Hiri Motu
Austronesian
Hiri Motu (Police Motu) is a simplified contact variety of the Motu language of Papua New Guinea, originally developed as a trade lingua franca for the Hiri trading expeditions between the Motu people of Port Moresby and the Gulf Province peoples. The variety was further simplified and standardized by the Royal Papuan Constabulary (Police Motu) and Australian colonial administration in the 19th-early 20th centuries to serve as a regional lingua franca. Hiri Motu became one of three official languages of Papua New Guinea under the 1975 Independence Constitution, alongside English and Tok Pisin. However, since independence Hiri Motu has been steadily losing ground to Tok Pisin (tpi), which has emerged as the dominant pan-PNG lingua franca, particularly in younger generations. Linguistically, Hiri Motu uses simplified Motu phonology and grammar with Australian English-derived loanwords for modern technology.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Hiri Motu
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Austronesian
| Meaning | Hiri Motu | Motu | Fijian | Tongan | Mussau-Emira | Tuvaluan | Tokelauan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ranu /ɾanu/ | ranu /ɾanu/ | wai /wai/ | vai /vai/ | manu /manu/ | vai /vai/ | vai /vai/ |
| Fire | lahi /lahi/ | lahi /lahi/ | buka /mbuka/ | afi /afi/ | kuraa /kuˈraː/ | afi /afi/ | afi /afi/ |
| Sun | dina /dina/ | dina /dina/ | matanisiga /matanisiŋa/ | laʻā /laʔaː/ | sinaka /sinaka/ | laa /laː/ | lā /laː/ |
| Moon | hua /hua/ | hua /hua/ | vula /βula/ | māhina /maːhina/ | ulana /ulana/ | masina /masina/ | māhina /maːhina/ |
| Star | hisiu /hisiu/ | hisiu /hisiu/ | kalokalo /kalokalo/ | fetuʻu /fetuʔu/ | katoto /katoto/ | fetū /fetuː/ | fetu /fetu/ |
| Night | hanuaboi /hanuaboi/ | hanuaboi /hanuaboi/ | bogi /mboŋi/ | pō /poː/ | voo /voː/ | pō /poː/ | pō /poː/ |
| Rain | medu /medu/ | medu /medu/ | uca /uða/ | ʻuha /ʔuha/ | vaoo /vaoo/ | ua /ua/ | ua /ua/ |
| Snow | sinou /sinou/ | — | uca vulavula /uða βulaβula/ | sinou /sinou/ | — | kiona /kiona/ | kiona /kiona/ |
| Wind | lai /lai/ | lai /lai/ | cagi /ðaŋi/ | matangi /mataŋi/ | kuukuu /kuukuu/ | matagi /mataŋi/ | matagi /mataŋi/ |
| Earth | tano /tano/ | tano /tano/ | qele /ᵑɡele/ | kelekele /kelekele/ | kosa /kosa/ | kelekele /kelekele/ | kelekele /kelekele/ |
| Stone | nadi /ˈnadi/ | nadi /nadi/ | vatu /vatu/ | maka /maka/ | atu /atu/ | fatu /fatu/ | fatu /fatu/ |
| Mountain | ororo /ororo/ | ororo /oɾoɾo/ | ulunivanua /uluniβanua/ | moʻunga /moʔuŋa/ | motouru /motouru/ | mauga /mauŋa/ | mauga /mauŋa/ |
