| Palei | |
|---|---|
| Geographic distribution | easternSandaun Province,Papua New Guinea |
| Linguistic classification | Torricelli
|
| Language codes | |
| Glottolog | nucl1722 (Nuclear Palai)wana1269 (Wanap) west2788 (West Palai) |
 The Torricelli languages as classified byFoley (2018). Palei and Wapei languages are yellow. | |
ThePalei languages constitute a branch of theTorricelli language family according to Laycock (1975) (quoted from Foley 2018). They are spoken in mountainous regions of easternSandaun Province,Papua New Guinea.
Languages are:[citation needed]
Nambi (Nabi) = Metan may also belong here, or may be one of theMaimai languages, or separate within the Torricelli languages.
Pronouns in Palei languages are:[1]
| Kayik | Aru | Aruop | Aiku | Nambi | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1s | kəmex | au | am | wup | ai |
| 2s | kiyox | i | yi | yit | yi |
| 3s | təno | din | tuwun | ||
| 1p | kupox | amən | mendi | miyan | ep |
| 2p | kinox | yi | yimi | yip | yip |
| 3p | təmo | may | dim | ti | rəm |
The following basic vocabulary words are from Laycock (1968),[2] as cited in the Trans-New Guinea database.[3]Nabi words are from Laycock (1968) and Voorhoeve (1971, 1975).[4][5]
The words cited constitute translation equivalents, whether they are cognate (e.g.yimunə,yimukun for “louse”) or not (e.g.muᶇkwalnta,yaŋkole for “ear”).
| gloss | Agi | Aruop | Amol | Nabi | Wanap | Yangum Mon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| head | paikwa | wantu | wotuf | peləf | wah | |
| ear | muᶇkwalnta | yaŋkole | taŋkən | kik | nuŋkul | yiŋkuːl |
| eye | juwol | yolta | nəmalal | nampəkat | yilp | yilkŋum |
| nose | tuwarka | mup | mipan | minif | təlom | yimwar |
| tooth | nai | na | owayen | naf | nef | awak |
| tongue | naliya | aləta | akaŋ | wulaf | kəːləp | yalip |
| leg | safiel | ala | aŋ | tip | kelfek | rak |
| louse | watokəl | yimunə | yimukun | kakyerk | yiməl | yimul |
| dog | nəmpo | yimpa | yimpan | pat | yimpa | yimpak |
| pig | bene | |||||
| bird | nol | ali | alin | napet | kal | al |
| egg | nəŋkoi | yoltə | yinalən | ponorire; yufəlip | yiplop | yulp |
| blood | xaməŋka | səna | səneimpən | amk | komkok | yuwanip |
| bone | kamənaŋkil | pəniŋki | lapən | lə | lekəl | yiklia |
| skin | jiwota | wiye | yakən | wiyírk | saf | yikisiw |
| breast | nəmai | yimá | yimawoŋ | nəmap | yimaŋkəf | yimán |
| tree | numwol | nəmpə | nimpən | nip | nimp | nim |
| man | kamwol | makenti | maikən | məsəmiyen | nyiŋkilpən | almias |
| woman | wukora | simi | asək | ri | kekəntə | wasi |
| sun | wota | wa | wan | waf | kentief | təkŋan |
| moon | uni | anyə | ayen | wunɨ | keːnyif | mərəŋkil |
| water | wul | suku | səpən | sup; wer | kuː | sulp |
| fire | ni | yimpu | niŋ | nɨ; wetai | nif | niw |
| stone | atauka | səmpeiken | et; rubukia | kipru | pikiyap | |
| one | eso | |||||
| two | piyami | piya | nantiyou | mantio; ru | poyomp | piyak |