Ambulas language
Ndu language spoken in Papua New Guinea
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ambulas (or Abelam, Abulas) is a member of the Ndu languages of Sepik River region of northern Papua New Guinea.[2] Dialects are Maprik, Wingei, Wosera-Kamu, Wosera-Mamu.[1]
| Ambulas | |
|---|---|
| Ambelas | |
| Native to | Papua New Guinea |
| Region | Sepik River basin |
| Ethnicity | Abelam |
Native speakers | 33,000 (2004)[1] |
Sepik
| |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | abt |
| Glottolog | ambu1247 |
| ELP | Ambulas |
Phonology
Vocabulary
Word-Formation
Most words in Ambulas are roots, although some word-stems are reduplicated, compounded, or derived.[5]
| Stem | Category | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| pepe | noun | "flying fox species" |
| kiyakiya | noun | "fever" |
| kwaskwas | noun | "frog species" |
| jékjék | adjective | "tough" |
| nyeknyek | adjective | "soft" |
Compound Stems
In Ambulas, compound stems occur within nouns (including temporal nouns and quantifiers) and verbs.
| Root 1 | Root 2 | Compound Stem | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| méni
"eye" |
taama
"nose" |
ménidama | "face" |
| kaadé
"hunger" |
mu
"thing" |
kadému | "food" |
| séré
"tomorrow" |
maa
"day after" |
séréma | "in the future" |
| nak
"one" |
waasa
"dog" |
nakwasa | "four" |
| nak
"one" |
taaba
"hand" |
naktaba | "five" |
| Root 1 | Root 2 | Compound Stem | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| ra
"sit" |
ségé
"watch" |
raségé | "look after" |
| bul
"talk" |
tégé
"close" |
bultépé | "interrupt" |
| taak
"break sharply" |
burép
"touch against" |
takuburép | "chip against" |
| taa
"carve" |
kény
"whittle" |
taakény | "carve something small" |
Derivational Stems
Adjective stems can be formed by adding suffixes, such as -mama (meaning "possessing much"), to noun roots or noun stems.
| Root | Stem | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| apa
"strength" |
apamama | "very strong" |
| yéwaa
"money" |
yéwamama | "very wealthy" |
| baalé
"pig" |
balémama | "possessing many pigs" |
| Root | Stem | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| kadému
"food" |
kadémumama | "possessing much food" |
| gwalmu
"money" |
gwalmumama | "very wealthy in possessions" |
