Lamalama language

The Lamalama language, also known by the clan name Mbarrumbathama (Austlang) or Mba Rumbathama, formerly known as Lamu-Lamu or Lama-Lama, is a Paman language of Queensland, Australia. Lamalama is one of four languages once spoken by the Lamalama people, the others being Morrobolam (Umbuygamu), Mbariman-Gudinhma, and Umpithamu.

Naming and language relationships

In January 2019, the ISO database changed its reference name to Lamalama, from Lamu-Lamu. , Glottolog calls it Lamalama, while AIATSIS' Austlang database thesaurus heading is Mbarrumbathama language.

Austlang says, quoting linguist Jean-Cristophe Verstraete (2018), that Lamalama, Rimanggudinhma (Mbariman-Gudhinma) and Morrobolam form a genetic subgroup of Paman known as Lamalamic, "defined by shared innovations in phonology and morphology". Within this subgroup, "Morrobolam and Lamalama form a phonologically innovative branch, while Rumanggudinhma forms a more conservative branch".

Phonology

Consonants

• Voiceless fricative sounds are heard as voiced [, , , ] when in consonant clusters and in intervocalic positions.
• Fricatives can be heard as laminal and alveolar fricatives [, ] when in word-initial position in free variation among speakers.
• can be heard as when in word-initial position in free variation among speakers.
• The fricative trill is also heard as voiceless in free variation in initial positions.
• The trill sound can be heard as voiceless when in word-final contexts.
• All labial consonants can also be labialized optionally within the onset of stressed syllables, or when after high-back vowel sounds.
• Consonant lengthening can be heard within the onset of stressed syllables.

Vowels

Lamalama's vowels do not show contrastive length. There are two diphthongs, and . can raise to , and can raise to .

Further reading

Notes

References