| Sea | davara /davara/ | davara /davara/ | wasawasa /wasawasa/ | tahi /tahi/ | paamanu /paamanu/ | tai /tai/ | moana /moana/ |
| Mother | sina /sina/ | sinana /sinana/ | tina /tina/ | faʻē /faʔeː/ | kina /kina/ | maatua /maːtua/ | mātua /maːtua/ |
| Father | tama /tama/ | tamana /tamana/ | tama /tama/ | tamai /tamai/ | tama /tama/ | tamana /tamana/ | tamana /tamana/ |
| Daughter | natuna kekeni /natuna kekeni/ | natuna kekenina /natuna kekenina/ | luve yalewa /luβe jalewa/ | ʻofefine /ʔofefine/ | natuna vause /natuna vause/ | tama fafine /tama fafine/ | afafine /afafine/ |
| I | lau /lau/ | lau /lau/ | au /au/ | au /au/ | aghi /aɣi/ | au /au/ | au /au/ |
| You | oi /oi/ | oi /oi/ | iko /iko/ | koe /koe/ | io /io/ | koe /koe/ | koe /koe/ |
| We | ita / ai /ita / ai/ | ita / ai /ita / ai/ | keda / keimami /kenda / kejmami/ | kitautolu / kimautolu /kitautolu / kimautolu/ | ita / ami /ita / ami/ | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ | tātou / mātou /taːtou / maːtou/ |
| Name | ladana /laˈdana/ | ladana /ladana/ | yaca /jaða/ | hingoa /hiŋoa/ | arari /arari/ | igoa /iŋoa/ | igoa /iŋoa/ |
| Person | taunimanima /taunimanima/ | taunimanima /taunimanima/ | tamata /tamata/ | tangata /taŋata/ | taumata /taumata/ | tino /tino/ | tagata /taŋata/ |
| Head | kwarana /kʷarana/ | kwara /kʷaɾa/ | ulu /ulu/ | ʻulu /ʔulu/ | uru /uru/ | ulu /ulu/ | ulu /ulu/ |
| Eye | matana /matana/ | matana /matana/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ |
| Ear | taiana /taiana/ | taiana /taiana/ | daliga /ndaliŋa/ | telinga /teliŋa/ | talinga /taliŋa/ | taliga /taliŋa/ | taliga /taliŋa/ |
| Nose | udubaubauna /udubaubauna/ | udu-baubau /udubaubau/ | ucu /uðu/ | ihu /ihu/ | ngusu /ŋusu/ | isu /isu/ | ihu /ihu/ |
| Mouth | uduna /uduna/ | udu /udu/ | gusu /ŋusu/ | ngutu /ŋutu/ | paa /paa/ | gutu /ŋutu/ | gutu /ŋutu/ |
| Tooth | isena /isena/ | ise /ise/ | bati /mbati/ | nifo /nifo/ | ngalungalu /ŋaluŋalu/ | nifo /nifo/ | nifo /nifo/ |
| Tongue | mala /mala/ | mala /mala/ | yame /jame/ | ʻelelo /ʔelelo/ | ramuramutipa /ramuramutipa/ | alelo /alelo/ | alelo /alelo/ |
| Hand | ima /ima/ | ima /ima/ | liga /liŋa/ | nima /nima/ | nima /nima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ |
| Foot | ae /ae/ | ae /ae/ | yava /java/ | vaʻe /vaʔe/ | keke /keke/ | vae /vae/ | vae /vae/ |
| Heart | kudouna /kudouna/ | kudouna /kudouna/ | uto /uto/ | loto /loto/ | urunguita /uruŋuita/ | fatu /fatu/ | fatu /fatu/ |
| Bone | turia /turia/ | turia /turia/ | sui /sui/ | hui /hui/ | riu /riu/ | ivi /ivi/ | ivi /ivi/ |
| Blood | rara /rara/ | rara /rara/ | dra /ndra/ | toto /toto/ | rae /rae/ | toto /toto/ | toto /toto/ |
