- Minigir language
-
Minigir Vinitiri Spoken in Papua New Guinea Region Gazelle Peninsula, East New Britain Province Native speakers 600 (2000) Language family Austronesian- Malayo-Polynesian
- Oceanic
- Meso-Melanesian ?
- New Ireland
- Patpatar–Tolai
- Mono–Uruava
- Minigir
- Mono–Uruava
- Patpatar–Tolai
- New Ireland
- Meso-Melanesian ?
- Oceanic
Language codes ISO 639-3 vmg Minigir is spoken by a small number of the Tolai people of Papua New Guinea, who live on the Gazelle Peninsula in East New Britain Province. It is often referred to in the linguistics literature as the Tolai "dialect" with an /s/. However, it is not one of the Patpatar–Tolai languages.
Contents
Classification
Minigir belongs to the Oceanic branch of the Austronesian language family. The most immediate subgroup is the Patpatar–Tolai group of languages which also includes Kuanua (also spoken on the Gazelle Peninsula) and Patpatar (spoken on New Ireland).
Geographic distribution
Minigir is spoken on Ataliklikun Bay, in the villages of Lungalunga, Kabaira and Vunamarita, located on the Gazelle Peninsula in the East New Britain Province of Papua New Guinea.
Grammar
Independent Pronouns
Minigir pronouns have four number distinctions (singular, dual, trial and plural) and three person distinctions (first, second and third) as well as an inclusive/exclusive distinction. There are no gender distinctions.
Singular Dual Trial Plural 1st exclusive iau
(I)iamiru
(he/she and I)iamitalu
(both of them, and I)iamamami
(all of them, and I)1st inclusive - iadori
(thou and I)iadatalu
(both of you, and I)iada
(all of you, and I)2nd iavau
(thou)iamuru
(you two)iamutalu
(you three)iamui
(you guys)3rd ia
(he/she)idiru
(they two)iditalu
(they three)idi
(they)Syntax
The usual word order of Minigir is SVO.
References
- Lynch, John; Malcolm Ross; Terry Crowley (2002). The Oceanic Languages. Richmond, Surrey: Curzon Press. ISBN 9780700711284. OCLC 48929366.
- Ross, Malcolm (1988). Proto Oceanic and the Austronesian Languages of Western Melanesia. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics. ISBN 9780858833678. OCLC 20100109.
External links
Categories:- Meso Melanesian languages
- Languages of East New Britain Province
- Malayo-Polynesian
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