Wantoat language

Wantoat, named after the Wantoat River, is one of the Finisterre languages of Papua New Guinea. Dialects are Wapu (Leron), Central Wantoat, Bam, Yagawak (Kandomin), continuing on to Awara, though the last is only 60–70% lexically similar with Wantoat and Wapu. Major Wantoat villages are Gwabogwat, Mamabam, Matap, Ginonga, Kupung.

Wantoat
Taap
Native toPapua New Guinea
RegionMorobe Province
Native speakers
(8,200 cited 1978)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3wnc
Glottologwant1252
ELPWantoat[2]

Phonology

Consonants[3]
Bilabial Alveolar Palatal Velar
plain lab.
Nasal mnŋŋʷ
Stop plain ptk
pre. ᵐbⁿdᵑɡᵑɡʷ
Fricative plain s
pre. ⁿz
Approximant jw

Consonants clusters with mixed voicing occur within words:

okᵑɡa 'your uncle', kaotⁿdu 'half', ɡeᵐbikᵐbik 'lip', temⁿzin 'they will shoot it', kapⁿza 'strong'
iu
eo
ə
æ
ɑ

Vowel sequences are /ie iə iɑ iu, ee eə eɑ eu, əə, ææ æə, ɑɑ ɑo ɑu, oi oə oɑ, uu/.

Syllables are minimally V and maximally CVVC. Stress is distinctive but has a low functional load.

References


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