The Turama–Kikorian languages are a family identified by Arthur Capell (1962)Capell, Arthur. 1962. Linguistic Survey of the South-Western Pacific (New and revised edition). (South Pacific Commission Technical Paper, 136.) Noumea: South Pacific Commission. 258pp. and part of the Trans–New Guinea languages (TNG) family in the classifications of Stephen Wurm (1975) and Malcolm Ross (2005). The family is named after the Turama River and Kikori River of southern Papua New Guinea; the alternative name is based more narrowly on the Omati River.
Languages The four languages are clearly related, though Rumu is divergent. Ross states that Rumu links the other (Turama) languages to TNG.
Turama–Kikorian family Rumu (Kairi) isolate Turama (Omati River) branch: Omati, Ikobi
Proto-language
Some lexical reconstructions by Usher (2020) are:Timothy Usher, New Guinea World, Proto–Rumu – Omati River
{| class="wikitable sortable" ! gloss !! Proto-Rumu-Omati !! Proto-Omati River !! Rumu |- ! head/top | *mab || *mab || mapô |- ! leaf/hair/feather | *b[au]t || *bɔt || ?paɾâu |- ! ear | *go̝ || *go̝ || kō |- ! eye | *isĩ || *isĩ || ihī |- ! nose | *ju || *ju || jū |- ! tooth | *magu || *magu || makù |- ! foot/leg | || || ɾɛ̂ |- ! bone | *tab || *tab || ɾapò |- ! breast | *sõ̝ || *sõ̝ || hó |- ! louse | *gutɔm || *gutɔm || kuɾɔ̀ |- ! dog | *gas || *gas || ká ~ kaé |- ! pig | *gɔ[u]n || *gɔn || kɔù |- ! bird | || || ká ~ kaé |- ! egg | *d[ɔ]um || *d[ɔ]um || |- ! tree | *i || *i || ì |- ! sun | *ɛsɔa || *ɛsɔa || ɛhɔ̂ |- ! water | *wẽ̝ || *wẽ̝ || |- ! fire | *i || *i || ì |- ! path | || || tɛî |- ! name | *e̝ne̝ne̝n || *ne̝ne̝n || enené |- ! two | || || taí
Basic vocabulary The following basic vocabulary words are from Franklin (1973),Franklin, K.J. "Other Language Groups in the Gulf District and Adjacent Areas". In Franklin, K. editor, The linguistic situation in the Gulf District and adjacent areas, Papua New Guinea. C-26:261-278. Pacific Linguistics, The Australian National University, 1973. as cited in the Trans-New Guinea database. The sets of words are not necessarily cognate.
{| class="wikitable sortable" ! gloss !! Rumu !! Ikobi-Mena !! Mena !! Omati |- ! head | wotu rapo || mapʰ || mabo || mawo |- ! hair | pate || maporo || maboru || mahabero |- ! ear | ku pate || kupi || kovi || kovi |- ! eye | ihita || si(tom) || sitɔumu || isi |- ! nose | yu rapo || bopʰ || boƀo || sorowu |- ! tooth | maku || ka̧i̧ yo || kaiyɔ || kokame |- ! tongue | ɔhɔ || kumen || kumɛn || komene |- ! leg | re riki || hae || hại habo || hai |- ! louse | kuro || kurom || kuromiə || kulamu |- ! dog | ka || kas || kasə || kase |- ! bird | ka || kae || kaiɛ || kae |- ! egg | re || tʌom || tʌmɛ || mena hai |- ! blood | hokore || kai || kai || kei |- ! bone | rapo || hap || havo || havo |- ! skin | heitau || kora || kʷaru || kebo |- ! breast | hɔ || so̧ || so; šo || šu |- ! tree | i || i || ʔi || |- ! man | uki || wane || wɔnami; wɔne || gamin |- ! woman | wo || besi || bɛse || bes |- ! sun | eho || iyos || yosə; yosu || soa |- ! moon | pari || wasiba || wasibia; wasibʌŋʌ || baira |- ! water | u || mu̧ || mu || fae |- ! fire | i || kom || kumu || kumu |- ! stone | akapu || kam || kamə || kamu |- ! name | paina || nanini || nɛnɛne || nenena |- ! eat | nato || nokun; nouwe || || damanai |- ! one | riabai; ṛiabai || sʌkanɛ || sʌkanɛ || sakaina |- ! two | tai || hae || haiɛ || hatarari
References
External links Timothy Usher, New Guinea World, Proto–Rumu – Omati River (ibid.) Proto–Omati River