Mawes language

Usher (2020) proposes that it may be related to the Kwerbic languages.[3] Foley (2018) classifies Mawes as a language isolate,[4] and so does Hammarström (2010).[5]

Mawes
RegionPapua: Sarmi Regency, Bonggo District - Mawes Dai, Mawes Mukti, and Mawes Wres villages to the west of the Buri River
Native speakers
850 (2006)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3mgk
Glottologmawe1251
ELPMawes[2]

Mawes is a Papuan language of Indonesia.

Pronouns

Pronouns are:[4]

sgpl
1 kidaminim
2 namnɛm
3 ɛbɛmia

Basic vocabulary

Basic vocabulary of Mawes listed in Foley (2018):[4]

Mawes basic vocabulary
glossMawes
‘bird’ikinin
‘blood’wɛrɛi
‘bone’tuan
‘ear’bɛr
‘eat’nan
‘egg’siwin
‘eye’nonsum
‘fire’kani
‘leg, foot’yaʔ
‘louse’sene
‘name’dimanɛ
‘one’mɛndakai
‘see’nomo
‘sky’kowan
‘stone’fɛt
‘sun’ɛsar
‘tooth’wan
‘tree’dengkin
‘two’yakɛneu
‘water’bo
‘woman’yei

The following basic vocabulary words are from Voorhoeve (1975),[6], as cited in the Trans-New Guinea database:[7]

glossMawes
headdefar
hairtere
eyenonsom
toothwan
legija
dogwede
pigwas
birdikinin
eggsiwin
bloodwerei
bonetuan
skindukunen
treedeŋkin
manke
sunesar
waterbo
firekani
stonefeyt
namedimane
eatnano
onemendakai
twoyakenew

Sentences

Of the few sentences that have been documented for Mawes, some example sentences are:[4]:497–8

(1)

ɛbɛmarsyanomtak
3SGyesterdaycome
‘He came yesterday.’

(2)

wɛdɛɛbɛketes
dog3SGbite
‘The dog bit him.’

(3)

ke-metotosokida-wɛnmamɛntafɛntamu(k)
man-?money1SG-POSSfatherDAT/ALLgive
‘That man gave money to my father.’

(4)

ɛbɛ-mɛdengkinnambuakkomsorna
3sg-?treemacheteINSTRcut
‘He is cutting wood with a machete.’

(5)

ke-mesaufɛnbanak
man-?villageDAT/ALLgo
‘That man went to the village.’

(6)

ke-mesau-ernom
man-?village-ABLcome
‘That man came from the village.’

(7)

ke-meyeidetebanak
man-?womanCOMITgo
‘That man went with his wife.’

Further reading

  • Wambaliau, Theresia. 2006. Survey Report on the Mawes Language in Papua, Indonesia. (in Indonesian). Unpublished manuscript. Jayapura: SIL Indonesia.
  • Hammarström, Harald. 2010. The genetic position of the Mawes language. Paper presented at the Workshop on the Languages of Papua 2. Manokwari, Indonesia, 8–12 February 2010.

References

  1. Mawes at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015)
  2. Endangered Languages Project data for Mawes.
  3. New Guinea World
  4. Foley, William A. (2018). "The languages of Northwest New Guinea". In Palmer, Bill (ed.). The Languages and Linguistics of the New Guinea Area: A Comprehensive Guide. The World of Linguistics. 4. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. pp. 433–568. ISBN 978-3-11-028642-7.
  5. Harald Hammarström. 2010. The Genetic Position of the Mawes Language. Paper presented at the Workshop on the Languages of Papua 2, 8–12 February 2010, Manokwari, Indonesia.
  6. Voorhoeve, C.L. Languages of Irian Jaya: Checklist. Preliminary classification, language maps, wordlists. B-31, iv + 133 pages. Pacific Linguistics, The Australian National University, 1975. doi:10.15144/PL-B31
  7. Greenhill, Simon (2016). "TransNewGuinea.org - database of the languages of New Guinea". Retrieved 2020-11-05.
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