OUTOFPAPUA database: Lexicons of the West Papuan language area

Edwards (2021a): Proto-Rote-Meto

Original citation: Edwards, Owen. 2021. Rote-Meto Comparative Dictionary. Canberra: ANU Press.
Notes on this source: Edited by Antoinette Schapper. What is treated here as Proto-Rote-Meto reconstructions folds together several reconstructive levels that are distinct in Edwards (2021) for the purposes of streamlining and simplifying. Proto-Rote-Meto reconstructions here include Edwards' (2021) PRM, CERM, Rote, CER, nRM. Edwards (2021:70-71) writes himself that a PRM is the most likely explanation for many of the cognate sets in these other groupings: "When a reconstruction is made on the basis of internal Rote-Meto evidence and is assigned to Rote, Nuclear Rote-Meto or Central East Rote-Meto, the [following] explanation is most likely: the terms are probably inherited from PRM, but cognates are not known in the languages that do not belong to these groups. Innovation is unlikely as none of these groups are descended from unitary proto-languages , though we cannot rule out innovation in one branch with borrowing into the other branch ...". The original reconstructive level of Edwards (2021) is given in a note to the individual entries.

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Total entries: 1092
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Headword IPA Glosses
*aa*aa

‘the’

*aem*aem

‘domesticated, tame’

*afa*afa

‘insipid’

*afi*afi

‘yesterday’

*afu*afu

‘ash, dust’

*afu*afu

‘floor, ground’

*ahi*ahi

‘fire’

*ahi*ahi

‘trample, tread’

*aho*aho

‘lime (mineral)’

*ahu*ahu

‘dew’

*ala*ala

‘fetch, get, take’

*ama*ama

‘father’

*anak*anak

‘child, small’

*ane*ane

‘braid’

*aŋɡum*aŋɡum

‘dew’

*anin*anin

‘wind’

*ao*ao

‘body’

*aso*aso

‘scoop’

*asu*asu

‘dog’

*ata*ata

‘above, top, up’

*ata*ata

‘slave’

*ata*ata

‘we (incl.), 1PL INCL’

*ate*ate

‘liver’

*atis*atis

‘breast beam of loom’

*atu*atu

‘charcoal, soot’

*au*au

‘I, 1SG’

*auee*auee

‘oh!’

*baa*baa

‘lungs’

*badoe*badoe

‘grope’

*badoe*badoe

‘touch’

*bafi*bafi

‘pig’

*bafo*bafo

‘above, top’

*bali*bali

‘return, go back, turn around, turn back, again’

*balu*balu

‘cover, wrap up’

*balu*balu

‘mourn, widow, widower’

*baŋakuɗu*baŋakuɗu

‘Morinda citrifolia’

*batu*batu

‘rock, stone’

*bau*bau

‘Hibiscus tiliaceus’

*bei*bei

‘still, yet’

*belas*belas

‘machete’

*beli*beli

‘bride price, price, cost, buy’

*beni*beni

‘pass’

*beni*beni

‘yesterday, day after tomorrow, day before yesterday’

*berat*berat

‘heavy, weight’

*betə*betə

‘foxtail millet, millet’

*beu*beu

‘Garuga floribunda’

*beu*beu

‘new’

*bibi*bibi

‘pinch’

*bini*bini

‘seed’

*biti*biti

‘calf (of leg)’

*biti*biti

‘jerk, jump up’

*biti*biti

‘slingshot’

*boo*boo

‘herd (v.)’

*boo*boo

‘odour, smell, stink’

*bua*bua

‘fruit’

*bufu*bufu

‘fish trap’

*bulan*bulan

‘moon’

*bulu*bulu

‘feather, fur, hair’

*buni*buni

‘ringworm’

*buu*buu

‘blow’

*buu*buu

‘blowpipe’

*daa*daa

‘blood’

*dae*dae

‘earth, ground, land, soil’

*daem*daem

‘termite’

*daki*daki

‘dirt, filth’

*dalə*dalə

‘inside, in, feelings’

*damei*damei

‘lick’

*daru*daru

‘long’

*dei*dei

‘forehead’

*deki*deki

‘kiss’

*deŋe*deŋe

‘kapok tree’

*deras*deras

‘Erythrina sp.’

