Momuna (Momina), also known as Somahai (Somage, Sumohai), is a Papuan language spoken in Yahukimo Regency, Highland Papua and Asmat Regency, South Papua, Indonesia.
Varieties Reimer notes two dialects, one on the Balim River and one on the Rekai. One of the differences is that when /u/ follows an /u/ or /o/ in the Balim dialect, it is /i/ in the Rekai dialect. Thus the ethnonym 'Momuna' is pronounced 'Momina' in Rekai dialect.Momuna, New Guinea World
Classification The Somahai pronouns, singular *na, *ka, *mo, are typical of Trans–New Guinea languages. They were placed in the Central and South New Guinea branch of that family by Wurm. Ross could not locate enough evidence to classify them. Usher found them to be closest to the Mek languages, in the Central West New Guinea, which partially overlaps with Wurm's C&SNG.
Phonology +ConsonantsLabialAlveolarVelarPlosiveFricativeNasalApproximant +VowelsFrontCentralBackHighMid-highMid-lowLow
Additionally, there are at most three tones: high, low, and mid. The mid tone only occurs on monosyllabic words.
Vocabulary The following basic vocabulary words of Momuna are from Voorhoeve (1975),Voorhoeve, C.L. Languages of Irian Jaya: Checklist. Preliminary classification, language maps, wordlists. B-31, iv + 133 pages. Pacific Linguistics, The Australian National University, 1975. as cited in the Trans-New Guinea database:Voorhoeve, C.L., 1975. Languages of Irian Jaya Checklist, Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.
{| class="wikitable sortable" ! gloss !! Momuna |- ! head | toko |- ! hair | toko-ate |- ! eye | otu |- ! tooth | ija |- ! leg | i jo-ku |- ! louse | amega |- ! dog | kwoka |- ! pig | uwo |- ! egg | magisaga |- ! blood | janɨ |- ! bone | toko |- ! skin | ke |- ! tree | kwo |- ! man | mogo-mearu |- ! sun | ɨkɨ |- ! water | iŋga |- ! fire | kukwa |- ! stone | kɨ |- ! eat | nowa-
References
External links Timothy Usher, New Guinea World, Proto–Momuna–Mek (ibid.) Momuna Somahai languages database at TransNewGuinea.org