Suarmin language
{{short description|Sepik language spoken in Sandaun Province, Papua-New Guinea}}
{{Infobox language
|name=Suarmin
|altname=Asaba
|states=Papua New Guinea
|region=Sandaun Province
|speakers=140
|date=2000
|ref=e18
|familycolor=Papuan
|fam1=Sepik
|fam2=Leonhard Schultze
|fam3=Papi–Asaba
|map2=Lang Status 60-DE.svg
|mapcaption2={{center|{{small|Suarmin is classified as Definitely Endangered by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger}}}}
|iso3=seo
|glotto=suar1238
|glottorefname=Asabano
}}
Suarmin, or Asaba, is a Sepik language spoken in Sandaun Province, Papua-New Guinea. Alternative names are Asabano, Duranmin.
Glottolog leaves it unclassified.
Pronouns
:
| {{table}}
! !! sg !! du !! pl |
| 1incl
| || adi || abe |
|---|
| 1excl
| a || nadi || nesine |
| 2
| abo || abodua || apa |
| 3
| yo || atadua || ata |
Noun classes
In Asaba, noun class affixes are suffixed to nouns. There are five noun classes. Examples:
:
| {{table}}
! class !! singular (ex.) !! plural (ex.) !! gloss (ex.) | |||
| class 1 | nu-bu | nu-le | house(s) |
| class 2 | mena-du | mena-no | pig(s) |
| class 3 | kabia-si | kabia-le | stone(s) |
| class 4 | moko-ni | moko-le | fork(s) |
| class 5 | nomo-so | nomo-l | stone adze(s) |
Class 1 is the default noun class.
Modifying adjectives agree with head nouns in class:
{{interlinear|indent=3
|na-bu kamaya-bu
|tree-{{gcl|I|class I}}.SG big-{{gcl|I|class I}}.SG
|‘tall tree’}}
{{interlinear|indent=3
|kaiyebe-du kamaya-du
|cassowary-II.SG big-II.SG
|‘big cassowary’}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Sepik languages}}
{{Languages of Papua New Guinea}}
Category:Definitely endangered languages