Ambakich language
{{Short description|Keram language spoken in Papua New Guinea}}
{{Infobox language
|name=Aion
|nativename=Ambakich
|states=Papua New Guinea
|region=East Sepik Province
|speakers=770
|date=2003
|ref=e18
|ethnicity={{sigfig|1,964|2}} (2003)
|familycolor=Papuan
|fam1=Ramu–Keram
|fam2=Keram
|fam3=East Keram[https://newguineaworld.linguistik.uzh.ch/families/keram-and-ramu-rivers/keram-river/east-keram-river Timothy Usher, East Keram River]
|iso3=aew
|glotto=amba1269
|glottorefname=Ambakich
}}
Aion a.k.a. Ambakich is a Keram language of Papua New Guinea. It is only spoken by adults; children grow up speaking Tok Pisin.
Phonology
| class="wikitable"
! |
| Plosive
|{{IPA link|p}} |({{IPA link|t}}) |{{IPA link|tʃ}} |{{IPA link|k}} |
|---|
| Prenasalized
|{{IPA link|ᵐb}} |{{IPA link|ⁿd}} |{{IPA link|ⁿdʒ}} |{{IPA link|ᵑɡ}} |
| Fricative
| |{{IPA link|s}} | | |
| Nasal
|{{IPA link|m}} |{{IPA link|n}} | |({{IPA link|ŋ}}) |
| Approximant
|{{IPA link|w}} |{{IPA link|r}} |{{IPA link|j}} | |
- /t/ and /ŋ/ only appear in loanwords.
- /p/ may sometimes be heard as [ɸ].
- /k/ is sometimes pronounced as [q] or [ʔ], usually word-initially.
- /tʃ/ can manifest as [s], or when adjacent to /ɨ/, [t].
- In certain words, the prenasalized consonants are denasalized.
- /s/ is occasionally [ʃ] before /i/.
- /n/ is heard as [ɲ] before /i/, and [ŋ] before /u/.
- Following /o/ and before any other vowel, /w/ is realized as [ŋ].
- Before /a/, /j/ is heard as [ɲ].
- Before the high vowels /i ɨ u/, /j/ is pronounced [dʒ].
| class="wikitable"
! !Back |
| High
|{{IPA link|i}} |{{IPA link|ɨ}} |{{IPA link|u}} |
|---|
| Mid
|{{IPA link|e}} | |{{IPA link|o}} |
| Low
| |{{IPA link|a}} | |
- The high vowels /i ɨ u/ do not occur word-initially.
- /e/ is occasionally centralized to [ə].
- /a/ is typically raised to [ə] in open syllables.
- /a/ can also range in realization to [ɛ], [ʌ], and [ɔ].
- /u/ is sometimes unrounded to [ɤ].
- /ɨ/ is often deleted between two consonants.
Additionally, the following diphthongs have been observed: /ai/, /ei/, /oi/, /au/, /ou/.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Languages of Papua New Guinea}}
{{Ramu–Lower Sepik languages}}
Category:Languages of East Sepik Province
Category:Endangered Papuan languages
{{papuan-lang-stub}}