Porome language
# Porome language

Porome, also known as Kibiri, is a Papuan language of southern Papua New Guinea.

## Classification

Porome was classified as a language isolate by Stephen Wurm. Although Malcolm Ross linked it to the Kiwaian languages, there is no evidence for a connection apart from the pronouns 1sg amo and 2sg do (cf. proto-Kiwaian *mo and *oro).

## Distribution

There are over a thousand speakers in Babaguina (7°28′52″S 144°15′14″E﻿ / ﻿7.480977°S 144.254009°E﻿ / -7.480977; 144.254009﻿ (Babaguina)), Doibo (7°27′28″S 144°16′18″E﻿ / ﻿7.45766°S 144.271731°E﻿ / -7.45766; 144.271731﻿ (Doibo/Babeio/Veiru)), Ero (7°26′46″S 144°21′53″E﻿ / ﻿7.446131°S 144.364831°E﻿ / -7.446131; 144.364831﻿ (Ero)), Paile, Tipeowo, and Wowa (7°24′51″S 144°18′56″E﻿ / ﻿7.414287°S 144.315579°E﻿ / -7.414287; 144.315579﻿ (Wowou)) villages in West Kikori Rural LLG and East Kikori Rural LLG of Gulf Province, near the Aird Hills and Kikori River tributaries.

## Phonology

Porome has 9 native consonants. /s/ occurs in loanwords. There are no glottal consonants.

    ptk~g~ɣ bd v mn r (s)

There are five vowels, which are /a, e, i, o, u/.

Like the surrounding languages, Porome is a tonal language. It has 5 tones.

* High-level: kóí ‘cloth’
* Low-level: kòì ‘selfish’
* Rising: mèrí ‘road’
* Falling: mérì ‘pandanus’
* Peaking: pàkúmì ‘feather’

## Pronouns

The independent pronouns and subject suffixes to the verb are as follows:

    sgdupl 1 amo, -meamó-kaiamó, -ke/-ki 2 do, -keaia-kaia, -ka 3 da, -a/-bVabo-kaiabo, -abo

## Vocabulary

Selected Porome vocabulary from Petterson (2010):

### Body parts

    PoromeGloss kikimihead kikimikurohair pakaiforehead ipiri kukuroeyebrow, eyelashes ipirieye obokeraear urubinose koropitooth beritongue kakimorocheek irihand kakathumb iri urakapalm upuruburowaraback itariback of neck (nape) eimurobreast bamakaichest bakuribelly koupurishoulder kuneithigh murikaraknee warakeroleg kakapufoot

### Numerals

    PoromeGloss tauri0 wakua1 kabirai2 wauteri3 kaka etekaro4 irikia wakua5 irikia wakua, muro wakua6 irikia wakua, muro kabirai7 irikia wakua, muro wauteri8 irikia wakua, muro kaka etekaro9 irikia kabirai10

### Village and society

    PoromeGloss kurivillage mapihouse ereifire kumapistone wawaricreek meripath penonibridge moiamen eriawomen kariboys mibugirls

### Nature and environment

    PoromeGloss bari nakasky eri ipirosun omeri teromoon okoiristar keibuwaves momoiclouds bari epurain clouds kakaikapo, neiirain meremerilightning marari, konoboriwind eroland eiiearth, soil ubiwater kakuriver eimurobush erouriisland mokipassage parisand otericliff akaburimountain

### Plants

    PoromeGloss kubitree aveiribranch kuriroots oreileaf kopoflower eneneigrass avuicutty grass makaibetelnut diicoconut meisugarcane

### Animals

    PoromeGloss bobipig kumidog bari mei kumochicken kaburifrog baramiwallaby pusicat kuioutree kangaroo kaiani, keiparirat imaisnake boribicuscus tumarubandicoot kanabird-of-paradise koropeiricassowary wamobush fowl kubeiriflying fox kapasikoriblack cockatoo marubohornbill koribifish einakereicentipede eiamumillipede morokabispider ubatugrasshopper nepu, matimosquito nokoirifly enenecicada bebeiributterfly aiisago grub buburumisago beetle mirimabiscorpion micrab timuriprawn vicockle, clam keimucrocodile akouririver snake dabeourisea turtle ketokocreek turtle watemuriver turtle

## Comparison

Lexical comparison of Porome with neighboring languages:

    glossPorome (isolate)Urama (Kiwaian)Rumu (Turama–Kikorian)Ipiko (Anim)Folopa (Teberan)Baimuru (isolate) head kikimi / kikimaepuwotuabetopouku eye ipiri / ipiroidomaiihiuhinokeleinamu house mapi / mapiromotomi / veahobemarea village kuri / kurovatiyɔ / vevatibepaʔiri place dabu / dabovatiteivatitikipaʔiri tree kubi / kubonuʔaideniiri fire erei / eriaeraitaesiiʔau dog kumi / kumoumukagahahaɔoroko bird kumi / kumokikiokatipemubanako water ubi / uburoobouogowęiere earth ei / erohepupɛkɛ / hapugoʔetohaekae base makiri / makiromabumatekamabaaleʔaia sago i / irodukɛiduopu 1s pronoun ámòmoi / nanoe̜na 2s pronoun doroiki / kavo (< ɣo)ya̜ni 3s pronoun danuaete / itu / etoa̜u 1p pronoun àmònimonamenida̜ene 2p pronoun ariokamehodia̜noro 3p pronoun aboniameitiatimaoro

Comparison of Porome's phonological inventory with those of neighboring languages:

    languageno. of consonantsno. of vowels/h//ʔ/ Porome 95 Baimuru 75Y Rumu 87Y Kope 105YY Urama 125YY Kerewo 135YY
