Mian
Trans-New Guinea (Mountain Ok)
Mian is a Trans-New Guinea Mountain Ok language spoken by ~3,500 in the rugged Star Mountains of Papua New Guinea (Telefomin and Tabubil). Famous for its complex gender-classifier system: every noun belongs to one of seven gender classes that influence verbal agreement, demonstratives, and quantifiers. Has biological-gender, shape, function, and animacy axes. Highly polysynthetic verbs with 6+ position classes. Documentation by Sebastian Fedden produced one of the most detailed Papuan grammars of the 21st century. Latin script.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Mian
Water
ot
/ot/
Fire
aon
/aon/
Sun
kep
/kep/
Moon
ham
/ham/
Mother
na
/na/
Father
ki
/ki/
Eat
naka
/naka/
Drink
an
/an/
Love
na
/na/
Heart
tem
/tem/
Tree
yel
/jel/
House
am
/am/
Dog
kowok
/kowok/
Cat
pus
/pus/
Hand
kun
/kun/
Eye
tan
/tan/
Hello
aben
/aben/
Thank you
hok
/hok/
One
alok
/alok/
Good
kep
/kep/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Trans-New Guinea (Mountain Ok) languages
| Meaning | Mian | Nalca | Faiwol | Yagaria | Bislama | Atoni | Mussau-Emira |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ot /ot/ | mi /mi/ | ok /ok/ | nofa /nofa/ | wota /wota/ | oe /oe/ | eai /eai/ |
| Fire | aon /aon/ | lakil /lakil/ | baal /baːl/ | yo /jo/ | faea /faea/ | ai /ai/ | kapok /kapok/ |
| Sun | kep /kep/ | nyem /ɲem/ | kibel /kibel/ | kena /kena/ | san /san/ | manas /manas/ | ariu /aɾiu/ |
| Moon | ham /ham/ | lakum /lakum/ | ulup /ulup/ | ulu /ulu/ | mun /mun/ | fun /fun/ | malam /malam/ |
| Mother | na /na/ | ne /ne/ | anim /anim/ | nene /nene/ | mama /mama/ | ainat /ainat/ | nia /nia/ |
| Father | ki /ki/ | ke /ke/ | atim /atim/ | papa /papa/ | papa /papa/ | amat /amat/ | tama /tama/ |
| Eat | naka /naka/ | ne /ne/ | nemin /nemin/ | na /na/ | kakae /kakae/ | ah /ah/ | anu /anu/ |
| Drink | an /an/ | mi ne /mi ne/ | ok ne /ok ne/ | nava /nava/ | dring /driŋ/ | ninu /ninu/ | inum /inum/ |
| Love | na /na/ | ngam /ŋam/ | kunum /kunum/ | amige /amiɡe/ | laekem /laekem/ | nekat /nekat/ | talimi /talimi/ |
| Heart | tem /tem/ | ngal /ŋal/ | kayem /kajem/ | nemo /nemo/ | bel /bel/ | nesa /nesa/ | lalota /lalota/ |
| Tree | yel /jel/ | ye /je/ | biin /biːn/ | yake /jake/ | tri /tri/ | hau /hau/ | rikei /ɾikei/ |
| House | am /am/ | kim /kim/ | am /am/ | nono /nono/ | haos /haos/ | ume /ume/ | ulemi /ulemi/ |
| Dog | kowok /kowok/ | ngal /ŋal/ | kuyak /kujak/ | yapa /japa/ | dog /doɡ/ | asu /asu/ | kovur /kovuɾ/ |
| Cat | pus /pus/ | kucing /kutʃiŋ/ | kit /kit/ | pusi /pusi/ | pusi /pusi/ | mose /mose/ | busi /busi/ |
| Hand | kun /kun/ | ku /ku/ | miim /miːm/ | bayo /bajo/ | han /han/ | ʼniman /ʔniman/ | lima /lima/ |
| Eye | tan /tan/ | nye /ɲe/ | nin /nin/ | gago /ɡaɡo/ | ae /ae/ | matan /matan/ | mata /mata/ |
| Hello | aben /aben/ | silok /silok/ | ben kaba /ben kaba/ | amige /amiɡe/ | halo /halo/ | neut /neut/ | emua /emua/ |
| Thank you | hok /hok/ | amole /amole/ | ngam ngam /ŋam ŋam/ | tega /teɡa/ | tangkyu /taŋkju/ | neno biluk /neno biluk/ | poasi /poasi/ |
| One | alok /alok/ | mom /mom/ | kowin /kowin/ | kahene /kahene/ | wan /wan/ | mese /mese/ | esa /esa/ |
| Good | kep /kep/ | ko /ko/ | kanim /kanim/ | kavi /kavi/ | gud /ɡud/ | malaek /malaek/ | rop /ɾop/ |
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