Ama | |
---|---|
Sawiyanu | |
Native to | Papua New Guinea |
Region | East Sepik Province |
Native speakers | 490 (2000) [1] |
Arai–Samaia
| |
Language codes | |
ISO 639-3 |
amm |
Glottolog |
amap1240 |
ELP | Ama |
Ama (Sawiyanu) is a Left May language of Papua New Guinea, in East Sepik Province. Former dialects have merged.
Ethnologue reports that it is spoken in Ama (Wopolu I) ( 4°06′12″S 141°39′54″E / 4.103263°S 141.665012°E), Kauvia (Kawiya) ( 4°07′24″S 141°39′47″E / 4.123436°S 141.662939°E), Waniap creek ( 4°12′57″S 141°43′44″E / 4.215844°S 141.728851°E), Wopolu II (Nokonufa) ( 4°04′23″S 141°42′22″E / 4.072957°S 141.706211°E), and Yonuwai ( 4°11′37″S 141°36′14″E / 4.193624°S 141.603848°E) villages of Tunap/Hunstein Rural LLG, East Sepik Province. [1] [2]
Ama has 12 consonants, which are: [3]: 344
p | t | k | kʷ | ||
ɸ | s | h | |||
m | n | ||||
w | ɻ | j |
Ama has 7 vowels, which are: [3]: 344
i | u |
e | o |
ɔ | |
a | ɒ |
Pronouns are: [3]: 345
sg | du | pl | |
---|---|---|---|
1incl | moti | moi | |
1excl | yo/ya | koti | koi |
2 | nono/na | moti | moi |
3 | to/ta | toti | toi |
Ama has four tenses, which are marked by suffixes.