Huli
Trans-New Guinea (Engan)
Huli is one of the largest Engan languages of the New Guinea highlands. Huli speakers are known for their elaborate wig traditions and the famous Huli Wigmen culture. It uses a base-15 numeral system, unusual among the world's languages.
Where it is spoken
31 core words in Huli
Water
iba
/iba/
Fire
tia
/tia/
Sun
nogo
/noɡo/
Moon
hina
/hina/
Star
hana
/hana/
Mother
ainya
/aiɲa/
Father
aba
/aba/
I
i
/i/
You
í
/í/
Name
mini
/mini/
Eye
ta
/ta/
Hand
ki
/ki/
Heart
hambu
/hambu/
Love
hando
/hando/
Tree
danda
/danda/
House
anda
/anda/
Dog
yamu
/jamu/
Cat
pusi
/pusi/
Eat
na
/na/
Drink
ila
/ila/
One
mendene
/mendene/
Two
kira
/kira/
Hello
balu
/balu/
Thank you
wei
/wei/
Good
poke
/poke/
Words compared
Compared with related Trans-New Guinea (Engan) languages
| Meaning | Huli | Enga | Susu | Hiri Motu | Fijian | Maranao | Saho |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | iba /iba/ | endaki /endaki/ | yi /ji/ | ranu /ɾanu/ | wai /wai/ | ig /iɡ/ | lee /leː/ |
| Fire | tia /tia/ | ita /ita/ | te /te/ | lahi /lahi/ | buka /mbuka/ | apoy /apoj/ | gira /ɡira/ |
| Sun | nogo /noɡo/ | niko /niko/ | soge /soɡe/ | dina /dina/ | matanisiga /matanisiŋa/ | alongan /aloŋan/ | ayro /ajɾo/ |
| Moon | hina /hina/ | kana /kana/ | kike /kike/ | hua /hua/ | vula /βula/ | bolan /bolan/ | alsa /alsa/ |
| Star | hana /hana/ | kalyai /kaljai/ | tunbi /tunbi/ | hisiu /hisiu/ | kalokalo /kalokalo/ | bito-on /bitoʔon/ | cutuk /ħutuk/ |
| Mother | ainya /aiɲa/ | ainya /aiɲa/ | nga /ŋɡa/ | sina /sina/ | tina /tina/ | ina /ina/ | ina /ina/ |
| Father | aba /aba/ | taata /taːta/ | baba /baba/ | tama /tama/ | tama /tama/ | ama /ama/ | abba /abba/ |
| I | i /i/ | namba /namba/ | n /n/ | lau /lau/ | au /au/ | ako /ako/ | anu /ʔanu/ |
| You | í /í/ | emba /emba/ | i /i/ | oi /oi/ | iko /iko/ | seka /sɵka/ | atu /ʔatu/ |
| Name | mini /mini/ | ingi /iŋi/ | xili /xili/ | ladana /laˈdana/ | yaca /jaða/ | ngaran /ŋaran/ | migaq /miɡaːʕ/ |
| Eye | ta /ta/ | lenge /leŋɡe/ | ya /ja/ | matana /matana/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | inti /inti/ |
| Hand | ki /ki/ | kingi /kiŋɡi/ | belexɛ /belexɛ/ | ima /ima/ | liga /liŋa/ | lima /lima/ | gaba /ɡaba/ |
| Heart | hambu /hambu/ | maita /maita/ | biye /bije/ | kudouna /kudouna/ | uto /uto/ | pusoʔ /pusoʔ/ | qalbe /qalbe/ |
| Love | hando /hando/ | mende /mende/ | xanunteya /xanunteja/ | lalokau /lalokau/ | loloma /loloma/ | kalimo /kalimo/ | kaxano /kaħano/ |
| Tree | danda /danda/ | ita /ita/ | wuri /wuɾi/ | au /au/ | kau /kau/ | kayo /kajo/ | caar /ħaːr/ |
| House | anda /anda/ | anda /anda/ | banxi /banxi/ | ruma /ɾuma/ | vale /βale/ | walay /walaj/ | kalo /kalo/ |
| Dog | yamu /jamu/ | yana /jana/ | barɛ /baɾɛ/ | sisia /sisia/ | koli /koli/ | aso /aso/ | kare /kaɾe/ |
| Cat | pusi /pusi/ | pusi /pusi/ | nyɛɛsu /ɲɛːsu/ | pusi /pusi/ | pusi /pusi/ | pusa /pusa/ | dummu /dummu/ |
| Eat | na /na/ | nepenge /nepeŋe/ | don /don/ | ania /ania/ | kana /kana/ | mangan /maŋan/ | niitan /niːtan/ |
| Drink | ila /ila/ | na pee /na peː/ | min /min/ | inua /inua/ | gunu /ŋunu/ | minom /minom/ | yaaqab /jaːʕab/ |
| One | mendene /mendene/ | mendeai /mendeai/ | keren /keɾen/ | ta /ta/ | dua /ndua/ | isa /isa/ | inki /inki/ |
| Two | kira /kira/ | lapo /lapo/ | firin /firin/ | rua /rua/ | rua /rua/ | dowa /dowa/ | lammá /lamˈma/ |
| Hello | balu /balu/ | baa wa /baː wa/ | inu uxara /inu uxaɾa/ | namona /namona/ | bula /mbula/ | kapian /kapijan/ | malaal /malaːl/ |
| Thank you | wei /wei/ | yaku /jaku/ | inu wali /inu wali/ | tanikiu /tanikiu/ | vinaka /βinaka/ | salamat /salamat/ | galatto /ɡalatto/ |
| Good | poke /poke/ | epe /epe/ | fanyi /faɲi/ | namo /namo/ | vinaka /βinaka/ | mapia /mapija/ | meqe /meʕe/ |
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