Konua, also known as Rapoisi, is a language spoken on Bougainville Island in Papua New Guinea.
Phonology Consonants + Consonant phonemesBilabialDento-AlveolarVelarGlottalStopFricativeTap
/p/ is often pronounced as word initially /t̪/ does not occur before /i/ /β ɾ ɣ/ have the allophones [ ~ ] respectively. The nasal allophones [ ] occur utterance-initial.
Vowels +Vowel phonemesFrontBackHighMidLow
Orthography Rapoisi is written in the Latin alphabet, with 14 letters. LettersUppercaseABEGHIKOPRSTU’LowercaseabeghikoprstuIPA
Grammar
Pronouns ASOPoss.1st PersonExcl.Singularaga, aru -aiDualioka -abiPluralioka -abiIncl.Dualpeka -abiPluralbioga -abi2nd PersonSingularbira, biru -ariDualmega -abisiPluralitarea -abisi3rd PersonSingularGender 1ita -araGender 2ia -ʔoDualsiga -araPluralpirio -ara
Vocabulary The table below is a sample of words in Rapoisi: WordMeaningaga, aruIbirayoubioga, biruweareionebo sukutwoatarifishkesudogutuolouseevaitatreeharaleafkaparueskinparakoabloodreubonereruohornubateoearoteieyebirao, irubanoseasitoothubiubikneeakapiohandateraribalivereradrinkkekeseeubarahearpidieluiluicomeisirosunbapi, uowateraipostoneuhifireohopapathhukihukimountainboginightueibaranewutename
Further reading Müller, Adam. 1954. Grammatical notes on the Konua language. Posieux: Inst.
References