| Poop | kukuri /kukuri/ | taḡe /taɣe/ | de /nde/ | taʻe /taʔe/ | — | tae /tae/ | tae /tae/ |
| Love | lalokau /lalokau/ | lalokau /lalokau/ | loloma /loloma/ | ʻofa /ʔofa/ | aielousi /aielousi/ | alofa /alofa/ | alofa /alofa/ |
| Tree | au /au/ | au /au/ | kau /kau/ | ʻakau /ʔakau/ | ai /ai/ | laakau /laːkau/ | lākau /laːkau/ |
| Dog | sisia /sisia/ | sisia /sisia/ | koli /koli/ | kulī /kuliː/ | paua /paua/ | kuli /kuli/ | kuli /kuli/ |
| Cat | pusi /pusi/ | gosi /ɡosi/ | pusi /pusi/ | pusi /pusi/ | busi /busi/ | pusi /pusi/ | puhi /puhi/ |
| Fish | gwarume /ɡʷaɾume/ | gwarume /ɡʷaɾume/ | ika /ika/ | ika /ika/ | kko /kːo/ | ika /ika/ | ika /ika/ |
| Bird | manu /manu/ | manu /ˈmanu/ | manumanu /manumanu/ | manupuna /manupuna/ | ghila /ɣila/ | manu /manu/ | manu /manu/ |
| Butterfly | kaubebe /kaubebe/ | kaubebe /kaubebe/ | bēbē /ᵐbeːᵐbeː/ | pepe /pepe/ | kaubebe /kaubebe/ | pepe /pepe/ | pepe /pepe/ |
| Egg | gatoi /ɡatoi/ | gatoi /ɡatoi/ | yaloka /jaloka/ | foʻi moa /foʔi moa/ | otolu /otolu/ | fuamoa /fuamoa/ | fuāmoa /fuaːmoa/ |
| Bear | bea /bea/ | bea /bea/ | bea /mbea/ | pea /pea/ | beaa /beaː/ | pea /pea/ | pea /pea/ |
| Horse | hosi /hosi/ | hosi /hosi/ | ose /ose/ | hoosi /hoːsi/ | ooso /ooso/ | solofanua /solofanua/ | holofanua /holofanua/ |
| House | ruma /ɾuma/ | ruma /ɾuma/ | vale /βale/ | fale /fale/ | ale /ale/ | fale /fale/ | fale /fale/ |
| Milk | rata /rata/ | rata /rata/ | sucu /suðu/ | huʻakau /huʔakau/ | rarumi ssu /ɾarumi sːu/ | susu /susu/ | huāhuhu /huaːhuhu/ |
| Salt | damena /damena/ | damena /damena/ | masima /masima/ | māsima /maːsima/ | uela /uela/ | masima /masima/ | māhima /maːhima/ |
| Wine | uaina /uaina/ | vine ranuna /vine ɾanuna/ | waini /waini/ | uaine /uaine/ | uaeni /uaeni/ | uaina /uaina/ | uaina /uaina/ |
| Rice | raisi /raisi/ | raisi /raisi/ | raisi /raisi/ | laise /laise/ | — | laisi /laisi/ | — |
| Iron | auri /ˈauɾi/ | auri /ˈauɾi/ | kaukamea /kaukamea/ | ukamea /ukamea/ | aeana /aeana/ | fiti /fiti/ | ukamea /ukamea/ |
| Wheel | uili /uili/ | ava-keikei /avakeikei/ | yava /java/ | veʻeteka /veʔeteka/ | — | teka /teka/ | uili /uili/ |
| Silk | siliki /siliki/ | — | silika /silika/ | silika /silika/ | — | silika /silika/ | hilika /hilika/ |
| Book | buka /ˈbuka/ | buka /buka/ | ivola /ivola/ | tohi /tohi/ | vuku /vuku/ | tusi /tusi/ | tuhi /tuhi/ |
| Eat | ania /ania/ | aniani /aniani/ | kana /kana/ | kai /kai/ | nama /nama/ | kai /kai/ | kai /kai/ |
| Drink | inua /inua/ | inuinu /inuinu/ | gunu /ŋunu/ | inu /inu/ | ropi /ropi/ | inu /inu/ | inu /inu/ |
| Sleep | mahuta /maˈhuta/ | mahuta /maˈhuta/ | moce /moðe/ | mohe /mohe/ | asekanue /asekanue/ | moe /moe/ | moe /moe/ |
