| Momuna | |
|---|---|
| Somahai | |
| Native to | Indonesia |
| Region | Highland Papua:Yahukimo Regency South Papua: westernAsmat Regency |
Native speakers | (2,200 cited 1998–2000)[1] |
| Dialects |
|
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | Either:mqf – Momunammb – Momina |
| Glottolog | soma1242 |
Momuna (Momina), also known asSomahai (Somage, Sumohai), is aPapuan language spoken inYahukimo Regency,Highland Papua andAsmat Regency,South Papua, Indonesia.
Reimer notes two dialects, one on the Balim River and one on the Rekai. One of the differences is that when /u/ follows an /u/ or /o/ in the Balim dialect, it is /i/ in the Rekai dialect. Thus the ethnonym 'Momuna' is pronounced 'Momina' in Rekai dialect.[3]
The Somahai pronouns, singular *na, *ka, *mo, are typical ofTrans–New Guinea languages. They were placed in theCentral and South New Guinea branch of that family by Wurm.Ross could not locate enough evidence to classify them. Usher found them to be closest to theMek languages, in theCentral West New Guinea, which partially overlaps with Wurm's C&SNG.
| Labial | Alveolar | Velar | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plosive | b | t | k |
| Fricative | s | ||
| Nasal | m | n | |
| Approximant | w | r | j |
| Front | Central | Back | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High | i | u | |
| Mid-high | e | o | |
| Mid-low | ɛ | ɔ | |
| Low | a |
Additionally, there are at most three tones: high, low, and mid. The mid tone only occurs on monosyllabic words.[4]
The following basic vocabulary words of Momuna are from Voorhoeve (1975),[5] as cited in the Trans-New Guinea database:[6][7]
| gloss | Momuna |
|---|---|
| head | toko |
| hair | toko-ate |
| eye | otu |
| tooth | ija |
| leg | i jo-ku |
| louse | amega |
| dog | kwoka |
| pig | uwo |
| egg | magisaga |
| blood | janɨ |
| bone | toko |
| skin | ke |
| tree | kwo |
| man | mogo-mearu |
| sun | ɨkɨ |
| water | iŋga |
| fire | kukwa |
| stone | kɨ |
| eat | nowa- |