The Mantion–Meax, Mantion–Meyah, or (South) East Bird's Head languages are a language family of three languages in the "Bird's Head Peninsula" of western New Guinea, spoken by all together 20,000 people.

Classification East Bird's Head stock (4 languages) Mantion (Manikion, Sougb) Meyah family: Meyah (Meax), Meninggo (Moskona) Irires

Pronouns The pronouns Ross reconstructs for the proto-language (Usher's Southeast Bird's Head) are:

{| class=wikitable style="text-align:center;" |- ! || colspan="3"| Number |- ! rowspan="2"| Person || rowspan="2"| Singular || colspan="2"| Plural |- ! exclusive || inclusive |- ! 1st |*da, *di- || *meme, *me- || *mimi, *mi- |- ! 2nd | *ba, *bi- || colspan="2"| *ia, *i- |- !3rd | *e, *- || colspan="2"| *rua, *ri-

Basic vocabulary Basic vocabulary among East Bird's Head languages (Meyah, Moskona, Sougb, Hatam, Mansim) listed in Holton & Klamer (2018). The sets are not necessarily cognate.

|+ East Bird's Head family basic vocabulary ! gloss !! Meyah !! Moskona !! Sougb !! Hatam !! Mansim |- | ‘bird’ || mem || mem || ba || hab || waw |- | ‘louse’ || mej || mej || mem || mem || |- | ‘one’ || egens || erges || hom || gom || wom |- | ‘night’ || motu || mot || loba || mmun || |- | ‘I’ || didif || dif || dan || dani || danu

Additional East Bird's Head basic vocabulary quoted by Holton & Klamer (2018) from Miedema & Reesink (2004: 34) and (Reesink 2005: 202), showing diverse non-cognate vocabulary across different branches:Miedema, Jelle and Ger P. Reesink. 2004. One Head, Many Faces: New perspectives on the Bird’s Head Peninsula of New Guinea. Leiden: KITLV.Reesink, Ger P. 2005. West Papuan languages: roots and development. In: Pawley et al. (eds.) 185–218.

|+ Additional East Bird's Head basic vocabulary ! gloss !! Meyah !! Moskona !! Sougb !! Hatam |- | arm/hand || etma || etma || s(i)ra || ndab |- | leg/foot || aki || egak/oko || ohora || mig |- | house || mod || mod || tu || ig |- | good || oufa || ojfa || eigouh || kei |- | dog || mes || mes || mihi || nsien |- | pig || mek || mek || hwej || nab |- | chicken || mongkukar || memkoar || berougb || guri |- | louse || mej || mej || mem || mem |- | water/river || mei || mij || uhu || nyei |- | banana || || meni || nej || wida

Swadesh list Below is a 192-word modified Swadesh list for the East Bird's Head languages (Schapper, Syufi & Arnold 2026: 260–266):

