Mairasi language

Mairasi ( Faranyao and Kaniran) is a Papuan language of the Bomberai Peninsula of West Papua, Indonesia.

The Northeastern dialect may be a distinct language.

Distribution

Locations:

• Kaimana Regency
• Interior villages: Umbran, Jamna Fata, Matna, Tarwata, Sara, Kasira, Orai, Wangatnau, Faranyau, and Sarifan
• Coastal villages: Sisir, Foroma Jaya, Warasi, Lobo, Lomira, Morona, Nanggwaromi, Omay (May may), and Warika
• Teluk Wondama Regency
• Naikere District villages: Sararti, Oya, Yabore, Wosimo, Undurara, and Inyora

Phonology

Pronouns

Mairasi possessor prefixes are:

Morphology

Case markers

Noun phrase case markers in Mairasi:

• instrumental suffix -t
• locative postposition ar
• allative postposition ev(i)

Some examples:

Possessors

Mairasi possessor prefixes:

Examples of inalienable possessors:

Directionals

Mairasi has two directional suffixes, which are only used with movement verbs.

• -aʔi ‘up, inland’
• -ari ‘down, seaward’

Examples of directional suffixes in use:

Animacy

Animacy is marked by the adjective modifier n-, as exemplified by the contrast in the following two noun phrases.

Vowel changes can modify the number of animate nouns:

References