*dii*dii

‘house post’

*dii*dii

‘pillar, pole, post’

*dii*dii

‘stand’

*dindi*dindi

‘wall’

*diu*diu

‘bathe’

*doo*doo

‘leaf’

*dua*dua

‘two’

*dui*dui

‘bone’

*dui*dui

‘dugong’

*duman*duman

‘empty’

*duman*duman

‘few, some’

*ei*ei

‘foot, leg’

*eki*eki

‘cry out, shout’

*eko*eko

‘shake, sift’

*ekut*ekut

‘fibres’

*ela*ela

‘already’

*ele*ele

‘there’

*elus*elus

‘rainbow’

*ena*ena

‘have, own, possess’

*endən*endən

‘soak’

*eno*eno

‘door, gate, path, road, way’

*esa*esa

‘one’

*esak*esak

‘day after tomorrow, day before yesterday’

*eti*eti

‘come, go’

*etu*etu

‘catfish’

*eɗa*eɗa

‘ladder, stairs’

*fa*fa

‘just’

*fa*fa

‘no’

*faa*faa

‘current, flow, overflow’

*faat*faat

‘rainy season’

*fae*fae

‘lizard’

*fai*fai

‘day, night’

*faka*faka

‘crack, divide, split’

*fake*fake

‘Parkia speciosa’

*fakur*fakur

‘pull out’

*fali*fali

‘heel’

*fali*fali

‘stand with’

*falu*falu

‘eight’

*fandi*fandi

‘cut’

*fandu*fandu

‘dry season’

*fanduun*fanduun

‘star’

*faŋɡa*faŋɡa

‘nail’

*farəndən*farəndən

‘feelings, mind, thoughts, remember, hope, love, kiss (nose)’

*fase*fase

‘wash’

*fata*fata

‘female’

*fati*fati

‘feed’

*faɗa*faɗa

‘inform, say, speak, tell’

*fee*fee

‘give’

*fei*fei

‘open’

*feku*feku

‘flute’

*fekə*fekə

‘other, separate’

*fela*fela

‘spread out, unroll’

*felu*felu

‘bend’

*femba*femba

‘beat, hit, strike’

*fenu*fenu

‘bend’

*fera*fera

‘landslide, ravine’

*feto*feto

‘sister, female’

*fetu*fetu

‘snare, trap’

*feu*feu

‘in‑law’

*feɗu*feɗu

‘bent, flexible’

*fia*fia

‘taro, tuber’

*fiti*fiti

‘carry’

*fiti*fiti

‘jerk, kick’

*foe*foe

‘crocodile’

*foe*foe

‘move’

*foe*foe

‘spots’

*foe*foe

‘struggle, turbulent’

*foo*foo

‘Moringa oleifera’

*fora*fora

‘grate, scour’

*foti*foti

‘dance’

*foti*foti

‘racing’

*foʔa*foʔa

‘get up, wake up’

*foʔi*foʔi

‘lever’

*fua*fua

‘carry, load’

*fue*fue

‘bean, legume’

*fufu*fufu

‘weevil’

*fui*fui

‘douse, pour, wash’

*fui*fui

‘wild’

*fuka*fuka

‘dig’

*fula*fula

‘white’

*fuli*fuli

‘cowrie shell’

*fuloat*fuloat

‘Sterculia urceolata’

*fulə*fulə

‘twist, wrap’

*fumbu*fumbu

‘fontanelle, peak, ridgepole’

*fumbu*fumbu

‘midday’

*funi*funi

‘afterbirth, placenta’

*funi*funi

‘hide’

*fura*fura

‘cut’

*futu*futu

‘bind, tie, bundle’

*fuu*fuu

‘blow’

*fuɗi*fuɗi

‘persuade’

*fuʤə*fuʤə

‘foam’

*ha*ha

‘earwax’

*haa*haa

‘four’

*haa*haa

‘lontar thorn’

*hade*hade

‘paddy rice’

*hae*hae

‘breathe, rest, tired’

*hai*hai

‘bucket’

*hai*hai

‘stingray’

*hai*hai

‘wild basil’

*halu*halu

‘pestle’

*hambu*hambu

‘find’

*hambu*hambu

‘overtake’

*hanas*hanas

‘hot’

*hani*hani

‘bait’

*hani*hani

‘feed (v.)’

*hano*hano

‘rash’

*hano*hano

‘spots’

*hao*hao

‘feed’

*hapi*hapi

‘clamp, pinch’

*hara*hara

‘sound, voice’

*haru*haru

‘shoulder’

*hatahori*hatahori

‘man, person’

*hauk*hauk

‘calm down, soothe’

*ha(ʔ)i*ha(ʔ)i

‘take’

*hedu*hedu

‘gall bladder, bitter’

*hee*hee

‘lobster’

*hee*hee

‘press’

*hela*hela

‘pull’

*helu*helu

‘bend’

*hena*hena

‘hope’

*hendam*hendam

‘wild pandanus’

*hene*hene

‘climb’

*heŋɡe*heŋɡe

‘hang’

*heŋɡe*heŋɡe

‘necklace’

*heŋɡu*heŋɡu

‘earwax’

*henu*henu

‘fill, full’

*henuh*henuh

‘beads’

*heo*heo

‘move’

*heɗis*heɗis

‘pain, sick’

*hia*hia

‘want’

*hida*hida

‘how much?’

