Halia language

Last updated
Halia
Selau
Native to Papua New Guinea
Region Buka Island, Selau Peninsula
Native speakers
25,000 (2005) [1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3 hla
Glottolog hali1244

Halia is an Austronesian language of Buka Island and the Selau Peninsula of Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea.

Contents

Phonology

The phonology of the Halia language: [2]

Consonants

Labial Alveolar Palatal Velar Glottal
Nasal m n ŋ
Plosive voiceless p t k
voiced b g
Affricate ts ~
Fricative s h
Lateral l
Rhotic r
Semivowel w j

Vowels

Front Central Back
High i u
ɪ ʊ
Mid ( e ) o
ɛ ɔ
Low a

Diphthong vowel sounds include /ei,au,ou/.

[ e ] exists, but not as a monophthong.

Allophones

PhonemeAllophones
/b/[ β ]
/ɡ/[ ɣ ], [ χ ]
/ts/[ ]
/r/[ ɾ ]
/a/[ æ ], [ ɐ ], [ ʌ ]
/ʊ/[ ɨ ]
/ei/[ e ], [ɛi], [ ɛ ]

Grammar

Pronouns

There are four sets of pronouns. The first set functions as the subject when preceding the verb. Set 2 functions as a subject or object when following the verb. Set 3 is used for inalienable posession. Set 4 is used for alienable possession. There is an inclusive/exclusive first person distinction.

Pronoun1234
1SGalialia-ri tar
2SGalö-mulöi tamulö
3SGnonei-en-neni tanen
1PL (incl.)arara-rarai tarara
1PL (excl.)alamlam-mulami tamulam
2PLalimiulimiu-milimiui tamilimiu
3PLnori-en-reni taren

The suffix -e signifies a transitive verb. [3]

Literature

In the 1960s Francis Hagai produced a series of liturgies in Halia as part of his work with the Hahalis Welfare Society. [4]

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References

  1. Halia at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022) Closed Access logo transparent.svg
  2. Allen, Jerry (1987). Halia grammar. Data Papers on Papua New Guinea Languages, 32: Ukarumpa: Summer Institute of Linguistics. pp. 4–10, 215–219.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  3. Allen, Jerry; Latu, Marcello; Koesana, Maurice; Tsirumits, Maurice (1982). Dictionaries of Papua New Guinea, Volume 6: Halia Language. The Long Now Foundation. Ukarumpa: Summer Institute of Linguistics.
  4. Trompf, G. W. (1994). Payback: The Logic of Retribution in Melanesian Religions. Cambridge University Press. p. 224. ISBN   9780521416917.