Kol language (Papua New Guinea)
# Kol language (Papua New Guinea)

The Kol language is a language spoken in eastern New Britain island, Papua New Guinea. There are about 4000 speakers in Pomio District of East New Britain Province, mostly on the southern side of New Britain island.

Kol appears to be a language isolate, though it may be distantly related to the poorly attested Sulka language or form part of the proposed East Papuan languages.

## Phonology

Phonology of the Kol language:

Consonant sounds :

| | Labial | Alveolar | Palatal | Velar |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Plosive | p b | t | | k g |
| Nasal | m | n | | ŋ |
| Rhotic | | r | | |
| Lateral | | l | | |
| Fricative | | s | | |
| Approximant | w | | j | |

/b, r/ can be realized as [β, d] as intervocalic allophones. /r/ is pronounced as [d] when following a nasal consonant.

Kol displays vowel length contrast.

Vowel sounds :

| | Front | Back | Back |
| - | - | - | - |
| High | i iː | u uː | u uː |
| Mid | e eː | o oː | o oː |
| Low | æː | ɑ ɑː | ɒ ɒː |

## Vocabulary

The following basic vocabulary words are from SIL field notes (1962, 1981), as cited in the Trans-New Guinea database:

    glossKol headˈkel.a; kela keřne hairˈkomɒ; komɔʔ kalɛane earˈbula; bula kɛřlɛ eyepelnɛl; ˈpenel nosetaˈli:; tali keřne toothˈmire; mi̠řɛ kɛřnɛ tonguedal kɛřnɛ; raal legpe:re louseˈtare; ta̠řɛ dogkuˈɒ:; kwa pigbu birdˈule; ulɛ eggˈkondola; kondo̠la bloodˈbe:la boneˈti:le skintomalu gomo; toˈmolu breastˈtombo; to̠to la̠nɛ treeˈti:nel; ti̠nɛl manmo; tɒ: ˈti:niŋ womandaiƀɛ; ra:l sunˈkarege; kařɛ̠qɛ moonˈigu; i̠qu waterˈgonu; qu̠nu firekuˈoŋ; kuɔŋ stoneˈlela; lɛla road, pathkɛrɛa; ˈkeria nameˈole eatmo raŋ kal oŋ; tam·a oneˈpusuɒ; titus twotɛřɛŋ; teˈtepe
