Boiken language

Ndu language of Papua New Guinea From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Boiken (Nucum, Yangoru) is one of the more populous of the Ndu languages of Sepik River region of northern Papua New Guinea. It is spoken around Boiken Creek in Yangoru-Saussia District, East Sepik Province and adjacent islands off the north coast of northern Papua New Guinea.[1]

RegionSepik River basin
Native speakers
35,000 (2004)[1]
Quick facts Native to, Region ...
Boiken
Native toPapua New Guinea
RegionSepik River basin
Native speakers
35,000 (2004)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3bzf
Glottologboik1241
ELPBoiken
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Phonology

More information Labial, Dental ...
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  • Stop sounds /p, t̪s̪, t, k/ are heard as voiced [b, d̪z̪, d, ɡ] when following a nasal counterpart.
  • /k/ has an allophone of a glottal [ʔ] in word-final position, or when preceding a consonant in word-medial position.
  • Sounds /ɸ, s, x/ can be voiced as [β, z, ɣ] in intervocalic positions.
  • /n/ is heard as [ŋ] when preceding velar consonants, or freely in word-final position.
  • /r/ can be heard as a voiceless trill [r̥] in word-initial positions.
More information Front, Central ...
Boiken vowels[2]
Front Central Back
Close i ɨ u
Mid e ə o
Open æ a ɒ
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  • /ɨ, ə/ have allophones of [ɪ, ɛ] when following dental and alveolar sounds.
  • /u/ has an allophone of [ʊ] when preceding /k/ heard as a glottal [ʔ] in word-medial and word-final positions.
  • /o/ has an allophone of [ɔ] when following labial and velar sounds.

References

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