Yamdena language

{{short description|Austronesian language spoken in Maluku, Indonesia}}

{{Infobox language

|name = Yamdena

|nativename =

|states = Indonesia

|region = Maluku Islands

|speakers = {{formatnum:69000}}

|date=2023

|ref=e18

|familycolor = Austronesian

|fam2 = Malayo-Polynesian (MP)

|fam3 = Central–Eastern MP

|fam4 = Kei–Tanimbar

|fam5 = Yamdena–North Bomberai

|iso3 = jmd

|glotto=yamd1240

|glottorefname=Yamdena

}}

Yamdena is an Austronesian language of Yamdena and surrounding islands in the Maluku Islands in Indonesia. In 1991 there were an estimated {{formatnum:25000}} speakers of the language. Current BPS data has the present number of speakers at {{formatnum:69000}}.

Phonology

= Consonants =

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" ! colspan="2" \| !Labial !Alveolar !Palatal !Velar
rowspan="3" \|Plosive !voiceless \|p \|t \| \|k
voiced \|b \|d \| \|
prenasal \|ᵐp \|ⁿd \| \|
colspan="2" \|Fricative \|f \|s \| \|
colspan="2" \|Nasal \|m \|n \| \|ŋ
colspan="2" \|Rhotic \| \|r \| \|
colspan="2" \|Lateral \| \|l \| \|
colspan="2" \|Approximant \|w \| \|j \|

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

! colspan="2" |

rowspan="3" |Plosive

!voiceless

voiced

prenasal

|ᵐp

|ⁿd

colspan="2" |Fricative

colspan="2" |Nasal

|ŋ

colspan="2" |Rhotic

colspan="2" |Lateral

colspan="2" |Approximant

Stops {{IPA|/b, t/}} can very rarely be realized as coarticulated sounds {{IPA|[ɡ͡b, k͡t]}} by some speakers.
{{IPA|/m/}} can be heard as voiceless {{IPA|[m̥]}} in free variation when before initial voiceless stops, or after voiceless stops.
{{IPA|/ŋ/}} is heard as labialized {{IPA|[ŋʷ]}} when occurring before liquids, or in word-final position.
{{IPA|/r/}} can be heard as {{IPA|[ɺ]}} in free variation intervocalically, and as {{IPA|[ɾ]}} when before voiceless consonants.
{{IPA|/d, ⁿd/}} when occurring before {{IPA|/i/}} can also be heard as palatal stops {{IPA|[ɟ, ᶮɟ]}}.

= Vowels =

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" ! !Front !Central !Back
align="center" !Close \|i \| \|u
Mid \|e \| \|o
align="center" !Open \| \|a \|

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

align="center"

align="center"

Vowels {{IPA|/a, o/}} can be heard as {{IPA|[ə]}} within unstressed syllables.
{{IPA|/i/}} can be heard as {{IPA|[ɪ]}} word-finally, after vowels.
{{IPA|/o/}} can be heard as {{IPA|[ɔ]}} when before {{IPA|/r/}}.{{Cite book |last=Mettler |first=Heidi & Anton |title=Yamdena phonology |publisher=Pattimura University |year=1990 |location=Workpapers in Indonesian Languages and Cultures 8 |pages=29–79}}

References

Category:Central Malayo-Polynesian languages

Category:Languages of the Maluku Islands