Porome language

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 (-7.48098°N, 144.25401°W), Doibo (-7.45766°N, 144.27173°W), Ero (-7.44613°N, 144.36483°W), Paile, Tipeowo, and Wowa (-7.41429°N, 144.31558°W) 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.


 * {| class="wikitable"


 * p || t || k~g~ɣ
 * b || d ||
 * v || ||
 * m || n ||
 * || r ||
 * || (s) ||
 * }
 * || r ||
 * || (s) ||
 * }
 * || (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 !2 !3
 * amo, -me||amó-kai||amó, -ke/-ki
 * do, -ke||aia-kai||a, -ka
 * da, -a/-bV||abo-kai||abo, -abo
 * }

Vocabulary
Selected Porome vocabulary from Petterson (2010):

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
 * }
 * 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
 * }
 * koupuri || shoulder
 * kunei || thigh
 * murikara || knee
 * warakero || leg
 * kakapu || foot
 * }
 * warakero || leg
 * kakapu || foot
 * }
 * 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
 * }
 * irikia wakua, muro wakua || 6
 * irikia wakua, muro kabirai || 7
 * irikia wakua, muro wauteri || 8
 * irikia wakua, muro kaka etekaro || 9
 * irikia kabirai || 10
 * }
 * irikia wakua, muro kaka etekaro || 9
 * irikia kabirai || 10
 * }
 * 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
 * }
 * penoni || bridge
 * moia || men
 * eria || women
 * kari || boys
 * mibu || girls
 * }
 * kari || boys
 * mibu || girls
 * }
 * 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
 * }
 * ero || land
 * eii || earth, soil
 * ubi || water
 * kaku || river
 * eimuro || bush
 * erouri || island
 * moki || passage
 * pari || sand
 * oteri || cliff
 * akaburi || mountain
 * }
 * moki || passage
 * pari || sand
 * oteri || cliff
 * akaburi || mountain
 * }
 * 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
 * }
 * enenei || grass
 * avui || cutty grass
 * makai || betelnut
 * dii || coconut
 * mei || sugarcane
 * }
 * 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
 * }
 * 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
 * }
 * mirimabi || scorpion
 * mi || crab
 * timuri || prawn
 * vi || cockle, clam
 * keimu || crocodile
 * akouri || river snake
 * dabeouri || sea turtle
 * ketoko || creek turtle
 * watemu || river turtle
 * }
 * akouri || river snake
 * dabeouri || sea turtle
 * ketoko || creek turtle
 * watemu || river 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 ! eye ! house ! village ! place ! tree ! fire ! dog ! bird ! water ! earth ! base ! sago ! 1s pronoun ! 2s pronoun ! 3s pronoun ! 1p pronoun ! 2p pronoun ! 3p pronoun
 * kikimi / kikima || epu || wotu || abe || topo || uku
 * ipiri / ipiro || idomai || ihi || uhino || kele || inamu
 * mapi / mapiro || moto || mi / ve || aho || be || marea
 * kuri / kuro || vati || yɔ / ve || vati || be || paʔiri
 * dabu / dabo || vati || tei || vati || tiki || paʔiri
 * kubi / kubo || nuʔa || i || de || ni || iri
 * erei / eria || era || i || tae || si || iʔau
 * kumi / kumo || umu || ka || gaha || haɔ || oroko
 * kumi / kumo || kikio || ka || tipemu || ba || nako
 * ubi / uburo || obo || u || ogo || węi || ere
 * ei / ero || hepu || pɛkɛ / hapu || goʔeto || hae || kae
 * makiri / makiro || mabu || mate || kama || baale || ʔaia
 * i / iro || du || kɛi || du || o || pu
 * ámò || mo || i / na || no || e̜ || na
 * do || ro || iki / ka || vo (< ɣo) || ya̜ || ni
 * da || nu || a || ete / itu / eto || a̜ || u
 * àmò || nimo || name || ni || da̜ || ene
 * a || rio || kame || ho || dia̜ || noro
 * 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 ! Baimuru ! Rumu ! Kope ! Urama ! Kerewo
 * 9 || 5 || ||
 * 7 || 5 || ||
 * 8 || 7 || ||
 * 10 || 5 || ||
 * 12 || 5 || ||
 * 13 || 5 || ||
 * }