Grammar
Phonology
Cemaun Arapesh sounds
The system of underlying Cemaun consonants is presented in table (1).
(1)
|
labial |
alveolar |
palato
alveolar |
velar |
glottal |
| stops |
p
b |
t
d |
|
k, kʷ
g, gʷ |
|
| affricates |
|
|
c [ʧ]
j [ʤ] |
|
|
| fricatives |
|
s |
|
|
h, hʷ |
approximants:
lateral tap |
|
l
r |
|
|
|
| nasals |
m |
n |
ɲ |
|
|
Although the glides w and y are frequent phonetically, their consonantal status is predictable from syllable position:
glides appear in onsets, and the high vowels u and i appear elsewhere.
Both l and r are present in all Arapesh varieties, and in key lexical items they
index social features such as region and age. However, no distinction in meaning
hinges on their contrast. In Woginara, Balam, and Dogur palato-alveolar c is
pronounced ʃ, and the distribution of l is wider than r.
The underlying Cemaun vowel system is presented in table (2).
(2)
|
front |
central |
back |
| high |
i |
ɨ |
u |
| mid |
e |
ə |
o |
| low |
|
a |
|
The rising diphthongs ai, ae, au, ou, oi, and ei also occur.
There are a number of rules affecting the realiziation of the central vowels ә and ɨ.
Most of these involve assimilation in rounding or backness to the surrounding
consonants (3).
| (3) |
- /n-ә-iagureh/ → [neyagureh]
- /kʷ-ɨ-hirau/ → [kuhirau]
- /bɨb/→ [bʉb]
- /ouicibər]/ → [owicibør]
|
Word-final labialization is retracted into a preceding central vowel, making the
final consonant's labial release less audible in such contexts (4).
Assuming that labialization inheres in preceding consonants and is not a separate
segment, consonant clusters do not arise in Cemaun. In contrast, vowel-vowel and
vowel-diphthong sequences are common and are variously resolved (5).
| (5) |
- /h-ә-sia-әc/→ [həsiyaec] (seb2:24)
- /i-ɨ-burei-əɲ/→ [ibureiyeɲ] (seb2:46)
|
Intervocalic voiced obstruents assimilate to a preceding nasal, creating surface
presnasalized obstruents (6). This process applies especially in highly frequent
forms and in functional items like demonstratives. Again this process is exhibited
along a continuum across the family. In inland Arapesh varieties such as Wәri and
Muhiang (as spoken at Balif), virtually all non-initial voiced obstruents are
prenasalized.
| (6) |
- /әCɨdək + cl7sg/ → [ənɨndək] 'this.near.speaker'
- /nɨbarig/ → [nɨmbarig] 'garden'
- /nogotep/ → [noŋgotep] 'knife'
- but [maduh], *[manduh] 'vine'
|
Primary word stress tends to fall on either the first or second syllable. Verbs must
be specified for whether they take stress on the root or on the preceding vowel,
and for whether or not stress advances with the addition of object or other
suffixes. For example, S-cәpok(-O) 'send' takes immobile stress on the mood
vowel (7a), S-hʷanɨk(-O) 'kill' takes immobile stress on the first root syllable
(7b), and S-rau(-O) 'bring' takes mobile stress alternatively on the mood or root
vowel (7c).
| (7) |
- a. [nécəpokok], [nécəpoki], [kʷécəpokən]
- b. [nohʷánɨk], [nohʷánɨkət]
- c. [írau Koni] vs. [iráuən], [hɨ́rau batowic] vs. [hɨráuec]
|
Click on the selections below to hear some examples of Cemaun sounds.
| p |
- apap 'banana'
- cup 'leaf'
- ɲə ɲəpiakec '2sg.pro 2sg.r.wrap.up.cl8pl'
- kwapʷe em atuk! 'kwapwe is one.f.sg!'