*hiri*hiri

‘choose’

*hitu*hitu

‘seven’

*hoi*hoi

‘dry in sun’

*hoka*hoka

‘call up, invite’

*holas*holas

‘naked’

*holu*holu

‘embrace, hug’

*holu*holu

‘heel’

*horis*horis

‘living’

*hosu*hosu

‘loosen’

*hosu*hosu

‘pull out’

*hotu*hotu

‘burn’

*huka*huka

‘open’

*hulu*hulu

‘first, in front’

*humək*humək

‘face, smile’

*hundi*hundi

‘banana’

*huŋɡa*huŋɡa

‘chop’

*husə*husə

‘navel’

*huti*huti

‘incite, provoke’

*hutu*hutu

‘rub’

*huu*huu

‘tree trunk, source’

*həndi*həndi

‘finish’

*ia*ia

‘here, this’

*ifa*ifa

‘lap’

*ika*ika

‘fish’

*iko*iko

‘tail’

*ikə*ikə

‘noose, snare’

*ila*ila

‘birthmark, freckle, mole (skin)’

*ina*ina

‘mother, woman’

*iŋɡu*iŋɡu

‘country, land, village’

*inu*inu

‘drink’

*inus*inus

‘kind of bird’

*isa*isa

‘bind’

*isa*isa

‘completely’

*isa*isa

‘kill’

*isa*isa

‘tie’

*isa*isa

‘win’

*isi*isi

‘contents, flesh of fruit’

*ita*ita

‘look, see’

*iu*iu

‘shark’

*iɗu*iɗu

‘nose, kiss’

*kaa*kaa

‘bite, clamp, pinch’

*kaa*kaa

‘crow’

*kae*kae

‘cockatoo’

*kahi*kahi

‘count’

*kahi*kahi

‘pull, push’

*kahin*kahin

‘prohibit, stop’

*kahu*kahu

‘kind of fish’

*kai*kai

‘hook’

*kai*kai

‘stiff’

*kai usu*kai usu

‘ribs’

*kai/ou*kai/ou

‘Casuarina sp.’

*kais*kais

‘sour’

*kaiu*kaiu

‘tree, wood’

*kaka*kaka

‘elder sibling’

*kalati*kalati

‘earthworm, worm’

*kali*kali

‘dig’

*kambe*kambe

‘saliva, splittle’

*kame*kame

‘knead’

*ka(m)i*ka(m)i

‘we (excl.), 1PL EXCL’

*kamiri*kamiri

‘candlenut’

*kao*kao

‘scrape, scratch’

*kara*kara

‘chest’

*karu*karu

‘scrape, scratch’

*katefuan*katefuan

‘hornet, wasp’

*kati*kati

‘call, summon’

*katə*katə

‘itchy’

*kaɗe*kaɗe

‘charcoal’

*kea*kea

‘turtle, tortoise’

*kees*kees

‘squeeze’

*kei*kei

‘tickle’

*kei*kei

‘touch’

*kela*kela

‘leave’

*kelas*kelas

‘gourd, winter melon’

*kele*kele

‘breathe, pant’

*kele*kele

‘neigh, whinny’

*keme*keme

‘knead’

*ke(m)i*ke(m)i

‘you (pl.), 2PL’

*kendi*kendi

‘slippery, smooth’

*keŋɡa*keŋɡa

‘seaweed’

*keni*keni

‘keel’

*kera*kera

‘brother‑in‑law’

*kera*kera

‘tickle, ticklish’

*kerumatu*kerumatu

‘leech’

*kesu/fani*kesu/fani

‘sneeze’

*ketembau*ketembau

‘kind of insect’

*ketu*ketu

‘break off, cut off’

*kibo*kibo

‘shellfish’

*kili*kili

‘tickle’

*kilu*kilu

‘crooked, twisted’

*kima*kima

‘clam’

*kiŋɡi*kiŋɡi

‘cockroach’

*kira*kira

‘hold’

*kira*kira

‘stingy’

*kiri*kiri

‘bell’

