Bauni language
# Bauni language

Bauni is a language spoken in Barupu (Warapu) village (3°04′18″S 142°03′27″E﻿ / ﻿3.071595°S 142.057463°E﻿ / -3.071595; 142.057463﻿ (Barupu)) of West Aitape Rural LLG, Sandaun Province, Papua New Guinea.

The alternative name Barupu or Warapu, from the name of the Bauni village, has been applied to related languages as well, and 'Warapu' may be retained as a cover term.

## Phonology

Bauni has 9 consonants and 6 vowels.

Bauni consonants :

| | Bilabial | Alveolar | Palatal | Velar | Labial-velar |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Plosive | p b | t | | k | |
| Nasal | m | n | | | |
| Trill | | r | | | |
| Approximant | | | j | | w |

Consonants may undergo lenition, fortition, palatalization, or assimilation to produce a larger number of surface phonemes.

Bauni vowels :

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

Words belong to one of five tone classes: H, L, LH, HL, HLH.

Syllables have the following form: (C)(G)V(G)(N), where (G) represents a glide and (N) represents a nasal. There are no syllables that have the maximum possible form of CGVGN.

## Morphology

Verbs belong to one of four classes that differ in terms of what morphology may be applied and how. Verbs are obligatorily marked for mood - either realis (/k-/) or irrealis (/n-/) - and for subject. Certain classes of verbs require objects to be marked as well.

k-opu-jara-ni

REAL-2PL.M-see-1SG.F

k-opu-jara-ni

REAL-2PL.M-see-1SG.F

You see me.

## Lexicon

Bauni free pronouns are distinguished on the basis of person, gender, and number.

| | | singular | dual | plural |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 1st | M | něná | měpí | měmí |
| 1st | F | nění | měpí | měmí |
| 2nd | M | měmá | mǒpú / běvé | mǒpú / běvé |
| 2nd | F | mǒmú | mǒpú / běvé | mǒpú / běvé |
| 3rd | M | yá | yéi / rěré | yéi / rěré |
| 3rd | F | bó | yéi / rěré | yéi / rěré |

## Syntax

Clauses in Bauni employ Agent-Patient-Verb word order. Recipients, instruments, and other oblique noun phrases typically follow the verb.

Kuáni

mother

k-o-kôe

REAL-3SG.F-go.up

Kuáni k-o-kôe

mother REAL-3SG.F-go.up

Mother went up.

Kuáni

mother

aka

father

k-o-yarâ-ká

REAL-3SG.F-see-3SG.M

Kuáni aka k-o-yarâ-ká

mother father REAL-3SG.F-see-3SG.M

Mother saw father.

Cha

Cha

Meniri

Meniri

bá=va

fish=PRM

k-a-r-o-a

REAL-3SG.M-3SG.M-give-3SG.M

nâkí

dog

Cha Meniri bá=va k-a-r-o-a nâkí

Cha Meniri fish=PRM REAL-3SG.M-3SG.M-give-3SG.M dog

Cha Meniri gave the dog-spirit a fish.