- augʷep 'grass thorn'
|
| b |
- biec 'two.cl8pl'
- ɲibɨr 'stomach'
- yecɨbuk '1sg.cl8pl.put'
- ei yoweik oub '1sg.pro 1sg.r.scrape coconut'
|
| t |
- təleba 'shelf'
- ətuhʷ nəgahʷ 'one.cl12sg taro'
- takəri wanohʷ 'cl11sg.want fight'
|
| d |
- adɨkic 'seed.crop'
- dəbeibɨri wabɨr 'big.cl2sg.mod village'
|
| k |
- akitohwici 'yellow.cl8pl.mod'
- karegu ɲɨnak! 'go.imp 2sg.ir.go'
- ei yoweik oub '1sg.pro 1sg.r.scrape coconut'
- ei yaruwok 'I ran away'
|
| kʷ |
- kuhirau gairuh 'cl4.sg.ir.fly above'
- unaruk 'cassowary'
- yokʷacim maduh '1sg.r.lusim rop'
- acəkekʷ 'elder.sister.to.woman'
- abahikʷ 'first.born.or.elder.female.sibling'
|
| g |
- neyagureh 'cl7sg.r.talk'
- kuhirau gairuh 'cl4.sg.ir.fly above'
- nənik barawag 'cl7sg.r.take.down spear'
|
| gʷ |
- owowigʷ urusagʷ 'cl4pl.pro.poss.cl11pl house.cl11pl'
- augʷep 'grass.thorn'
|
| c |
- cup 'leaf'
- biec 'two.cl8pl'
- owicibɨr 'blood'
- yecɨbuk '1sg.cl8pl.put'
- cakɨs 'cl8.pl-r-rest'
|
| j |
- əriə jɨrɨg 'and.then compl.aspect'
- jebiwos 'space.under.raised.house.pl'
|
| s |
- cakɨs 'cl8.pl.r.rest'
- jebiwos 'space.under.raised.house.pl'
|
| h |
- kuhirau gairuh 'cl4sg.ir.fly above'
- yərɨwerɨh 'foot.cl12pl.'
- neyagureh 'cl7sg.r.talk'
|
| hʷ |
- ətuhʷ nəgahʷ 'one.cl12 taro'
- yerihʷ hʷakəbɨdik 'leg twists' (twist your ankle)
|
| l |
- təleba 'shelf.above.fire'
- capwe hɨlɨki 'cl8pl.r.sit be.close.toward.speaker'
|
| r |
- owicibɨr 'blood'
- unaruk 'cassowary'
- rowici əneciənec 'long.8pl.mod something'
- konpes jɨrɨg 'confession compl.aspect'
- əneɲ kwar 'one.cl8sg year'
|
| m |
- munak '1pl.r.go'
- atum rowem 'one.cl5sg fruit'
|
| n |
- unaruk 'cassowary'
- nenik barawag 'cl7.sg.r.take.down spear'
|
| ɲ |
- ɲibɨr 'stomach'
- ɲə ɲəbu wacɨp pakɨs '2sg 2sg.r.put mustard.pod cl.9.r.rest'
- ətiɲ baruk 'one-cl8.sg long-tailed.river.shrimp'
|
| i |
- biec 'two.cl8.pl'
- akitohwici 'yellow.cl8.pl.mod'
|
| e |
- yerihʷ hʷakəbɨdik 'foot cl12.r.twist' (twist one's ankle)
- acəkekʷ 'elder.sister.to.woman'
|
| ɨ |
- ɲibɨr 'stomach'
- konpes jɨrɨg 'confession compl.aspect'
- yərɨwerɨh 'foot.cl12pl.'
- atɨb bɨb ɲɨkeiəb, bɨb 'one.cl1sg betel.nut 2sg.ir.give.1sg.cl1sg, betel.nut'
|
| ə |
- ɲə ɲəbu wacɨp pakɨs '2sg 2sg.r.put mustard.pod cl.9.r.rest'
- əneɲ kwar 'indef.pro.cl8sg year'
|
| u |
- cup 'leaf'
- nuhut wab 'tomorrow night'
|
| o |
- owowigʷ urusagʷ 'cl4.pl.pro.poss.pl house.cl11.pl'
|
| a |
- acəkekʷ 'elder sister to a woman'
- nuhut wab 'tomorrow night'
|
| ei |
- ei yoweik oub '1sg.pro 1sg.r.scrape coconut'
- saukʷei 'tobacco'
|
| au |
- augwep 'grass thorn'
- saukʷei 'tobacco'
- kuhirau gairuh 'cl4.sg.ir.fly above'
|
| ou |
- ei yoweik oub '1sg.pro 1sg.r.scrape coconut'
- mour 'work'
|
| ai |
- kuhirau gairuh 'cl4.sg.ir.fly above'
|
| oi |
- atup_boiribap 'one.cl9sg axe.handle'
|