Mambai language (Timor)
# Mambai language (Timor)

Mambai, also called Mambae or Manbae, is a language spoken by the Mambai people, the second largest ethnic group in the island country of East Timor.

## Geographic distribution

Mambai is one of 15 constitutionally recognized national languages. The main centers of Mambai are Ermera, Aileu, Remexio, Turiscai, Maubisse Administrative Post, Ainaro Administrative Post and Same Administrative Post. The majority of the Timorese community in Australia is native in Mambai.

Mambai used to be spoken in the area around Dili, when the Portuguese declared the city to be the capital of their colony Portuguese Timor. Therefore, the Tetum Prasa spoken in Dili is still exhibiting strong influences from its Mambai substrate.

## Phonology

### Consonants

| | | Labial | Alveolar | Velar | Glottal |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Nasal | Nasal | m | n | | |
| Plosive | voiceless | p | t | k | |
| Plosive | voiced | b | d | ɡ | |
| Fricative | Fricative | f | s | | h |
| Trill | Trill | | r | | |
| Approximant | Approximant | | l | | |

* /r, h, k/ can also be heard as [ɾ, ħ, ʔ].
* /p, k/ can also be heard as aspirated [pʰ, kʰ].
* /d/ is also heard as a voiced post-alveolar stop [d̠].
* /t/ is slightly aspirated [tʰ] before mid and low vowels. /t/ can also have an allophone [ts] when preceding high vowels.
* The plosives /p, b, t, d, k/ are unreleased [p̚, b̚, t̚, d̚, k̚] in word-final position.

### Vowels

| | Front | Central | Back |
| - | - | - | - |
| Close | i | | u |
| Close-mid | e | | o |
| Open-mid | ɛ | | ɔ |
| Open | | a | |

* /i, u/ can also have shortened allophones [ɪ, ʊ].

Diphthongs :

| | Front | Central | Central |
| - | - | - | - |
| Close | | ai | au |
| Mid | ei | ae | ao |

## Dialects

Mambae can be divided into three dialects according to Fogaça $(2017):^{:82}$

### Northwest

* Liquiça: Bazartete
* Ermera: Hatulia
* Ermera: Railaco

### Northeast-Central

* Aileu: Laulara
* Aileu: Vila Grupo
* Aileu: Liquidoe
* Ainaro: Hatu-Builico

### South

* Ainaro: Hato-Udo
* Manufahi-Same: Letefoho
* Manufahi-Same: Betano

Examples of dialectal variation in Mambae:

Numerals :

| Numeral | Northeast-Central | Northwest | South |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1 | iid | iid | iid |
| 2 | ruu | ruu | ruu |
| 3 | teul | teul | teul |
| 4 | faat | paat | faat/paat |
| 5 | liim | liim | liim |
| 6 | neen | hohon iid | liim nai-ida |
| 7 | hitu | hohon ruu | liim nai-rua |
| 8 | ualu | hoho teul | liim nai-telu |
| 9 | sia | hoho paat | liim nai-fata/pata |
| 10 | saguul | sakuul | saguul |
| 20 | rua nuul | guul ruu | (saguul) haet rua |
| 30 | teul nuul | guul teul | (saguul) haet teul |
| 40 | faat nuul | guul paat | (saguul) haet faat/paat |
| 50 | lima nuul | guul liim | (saguul) haet liim |

Pronouns :

| Pronoun | Northeast-Central | Northwest | South |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1.SG | au | au | au |
| 2.SG | iit | iit | iit |
| 3.SG | ua | ua | ura |
| 1.PL, inclusive | iit | iit | iit |
| 1.PL, exclusive | aem | aem | aem |
| 2.PL | iim | iim | iim |
| 3.PL | roo | roo | room |

Lexicon :

| Gloss | Northeast-Central | Northwest | South |
| - | - | - | - |
| 'house' | pada | fada | uum |
| 'short' | bloko | pada | bada |
| 'wet' | broe | tita | era |
| 'dirty' | kiniri | rae | foer |
| 'many' | doto | klen | rini |
| 'lie (fib)' | bea | rau | halaet |
| 'eat' | mua | muu | aa |
| 'banana' | muka | mua | muu |

Comparison of selected body part words in Mambae dialects:

    glossLiquiça (Bazartete)Ermera (Hatulia)Ermera (Railaco)Aileu (Laulara)Aileu (Vila Grupo)Aileu (Liquidoe)Ainaro (Hatu-Builico)Ainaro (Hato-Udo)Manufahi-Same (Letefoho)Manufahi-Same (Betano) mouthgugungugungugunkukunkukunkukunkukunkukukukukuku armlimanlimanlimannimannimanlimalimanlimalimalima elbowlima sikunliman sikunsiunnima siunnima siunlima siunlima siunlima sikunlima sikulima siku shoulderkabaːskabasankabasankabaːskabasakabasakabaːslabaːskabaːsau balaːs headgnutanglutanulunulunulunulunglutanuluulu hatuulu headachegnutan baːnglutan baːnglutan baːnulun baːnulun baːnglutan baːnglutan baːnulu hatusaeulu hatusaeulu hatusae hairulu nɔɾanulu launulunulun lahonulu nɔɾaulun noranulunuluuluulu noɾa black hairulu metaulu metaulu metaulun metaulu nɔɾa mɛtaulun metaulun metaulu metaulu mɛtaulu laha meta flesh (human)ɛta lɔlonetanetanetanɛtanetanɛtaneta lɔloɛta lɔloeta lolo hearthuahuanhuanhuanhuanhuanhuanhuahuahua backhɔhon tɛtenhoho tetenhɔhonhoho tɛtenhɔhonhoho tɛtenasahɔhohɔhɔ tɛtehoho toothnipannipannipannifannifannifannifannipanifanifa fingerlima huanlima huanlima huannima huanlima huanlima kakunlima huanlima hualima hualima hua liveratenatenatenatenatenatenatenateateate tonguelamalaunlamalaunlamalaulamalaunlamanlamalaunlamelaunlamalamalama handlimanlimanlimannimannimanlimanlimanlimalima sanaklima noseiluiluniluninuninuniluninuniluiluilu eyematanmatanmatanmatanmatanmatanmatanmatamatamata earteligatligantligakikankika nɔɾantika noɾankikanteligateligateliga boneruiruinruinruinruinruinruinruiruirui footɔenoenɔenɔɛnɔɛnɔɛnɔɛnoeɔɛoɛ skinlitaneta litanlitanlitanlitanlitanlitantiatiaeta tia legɔenoenɔenɔɛnɔɛnɔɛnɔɛnoeɔɛoɛ necktgeuntgeuntgeuntgeuntgeunkdeuntgeutegeutegeu bloodlaɾalaɾalaɾalaɾanlaɾalalanlaɾanlaːrlaralaːr