| One | ta /ta/ | ta /ta/ | dua /ndua/ | taha /taha/ | sesa /sesa/ | tasi /tasi/ | tahi /tahi/ |
| Two | rua /rua/ | rua /rua/ | rua /rua/ | ua /ua/ | lua /lua/ | lua /lua/ | lua /lua/ |
| Three | toi /toi/ | toi /toi/ | tolu /tolu/ | tolu /tolu/ | kotolu /kotolu/ | tolu /tolu/ | tolu /tolu/ |
| Four | hani /hani/ | hani /hani/ | vā /vaː/ | fā /faː/ | ghaata /ɣaata/ | fā /faː/ | fā /faː/ |
| Five | ima /ima/ | ima /ima/ | lima /lima/ | nima /nima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ |
| Hundred | handred /handred/ | sinahu /sinahu/ | drau /ndrau/ | teau /teau/ | kateva ai /kateva ai/ | selau /selau/ | helau /helau/ |
| Hello | namona /namona/ | namo gida /namo ɡida/ | bula /mbula/ | mālō e lelei /maːloː e lelei/ | elue talaua /elue talaua/ | taalofa /taːlofa/ | malo ni /malo ni/ |
| Thank you | tanikiu /tanikiu/ | oi namo /oi namo/ | vinaka /βinaka/ | mālō /maːloː/ | kaili emasina /kaili emasina/ | fakafetai /fakafetai/ | fakafetai /fakafetai/ |
| Good | namo /namo/ | namo /namo/ | vinaka /βinaka/ | lelei /lelei/ | masina /masina/ | lei /lei/ | lelei /lelei/ |
| New | matamata /matamata/ | matamata /matamata/ | vou /βou/ | foʻou /foʔou/ | ouna /ouna/ | fou /fou/ | fou /fou/ |
| Red | kakakaka /kakakaka/ | kakakaka /kakakaka/ | damudamu /ndamundamu/ | kulokula /kulokula/ | raeraeana /raeraeana/ | kula /kula/ | kukula /kukula/ |
| White | kurokuro /kurokuro/ | kurokuro /kurokuro/ | vulavula /βulaβula/ | hinehina /hinehina/ | usousoana /usousoana/ | kena /kena/ | paepae /paepae/ |
| Black | korema /korema/ | koremakorema /koɾemakoɾema/ | loaloa /loaloa/ | ʻuliʻuli /ʔuliʔuli/ | voovongiena /voovoŋiena/ | uli /uli/ | uli /uli/ |
| Green | gadoka gadoka /ɡadoka ɡadoka/ | gadokagadoka /ɡadokaɡadoka/ | drokadroka /ndrokandroka/ | lanu mata /lanu mata/ | — | lanu lau niu /lanu lau niu/ | lanu meamata /lanu meamata/ |
| Blue | gadoka gadoka /ɡadoka ɡadoka/ | gadokagadoka /ɡadokaɡadoka/ | karakarawa /karakarawa/ | lanu moana /lanu moana/ | — | lanu moana /lanu moana/ | lanumoana /lanumoana/ |
| Computer | kompiuta /kompiuta/ | kompiuta /kompiuta/ | kompiuta /kompiuta/ | komipiuta /komipiuta/ | — | komupiuta /komupiuta/ | komepiuta /komepiuta/ |
| Tea | ti /ti/ | ti /ti/ | tī /tiː/ | tī /tiː/ | — | tī /tiː/ | — |
| Coffee | kofi /kofi/ | kofi /kofi/ | kofi /kofi/ | kofi /kofi/ | — | kofe /kofe/ | — |
| Sugar | suga /suɡa/ | suga /suɡa/ | suka /suka/ | suka /suka/ | — | suka /suka/ | — |
| Orange | orans /orans/ | — | moli /moli/ | moli /moli/ | — | moli /moli/ | moli /moli/ |
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