*kiri*kiri

‘sharpen’

*kisa*kisa

‘unique’

*kisi*kisi

‘peel’

*kita*kita

‘we (incl.), 1PL INCL’

*klaha*klaha

‘coals, embers’

*kleet*kleet

‘mock, tease’

*klou*klou

‘bow (arrow)’

*koaʔ*koaʔ

‘cry out’

*koaʔ*koaʔ

‘Friarbird’

*kodo*kodo

‘bird’

*koko*koko

‘carry’

*kona*kona

‘right’

*koo*koo

‘you (sg.), 2SG’

*koo*koo

‘Ziziphus mauritiana’

*koro*koro

‘bird, Rainbow Bee‑eater’

*koru*koru

‘harvest, strip leaves’

*kose*kose

‘rub, wipe’

*koti*koti

‘cut’

*koɓa*koɓa

‘cover’

*koɗe*koɗe

‘monkey’

*koɗo*koɗo

‘swallow’

*kua*kua

‘nit’

*kue*kue

‘civet’

*kuku*kuku

‘finger, toe’

*kukur*kukur

‘wallow’

*kumu*kumu

‘knead, fist’

*kuni*kuni

‘turmeric’

*kunu*kunu

‘kind of plant’

*kura*kura

‘scorpion’

*kuru*kuru

‘call chickens’

*kuru*kuru

‘wrinkly’

*kurus*kurus

‘chilli’

*kurə*kurə

‘jar, pot’

*kutu*kutu

‘head louse’

*kutus*kutus

‘cyclone, storm, whirlwind’

*kutə*kutə

‘brains’

*kutə*kutə

‘mantle’

*kuu*kuu

‘blow’

*kuun*kuun

‘grass’

*kənda*kənda

‘close (v.)’

*laa*laa

‘hut’

*laa*laa

‘kind of tree’

*laa*laa

‘open the eyes’

*laa*laa

‘sail’

*ladu*ladu

‘palm wine’

*lafa*lafa

‘kind of cloth’

*lafo*lafo

‘mouse, rat’

*laha*laha

‘hungry’

*lai*lai

‘fast, quick’

*lai*lai

‘run, flee’

*laia*laia

‘ginger’

*laisona*laisona

‘eschalot, onion, shallot’

*lako*lako

‘go’

*lamat*lamat

‘grasshopper’

*lamu*lamu

‘algae, seaweed’

*laŋɡa*laŋɡa

‘head, head hair’

*laŋɡe*laŋɡe

‘stocks’

*lani*lani

‘air, firmament, heaven’

*lanu*lanu

‘tired’

*lanu*lanu

‘uncomfortable’

*lari*lari

‘comb (rooster)’

*lari*lari

‘move location’

*larum*larum

‘Ficus variegata’

*lasa*lasa

‘underlay’

*lasi*lasi

‘bush, forest’

*lasi*lasi

‘old’

*lasə*lasə

‘scrotum, testicles’

*latu*latu

‘ripe’

*latu*latu

‘seaweed’

*laɓa*laɓa

‘entwine, wind (v.)’

*laʔus*laʔus

‘cactus’

*ledo*ledo

‘sun, day, sky’

*lee*lee

‘river’

*leke*leke

‘coil’

*leko*leko

‘lure’

*leku*leku

‘coil, winding’

*lele*lele

‘tight’

*lema*lema

‘eel, sea‑snake’

*lemba*lemba

‘carry’

*lemuk*lemuk

‘dolphin’

*lena*lena

‘sesame’

*lendo*lendo

‘dance’

*leŋɡe*leŋɡe

‘too much’

*leŋɡu*leŋɡu

‘throw’

*leo*leo

‘clan’

*lesu*lesu

‘come out’

*lesu*lesu

‘neck’

*lete*lete

‘bridge’

*lete*lete

‘hill, mountain’

*leu*leu

‘already’

*leu*leu

‘now’

*lifu*lifu

‘pool, lake, billabong’

*liha*liha

‘centipede’

*lii*lii

‘neck, sound’

*liku*liku

‘back’

*liku*liku

‘hit, knock, strike’

*lili*lili

‘wax’

*lilis*lilis

‘Calophyllum teysmannii’

*lilo*lilo

‘gold, silver’

*lima*lima

‘arm, hand’

*lima*lima

‘five’

*lino*lino

‘Grewia slutaris’

*lise*lise

‘Terminalia catappa’

*lisum*lisum

‘kind of plant’

*liɓu*liɓu

‘abound, teem, surround’