{| class="wikitable sortable" ! gloss !! Irires !! MeyahGravelle, Gloria. 2010. A grammar of Moskona: An East Bird’s Head language of West Papua, Indonesia, 456‒462. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Doctoral thesis. !! Moskona !! SougbReesink, Ger. 2002a. The eastern Bird’s Head languages compared. In Reesink, Ger (ed.), Languages of the Eastern Bird’s Head, 1–44. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.Reesink, Ger. 2002b. A grammar sketch of Sougb. In Reesink, Ger (ed.), Languages of the Eastern Bird’s Head, 181–276. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics. |- | all || ojs || nomnaga || romreg || augwan |- | and || tekun || d͡ʒera || dokun || dara |- | animal || mejod || marska || marsa || aremeta |- | ashes || metewew || moŋkoru || mofra || mor |- | at || gij || gid͡ʒ || d͡ʒig || se |- | back || ad͡ʒmeg || ed͡ʒmeg || ed͡ʒmeg || idgo |- | bad || asxaj || oska || oskur || ecgu |- | bark || mer afox || mega ofos || merga owos || sogo mos |- | because || tenaf || d͡ʒeska || esxa || dau |- | belly || adog || otkonu || otkon || nuhwa |- | big || atew || eteb || eteu || goɟi |- | bird || mem || mem || mem || ba |- | bite || ask || eska || eska || au |- | black || axid || axta || axta || ogor |- | blood || aguf || ogufu || ofuga || mogwihi |- | blow || of || oft͡ʃ || oft͡ʃa || ouhw |- | bone || or || ofora || oforna || mohori |- | breathe || ojf || axamaxa || emsa || mena aic |- | burn || max et || max et || merax et || ait |- | child || as || oforoka || eferiok || meh |- | cloud || moswad͡ʒ || mot͡ʃgod͡ʒ ofog || merofog || umer |- | cold || aed͡ʒ || meifirna || mifirna || emtereta |- | come || anin || en || en || en |- | correct || tenen || tenten || det͡ʃir || indeiɟ |- | count || atog || ofosut || osot || ecic |- | cut || ed͡ʒ || eris || ersa || ogod |- | day || mow || mona || mona || lona |- | die || ew || agos || ogos || omom |- | dig || awan || ed͡ʒi || ow || ogo |- | dirty || asimsik || axtaxta || axtaxta || ogor |- | dog || met͡ʃ || mes || mes || mihi |- | drink || ed͡ʒ || ed͡ʒ || et || ek |- | dry || axixir || efed͡ʒ || efed͡ʒ || erouhw |- | dull || amuj || ofod͡ʒ || ofod͡ʒ || okta |- | dust || afenok || mebi ofou || mou ofui || aremoslos |- | ear || at͡ʃuj || osu || osui || ums |- | earth || mow || mebi || mou || cinogo |- | eat || et || et || et || et |- | egg || mem afoj || mem ofou || mem ofui || mougb |- | eye || aded || eiteid͡ʒ || eited͡ʒ || airesi |- | fall || at͡ʃir || esiri || esir || obsara |- | far || moisam || jes || masen || gusi |- | fat || afes || efes || ewes || meriɟ |- | father || mak || meka || mekeu || meina |- | fear || amas || emesa || emesa || ahau |- | feather || afed͡ʒ || efed͡ʒ || efed͡ʒ || modi |- | few || afirx || egekegka || ergakak || gurereito |- | fight || emk || rimedima || imedima || esim |- | fire || max || max || merax || smougb |- | fish || meŋomej || mos || mos || hosei |- | five || sind͡ʒ || t͡ʃind͡ʒa || t͡ʃid͡ʒa || serɡem |- | float || ok || ofka || etuk || eikbib |- | flow || aj || ejax || eja || eh |- | flower || mer afok || marfok || marok || meric |- | fly || of || ofu || of || ohw |- | fog || moswad͡ʒ || mot͡ʃgod͡ʒ || mot͡ʃked͡ʒa || lohos moro |- | foot || apek || aki || egak || ohora |- | four || toxur || toxkuru || taxgur || hogu |- | fruit || afew || ofos || owos || mera |- | give || at || eita || eita || eic |- | good || at͡ʃmap || oufamofa || oifomof || eigouhw |- | grass || meŋgor er || marfenen || marefen || arec |- | green || afrax || ofraxa || ofraxa || augweda |- | guts || atewen || otkonu efesa || otkon ewes || menuhwa |- | hair || afed͡ʒ || efed͡ʒi || efed͡ʒ || modi |- | hand || atim || etma || etma || mesira |- | he || ifo, afo || ofa || ofa || en |- | head || awis || ebirfaga || ebir || mougt |- | hear || eg || eg || eg || ouman |- | heart || amewed || efemebi || efembed͡ʒ || medoc |- | heavy || akum || okum || okum || ogom |- | here || kikef || kef || d͡ʒikef || suggini |- | hit || emk || obu || obui || ogod |- | hold || arosud͡ʒ || agei || orusked͡ʒ || os |- | how || tenaf || teinefa || tinefa || dagiro |- | hunt || obt͡ʃ || okub || okuk || ocir |- | husband || maxin || maxina || maxina || mesuwa |- | I || idif || didif || dif || dan |- | if || tnaf || erek || ekek || sug |- | in || gid͡ʒ || gid͡ʒ || d͡ʒig || se |- | kill || emk || agob || ogou || ogod |- | know || ad͡ʒinag || ed͡ʒginaga || ed͡ʒgen || ecinaga |- | lake || meren || meren || meren || mohu |- | laugh || atitiw || otut || oitut || obohuba |- | leaf || afej || efei || efi || mehi |- | left || merg || egris || erga || medgi |- | leg || apek || aki || egak || ohora |- | lie || ax || ax || ax || atouda |- | live || aker || eker || eker || mena agau |- | liver || afor || odou || odui || medoc mei |- | long || agow || aksa || aksa || agas |- | louse || mad͡ʒ || med͡ʒ || med͡ʒ || mem |- | man || meŋgoron || ona || orna || giɟi |- | many || aromat || ofoukou || ognunui || einjana |- | meat || afog || ofogu || ofoga || mog |- | mother || mot͡ʃ || mosu || mosu || meim |- | mountain || memag || memaga || memeg || men |- | mouth || ox || awesi || oxes || mers |- | name || afap || ofoka || owoka || moho |- | narrow || oxog || emeinma || okut͡ʃkok || einjim |- | near || awud || doida || etkebra || deinjor |- | neck || orp || orukaga || orkos || mergo mei |- | new || afan || efeinax || efenirax || menau |- | night || mot || motu || mot || loba |- | nose || at͡ʃum || osum || osum || mebes |- | not || gur || guru || gura || ero |- | one || afims || egens || erges || hom |- | other || amnej || egema || ergem || gus |- | person || isosk || osnok || osnok || sud |- | play || axat͡ʃen || axaisomu || osioma || ei mumc |- | pull || akuj || oku || okuj || eic |- | push || aduj || edei || ed || oun |- | rain || mot͡ʃ || mos || mas || los |- | red || akner || ekeni || ekena || ahani |- | right || tenen || ognosk || orod͡ʒud͡ʒ || misen |- | river || mej || mei || mi || duhu mem |- | road || merod͡ʒ || morod͡ʒu || morod͡ʒ || ucina |- | root || afow || ofom || ofom || sogo mom |- | rope || mefun || mofun || mofun || aikdaga |- | rotten || amp || emba || emba || eijema |- | rub || afukp || os || os || ousousa |- | sand || mewis || mebsta || mebsta || dibo |- | say || at͡ʃot || agot || oxot || en |- | scratch || ax || eragrina || axax || ehigeis |- | sea || mej || mei mod͡ʒum || mi mod͡ʒum || dum mohu |- | see || ek || ek || ek || eija |- | seed || afed || efed͡ʒ || efed͡ʒ || meiɟ |- | sew || asir || eb || ob || ogon |- | sharp || afaj || efei etka || efietka || mog |- | short || ad͡ʒum || estir || esta mug || agarougb |- | sing || merej d͡ʒog || of || of || ohu mer |- | sit || aker || eker || eker || eigtou |- | skin || afot͡ʃ || ofos || owos || mos |- | sky || mowag || mebaga || mebaga || bogo |- | sleep || ax || ax d͡ʒax || ax d͡ʒig || atou |- | small || aŋgej || oskijai || oskaitok || mogurei |- | smell || ams || eg || emsa || ouma |- | smoke || ow || efa mosoku || ef misomok || moro |- | smooth || asuswak || efeta || egirna || eskraha |- | snake || meŋgos || magosu || mogos || hinogo |- | some || afirx || eneja || enia || aibibra |- | spit || at͡ʃirf || os || osrof || ococ |- | split || ak || ebriji || ebri || aga |- | squeeze || awid || ebid || ebda || esugb |- | stab || ed || oduis || odut͡ʃ || edesugb |- | stand || ot || ot || ot || esa |- | star || metur || motur || motur || tebeic |- | stick || met͡ʃkur || moskur || moskur || iɟouhuga |- | stone || meŋgom || mamu || mogom || igdahabi |- | straight || awux || axaruka || oxurka || obosboro |- | suck || of || efa || efa || outut |- | sun || mow || mowa || mau || igda lona |- | swell || askid || efifid͡ʒ || esed͡ʒga || ensa |- | swim || ar mej || era mei || ax mi || ougb duhu |- | tail || ariek || oiraga || oirega || mesera |- | that || na || koma || nomi || iŋga |- | there || joj || suma || ida || suŋga |- | they || dej || rua || eri || len |- | thick || awum || efek || ewek || ouŋmerema |- | thin || aniniwes || axanuka || axabnuk || ekinei |- | think || astox || osud͡ʒoxu || orusoxt || oudesa |- | this || kef || kef || nokef || gini |- | thou || bow || bua || bua || bani |- | three || arfum || orgomu || orgoum || homoi |- | throw || ed || eid͡ʒ || eid͡ʒ || edi |- | tie || axas || akid || axat͡ʃ || ohut |- | tongue || end || arni || ornoud͡ʒ || metemougb |- | tooth || afon || ofon || ofon || |- | tree || mer || mega || merga || sogo |- | turn || akut͡ʃ || oksef || oksef || eineg |- | two || arfik || egeka || ergak || hwai |- | vomit || osis || axa meisoxu || axa mou || ersa |- | walk || aj || et͡ʃira || et͡ʃira || esebesa |- | warm || afmem || ofoufem || ofufom || esrougb |- | wash || axus || ot || ot || eduh |- | water || mej || mei || mi || duhu |- | we || memef || mimif || mif || emen |- | wet || ataf || etefa || etefa || mohumohu |- | what || mender || meidu || mida || ara |- | when || mod͡ʒuax || mona egaxo || et͡ʃxa || aiseba |- | where || gikaf || sinefa || xadefa || digiro |- | white || ews || ebsi || efsa || ogoufu |- | who || awer || idu || ida || gara |- | wide || atew || efefi || otox || ebehibera |- | wife || maxan || moxona || moxena || mesowa |- | wind || mofen || mof || mof || lougmen |- | wing || afambr || efembra || efembra || mebera |- | wipe || aroj || osuna || osun || ogun |- | with || tekun || d͡ʒera || d͡ʒera || dara |- | woman || afad͡ʒ || od͡ʒona || ed͡ʒena || gihida |- | woods || jet͡ʃ || merembrax || merembax || sogo meba |- | worm || mefew || mofunfou || marewet || haga

See also Hatam–Mansim languages West Papuan languages

References

Further reading

External links East Bird's Head languages database at TransNewGuinea.org