Woisika language
# Woisika language

Woisika, also known as Kamang, is a Papuan language of Alor Island of Indonesia. The three main dialects are Western Kamang, Lowland Kamang, and Upland Kamang. Dialects also include Lembur, Sibo, Kamang, Tiayai, Watang, Kamana-Kamang. They may constitute more than one language. Kamang is an endangered language, since children usually only have passive competence of the language, and instead are shifting to Malay.

Speakers may prefer the term Kamang to refer to the speech community as a whole; Woisika is a village name.

## Phonology

### Consonants

/h/ and /ʔ/ are marginal. /r/ is rare in initial and final position. Word-final /s/ is only in loan words.

The consonant /ŋ/ is not found word-initially, and /f/ is not found word-finally.

### Vowels

Woisika vowel phonemes :

| | Front | Front | Central | Central | Back | Back |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Close | i | iː ⟨ii⟩ | | | u | uː ⟨uu⟩ |
| Mid | e | eː ⟨ee⟩ | | | o | oː ⟨oo⟩ |
| Open | | | a | aː ⟨aa⟩ | | |

## Grammar

### Serial verb constructions

Kamang has serial verb constructions.

Mooi

banana

bong

tree

nok

one

kok

fall.down

silang

descend

dii

lie

Mooi bong nok kok silang dii

banana tree one fall.down descend lie

'A banana tree came falling $down.'^{:345}$

Afunaa

a-funaa

3.PAT-face

yakii

ga-kii

3.PAT-turn

me

me

come

noowaai.

noo-waai.

3.AST-face

Afunaa yakii me noowaai.

a-funaa ga-kii me noo-waai.

3.PAT-face 3.PAT-turn come 3.AST-face

'Turn and face $me.'^{:348}$ Unknown glossing abbreviation(s) (help);

### Valence

Examples with avalent, monovalent, bivalent, and trivalent verbs are shown below.

Avalent

Itunma

itun-ma

late.afternoon-PFV

Itunma

itun-ma

late.afternoon-PFV

'It's late $afternoon.'^{:300}$

Monovalent

Markus

Markus

Markus

gamanteima

ga-mantei-ma

3.PAT-thirst-PFV

Markus gamanteima

Markus ga-mantei-ma

Markus 3.PAT-thirst-PFV

'Markus is thirsty $already.'^{:301}$

Bivalent

Na

na

1SG.AGT

Markus

Markus

Markus

gatakma.

ga-tak-ma

3.PAT-see-PFV

Na Markus gatakma.

na Markus ga-tak-ma

1SG.AGT Markus 3.PAT-see-PFV

'I have seen $Markus'^{:301}$

Trivalent

Markus

Markus

Markus

patei

patei

corn

me

me

TAKE

dumma

dum=a

child=SPEC

wotulen.

go-tulen

3.LOC-divide

Markus patei me dumma wotulen.

Markus patei me dum=a go-tulen

Markus corn TAKE child=SPEC 3.LOC-divide

'Markus divides corn amongst the $children.'^{:301}$ Unknown glossing abbreviation(s) (help);

## Riddles

Woisika riddles relate to animals, the human body, human artifacts, natural phenomena, crops and other foods, among others.

