
taata
/taːta/
Eat
nepenge
/nepeŋe/
Drink
na pee
/na peː/
Love
mende
/mende/
Heart
maita
/maita/
Tree
ita
/ita/
House
anda
/anda/
Dog
yana
/jana/
Cat
pusi
/pusi/
Hand
kingi
/kiŋɡi/
Eye
lenge
/leŋɡe/
Hello
baa wa
/baː wa/
Thank you
yaku
/jaku/
One
mendeai
/mendeai/
Good
epe
/epe/
Words compared
Compared with related Trans-New Guinea (Engan) languages
| Meaning | Enga | Huli | Kanite | Aymara | Sakizaya | Fijian | Yao |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | endaki /endaki/ | iba /iba/ | nai /nai/ | uma /uma/ | nanum /nanum/ | wai /wai/ | mesi /mesi/ |
| Fire | ita /ita/ | tia /tia/ | lo /lo/ | nina /nina/ | lamal /lamal/ | buka /mbuka/ | moto /moto/ |
| Sun | niko /niko/ | nogo /noɡo/ | suka /suka/ | inti /inti/ | cidal /tʃidal/ | siga /siŋa/ | lyuwa /ʎuwa/ |
| Moon | kana /kana/ | hina /hina/ | ika /ika/ | phaxsi /pʰaχsi/ | ʔulalalalal /ʔulalal/ | vula /βula/ | mwesi /mwesi/ |
| Mother | ainya /aiɲa/ | ainya /aiɲa/ | nene /nene/ | mama /mama/ | ina /ina/ | tina /tina/ | amao /amaː/ |
| Father | taata /taːta/ | aba /aba/ | nafa /nafa/ | tata /tata/ | ama /ama/ | tama /tama/ | atati /atati/ |
| Eat | nepenge /nepeŋe/ | na /na/ | ne /ne/ | manqʼaña /manqʼaɲa/ | hekal /hekal/ | kana /kana/ | kulya /kuʎa/ |
| Drink | na pee /na peː/ | ila /ila/ | ne /ne/ | umaña /umaɲa/ | mihecak /mihetʃak/ | gunu /ŋunu/ | kumwa /kumwa/ |
| Love | mende /mende/ | hando /hando/ | avesi /avesi/ | munasiña /munasiɲa/ | kapah /kapah/ | loloma /loloma/ | chikondi /tʃikondi/ |
| Heart | maita /maita/ | hambu /hambu/ | agu /aɡu/ | chuyma /tʃujma/ | gawang /ɡawaŋ/ | uto /uto/ | mtima /mtima/ |
| Tree | ita /ita/ | danda /danda/ | yafa /jafa/ | quqa /quqa/ | kilang /kilaŋ/ | kau /kau/ | mtela /mtela/ |
| House | anda /anda/ | anda /anda/ | no /no/ | uta /uta/ | luma /luma/ | vale /βale/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ |
| Dog | yana /jana/ | yamu /jamu/ | ovava /ovava/ | anu /anu/ | waco /watʃo/ | koli /koli/ | mbwa /mbwa/ |
| Cat | pusi /pusi/ | pusi /pusi/ | pusi /pusi/ | phisi /pʰisi/ | posi /posi/ | pusi /pusi/ | paka /paka/ |
| Hand | kingi /kiŋɡi/ | ki /ki/ | azana /azana/ | ampara /ampaɾa/ | kamay /kamai/ | liga /liŋa/ | ngaila /ŋɡaila/ |
| Eye | lenge /leŋɡe/ | ta /ta/ | avu /avu/ | nayra /najɾa/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | liso /liso/ |
| Hello | baa wa /baː wa/ | balu /balu/ | naipa /naipa/ | kamisaki /kamisaki/ | marayas /maɾajas/ | bula /mbula/ | salama /salama/ |
| Thank you | yaku /jaku/ | wei /wei/ | susu /susu/ | yuspagara /juspaɣaɾa/ | lalumahan /lalumahan/ | vinaka /βinaka/ | nakwete /nakwete/ |
| One | mendeai /mendeai/ | mendene /mendene/ | magoke /maɡoke/ | maya /maja/ | cacay /tʃatʃai/ | dua /ndua/ | mo /mo/ |
| Good | epe /epe/ | poke /poke/ | knaga /knaɡa/ | suma /suma/ | kapah /kapah/ | vinaka /βinaka/ | chechete /tʃetʃete/ |
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