Porome, also known as Kibiri, is a Papuan language of southern Papua New Guinea.
Classification Porome was classified as a language isolate by Stephen Wurm. Although Malcolm Ross linked it to the Kiwaian languages, there is no evidence for a connection apart from the pronouns 1sg amo and 2sg do (cf. proto-Kiwaian *mo and *oro).
Distribution There are over a thousand speakers in Babaguina (), Doibo (), Ero (), Paile, Tipeowo, and Wowa () villages in West Kikori Rural LLG and East Kikori Rural LLG of Gulf Province, near the Aird Hills and Kikori River tributaries.
Phonology Porome has 9 native consonants. /s/ occurs in loanwords. There are no glottal consonants.Petterson, Robert. 2019. Interesting Features of Porome: An Isolate Language of PNG. Paper presented at the LSPNG 2019 Conference. 30pp.
{| class="wikitable" | p || t || k~g~ɣ |- | b || d || |- | v || || |- | m || n || |- | || r || |- | || (s) ||
There are five vowels, which are /a, e, i, o, u/.
Like the surrounding languages, Porome is a tonal language. It has 5 tones. High-level: kóí ‘cloth’ Low-level: kòì ‘selfish’ Rising: mèrí ‘road’ Falling: mérì ‘pandanus’ Peaking: pàkúmì ‘feather’
Pronouns The independent pronouns and subject suffixes to the verb are as follows:
! !!sg!!du!!pl |- !1 |amo, -me||amó-kai||amó, -ke/-ki |- !2 |do, -ke||aia-kai||a, -ka |- !3 |da, -a/-bV||abo-kai||abo, -abo
Vocabulary Selected Porome vocabulary from Petterson (2010):Petterson, Robert. 2010. Porome Daporo Avea Buka = Porome Language Picture Dictionary. Ukarumpa: SIL-PNG.
Body parts {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Porome !! Gloss |- | kikimi || head |- | kikimikuro || hair |- | pakai || forehead |- | ipiri kukuro || eyebrow, eyelashes |- | ipiri || eye |- | obokera || ear |- | urubi || nose |- | koropi || tooth |- | beri || tongue |- | kakimoro || cheek |- | iri || hand |- | kaka || thumb |- | iri uraka || palm |- | upuruburowara || back |- | itari || back of neck (nape) |- | eimuro || breast |- | bamakai || chest |- | bakuri || belly |- | koupuri || shoulder |- | kunei || thigh |- | murikara || knee |- | warakero || leg |- | kakapu || foot
Numerals {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Porome !! Gloss |- | tauri || 0 |- | wakua || 1 |- | kabirai || 2 |- | wauteri || 3 |- | kaka etekaro || 4 |- | irikia wakua || 5 |- | irikia wakua, muro wakua || 6 |- | irikia wakua, muro kabirai || 7 |- | irikia wakua, muro wauteri || 8 |- | irikia wakua, muro kaka etekaro || 9 |- | irikia kabirai || 10
Village and society {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Porome !! Gloss |- | kuri || village |- | mapi || house |- | erei || fire |- | kumapi || stone |- | wawari || creek |- | meri || path |- | penoni || bridge |- | moia || men |- | eria || women |- | kari || boys |- | mibu || girls
Nature and environment {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Porome !! Gloss |- | bari naka || sky |- | eri ipiro || sun |- | omeri tero || moon |- | okoiri || star |- | keibu || waves |- | momoi || clouds |- | bari epu || rain clouds |- | kakaikapo, neii || rain |- | meremeri || lightning |- | marari, konobori || wind |- | ero || land |- | eii || earth, soil |- | ubi || water |- | kaku || river |- | eimuro || bush |- | erouri || island |- | moki || passage |- | pari || sand |- | oteri || cliff |- | akaburi || mountain
Plants {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Porome !! Gloss |- | kubi || tree |- | aveiri || branch |- | kuri || roots |- | orei || leaf |- | kopo || flower |- | enenei || grass |- | avui || cutty grass |- | makai || betelnut |- | dii || coconut |- | mei || sugarcane
Animals {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Porome !! Gloss |- | bobi || pig |- | kumi || dog |- | bari mei kumo || chicken |- | kaburi || frog |- | barami || wallaby |- | pusi || cat |- | kuiou || tree kangaroo |- | kaiani, keipari || rat |- | imai || snake |- | boribi || cuscus |- | tumaru || bandicoot |- | kana || bird-of-paradise |- | koropeiri || cassowary |- | wamo || bush fowl |- | kubeiri || flying fox |- | kapasikori || black cockatoo |- | marubo || hornbill |- | koribi || fish |- | einakerei || centipede |- | eiamu || millipede |- | morokabi || spider |- | ubatu || grasshopper |- | nepu, mati || mosquito |- | nokoiri || fly |- | enene || cicada |- | bebeiri || butterfly |- | aii || sago grub |- | buburumi || sago beetle |- | mirimabi || scorpion |- | mi || crab |- | timuri || prawn |- | vi || cockle, clam |- | keimu || crocodile |- | akouri || river snake |- | dabeouri || sea turtle |- | ketoko || creek turtle |- | watemu || river turtle
Comparison Lexical comparison of Porome with neighboring languages:
{| class="wikitable sortable" ! gloss !! Porome (isolate) !! Urama (Kiwaian) !! Rumu (Turama–Kikorian) !! Ipiko (Anim) !! Folopa (Teberan) !! Baimuru (isolate) |- ! head | kikimi / kikima || epu || wotu || abe || topo || uku |- ! eye | ipiri / ipiro || idomai || ihi || uhino || kele || inamu |- ! house | mapi / mapiro || moto || mi / ve || aho || be || marea |- ! village | kuri / kuro || vati || yɔ / ve || vati || be || paʔiri |- ! place | dabu / dabo || vati || tei || vati || tiki || paʔiri |- ! tree | kubi / kubo || nuʔa || i || de || ni || iri |- ! fire | erei / eria || era || i || tae || si || iʔau |- ! dog | kumi / kumo || umu || ka || gaha || haɔ || oroko |- ! bird | kumi / kumo || kikio || ka || tipemu || ba || nako |- ! water | ubi / uburo || obo || u || ogo || węi || ere |- ! earth | ei / ero || hepu || pɛkɛ / hapu || goʔeto || hae || kae |- ! base | makiri / makiro || mabu || mate || kama || baale || ʔaia |- ! sago | i / iro || du || kɛi || du || o || pu |- ! 1s pronoun | ámò || mo || i / na || no || e̜ || na |- ! 2s pronoun | do || ro || iki / ka || vo (< ɣo) || ya̜ || ni |- ! 3s pronoun | da || nu || a || ete / itu / eto || a̜ || u |- ! 1p pronoun | àmò || nimo || name || ni || da̜ || ene |- ! 2p pronoun | a || rio || kame || ho || dia̜ || noro |- ! 3p pronoun | abo || ni || ame || iti || atima || oro
Comparison of Porome's phonological inventory with those of neighboring languages:
{| class="wikitable" ! language !! no. of consonants !! no. of vowels !! /h/ !! /ʔ/ |- ! Porome | 9 || 5 || || |- ! Baimuru | 7 || 5 || || |- ! Rumu | 8 || 7 || || |- ! Kope | 10 || 5 || || |- ! Urama | 12 || 5 || || |- ! Kerewo | 13 || 5 || ||
References