*liɗa*liɗa

‘fin, wing, edge’

*liɗe*liɗe

‘nerve of palm leaf’

*loe*loe

‘go down’

*loe*loe

‘listless, weak’

*lohas*lohas

‘clothes, equipment’

*loke*loke

‘hang’

*lole*lole

‘spool’

*lole*lole

‘sweet potato, taro, tuber’

*lolir*lolir

‘wallow, roll’

*lolo*lolo

‘beam, stick’

*lolo*lolo

‘liana, thread’

*lolo*lolo

‘strait, watercourse, valley’

*lolo*lolo

‘stretch’

*lombu*lombu

‘algae, duckweed, moss’

*loo*loo

‘household’

*loo*loo

‘stretch’

*lopo*lopo

‘hut, shelter’

*losa*losa

‘arrive, reach, until, up to’

*loɓa*loɓa

‘kind of bark (n)’

*loɓo*loɓo

‘hurt, tire out’

*loɗe*loɗe

‘stick out’

*loɗo*loɗo

‘straight’

*lua*lua

‘boil, seethe’

*lua*lua

‘open (adj.), wide, outside’

*lua-t*lua-t

‘cave’

*lui*lui

‘pull off, remove’

*luku*luku

‘bent, paralysed’

*luku*luku

‘spy, watch, brood’

*luli*luli

‘taboo’

*lulun*lulun

‘roll up’

*lunu*lunu

‘cushion, pillow’

*lusə*lusə

‘wrap’

*lutu*lutu

‘fine, small, tiny’

*lutu*lutu

‘pile up’

*lutə*lutə

‘firebrand’

*luu*luu

‘Ricinus communis’

*luu*luu

‘tears (crying)’

*ma*ma

‘and’

*maa*maa

‘tongue’

*mae*mae

‘ashamed, embarrassed, shy’

*mae*mae

‘itchy tuber’; ‘Amorphophallus sp’

*mafo*mafo

‘cool, shadow’

*mafu*mafu

‘drunk’

*mai*mai

‘come’

*mali*mali

‘bitter, brackish’

*malus*malus

‘betel‑pepper’

*mama*mama

‘chew’

*mamis*mamis

‘insipid, sweet’

*mamər*mamər

‘garden’

*mana*mana

‘place (n.)’

*mana*mana

‘relativiser’

*ma(n)at*ma(n)at

‘orphan, tame’

*mane*mane

‘king, male, prince’

*maneu*maneu

‘bright’

*maŋɡu*maŋɡu

‘dry’

*maŋɡu*maŋɡu

‘tired’

*manu*manu

‘chicken’

*masi*masi

‘salty’

*masu*masu

‘smoke, steam, vapour’

*mata*mata

‘eye’

*mata*mata

‘green, raw, unripe’

*mate*mate

‘die, thoroughly’

*mau*mau

‘grass, kind of plant’

*maus*maus

‘domesticated, tame, docile’

*maɗa*maɗa

‘dry up, evaporate’

*maɗo*maɗo

‘medicine, tobacco’

*mbaa*mbaa

‘flesh, meat’

*mbada*mbada

‘short’

*mbae*mbae

‘swell’

*mbai*mbai

‘rotten’

*mbaki*mbaki

‘beetle’

*mbala*mbala

‘co‑wife, concubine’

*mbalu*mbalu

‘cover, enclose’

*mbana*mbana

‘nose, tip’

*mbao*mbao

‘mango’

*mba-raa*mba-raa

‘old’

*mbau*mbau

‘beam’

*mbau*mbau

‘prick, stab, pound’

*mbela*mbela

‘maize, sorghum’

*mbena*mbena

‘fly’

*mbesik*mbesik

‘throw’

*mbeta*mbeta

‘wet’

*mbetak*mbetak

‘swell’

*mbeɗa*mbeɗa

‘place (v.), put’

*mbeʔu*mbeʔu

‘lie down, sleep, sleepy’

*mbii*mbii

‘Achilles’ tendon’

*mbii*mbii

‘tight’

*mbiko*mbiko

‘kind of coniferous tree’; ‘Podocarpus rumphii’

*mbila*mbila

‘blaze, flame (v.), red’

*mbinu*mbinu

‘snot’

*mbisa*mbisa

‘wild basil’

*mboes*mboes

‘prawn, shrimp’

*mbonu*mbonu

‘eyebrows, moustache, hair, mane’

*mboo*mboo

‘hole, wide open’

*mbori*mbori

‘pour’

*mboro*mboro

‘palm leaf’

*mbosi*mbosi

‘release’

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