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Papuan language spoken in Papua New Guinea
"Kairi language" redirects here. For the Australian language, see Gayiri language.
Rumu (Rumuwa), or Kairi (Kai-Iri), is a Papuan language of Papua New Guinea. Other names for it are Dumu (Tumu) and Kibiri.
Phonology
Labial | Alveolar | Dorsal | |
---|---|---|---|
Plosive | p | t | k |
Fricative | (s) | h | |
Nasal | m | n | |
Approximant | w | r | j |
- /r/ is pronounced [l] when word-initial and before /ɛ a ɔ/.
- /w/ is [β] before /i e ɛ/.
- /s/ only occurs in loanwords.
Front | Central | Back | |
---|---|---|---|
High | i | u | |
Mid-high | e ⟨ë⟩ | o ⟨ö⟩ | |
Mid-low | ɛ | ɔ | |
Low | a |
-i | -e | -ɛ | -a | -ɔ | -u | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
i- | ia | iɔ | ||||
e- | (ei) | ea | eɔ | |||
ɛ- | ɛi | ɛa | ɛu | |||
a- | ai | ae | aɔ | au | ||
o- | (oi) | oe | oa | |||
ɔ- | ɔi | ɔɛ | ɔa | ɔu | ||
u- | [ui] | uɔ |
- /ei/ has merged to [i] for many speakers.
- /oi/ has shifted to [ui] for many speakers.
Additionally, Rumu is tonal, distinguishing four tones: falling ⟨à⟩, rising ⟨á⟩, peaking ⟨â⟩, and level ⟨ā⟩.[2]
References
Official languages | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Major Indigenous languages |
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Other Papuan languages |
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Sign languages |
Categories
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Annuals36
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Bulbs, Corms & Tubers41
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Ferns27
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Fruits3
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Garden Plants23
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Grasses26
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Herb17
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Insects1
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Mammals1
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Midwest Native Plants0
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Northeast Native Plants112
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Perennials123
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Rose1
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Shrubs47
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Trees112
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Tropical Plants53
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Upland Birds5
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Vines18
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Viola Tricolor1
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Water Gardening & Plants9
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Waterfowl0
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Wetland Birds0
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Wetland Plants4
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Wildbirds172
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Wildflowers1
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Woodland Plants29
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