Kalam
Trans-New Guinea (Madang, Kalam-Kobon)
Kalam (autonymously "Kalam") is a Trans-New Guinea language of the Schrader Range in highland Madang Province, Papua New Guinea. Linguistically famous for two reasons: (1) the "pandanus language" — a parallel ritual lexicon used during pandanus-nut harvesting that systematically substitutes alternative roots for everyday words; and (2) extreme verbal compounding (serial verb constructions where a single grammatical predicate may incorporate up to 6+ verb roots), exhaustively documented in Pawley & Bulmer's 1500+ page Dictionary of Kalam (2011) which combines linguistic analysis with extensive ethnobiological documentation of plants, animals, and traditional knowledge. The Kalam are also linguistically notable for systems of evidentiality and elaborate kinship terminology.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Kalam
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Trans-New Guinea (Madang, Kalam-Kobon)
| Meaning | Kalam | Enga | Faiwol | Yugh | Rotokas | Tok Pisin | Yagaria |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ñg /ɲəɡ/ | endaki /endaki/ | ok /ok/ | хур /xur/ | uukoa /uːkoa/ | wara /waɾa/ | nina /nina/ |
| Fire | mon /mon/ | ita /ita/ | baal /baːl/ | бок /bok/ | tuitui /tuitui/ | paia /paja/ | hali /hali/ |
| Sun | pub /pub/ | niki /niki/ | kibel /kibel/ | ыга /ɨɣa/ | ravireo /ɾaβiɾeo/ | san /san/ | yege /jeɡe/ |
| Moon | takn /takən/ | kana /kana/ | ulup /ulup/ | хып /xɨp/ | kekira /kekiɾa/ | mun /mun/ | gei /ɡei/ |
| Star | gap /ɡap/ | bui /bui/ | milum /milum/ | алаӈ /alaŋ/ | aaviiko /aːβiːko/ | sta /sta/ | ganevi /ɡanevi/ |
| Night | ksim /ksim/ | kuka /kuka/ | am midla /am midla/ | си /si/ | rupa /ɾupa/ | nait /nait/ | hanena /hanena/ |
| Rain | mñmon /məɲmon/ | apu /apu/ | weiw /weiw/ | — | kokeva /kokeβa/ | ren /ren/ | gona /ɡona/ |
| Wind | ygen /jɨɡen/ | poo /poː/ | gedul /ɡedul/ | — | kiuvu /kiuβu/ | win /win/ | yasi /jasi/ |
| Earth | lum /lum/ | yuu /juː/ | bakan /bakan/ | — | rasito /ɾasito/ | graun /ɡraun/ | igopa /iɡopa/ |
| Stone | kab /kab/ | kana /kana/ | tum /tum/ | — | aveke /aβeke/ | ston /ston/ | yavana /javana/ |
| Mountain | dum /dum/ | yuu manda /juː manda/ | amgu /amɡu/ | — | pukui /pukui/ | maunten /maunten/ | ae /ae/ |
| Mother | ami /ami/ | endangi /endaŋɡi/ | anim /anim/ | ам /am/ | aako /aːko/ | mama /mama/ | nene /nene/ |
| Father | bapi /bapi/ | takange /takaŋɡe/ | atim /atim/ | оп /op/ | aite /aite/ | papa /papa/ | papa /papa/ |
| Daughter | pañ /paɲ/ | wanenge /waneŋɡe/ | mun /mun/ | — | oviiva /oβiːβa/ | pikinini meri /pikinini meri/ | abade /abade/ |
| I | yad /jad/ | namba /namba/ | na /na/ | ай /aj/ | ragai /ɾaɡai/ | mi /mi/ | dagaea /daɡaea/ |
| You | nad /nad/ | emba /emba/ | kaba /kaba/ | у /uː/ | vii /βiː/ | yu /ju/ | gagaea /ɡaɡaea/ |
| We | cn /tʃən/ | naima /naima/ | nu /nu/ | этн /ətn/ | vigei / igei /βiɡei / iɡei/ | yumi / mipela /jumi / mipela/ | lagaea /laɡaea/ |
| Name | yb /jɨb/ | kenge /keŋɡe/ | win /win/ | и /iː/ | vaisia /βaisia/ | nem /nem/ | agi /aɡi/ |
| Head | jun /dʒun/ | ayamba /ajamba/ | gebom /ɡebom/ | — | kukue /kukue/ | het /het/ | anuna /anuna/ |
| Eye | wdn /udən/ | lenge /leŋɡe/ | nin /nin/ | ден /den/ | osireito /osiɾeito/ | ai /aj/ | oulega /ouleɡa/ |
| Ear | tmd /təməd/ | kale /kale/ | kalun /kalun/ | охти /oχti/ | uvareoua /uβaɾeoua/ | yau /jau/ | ageta /aɡeta/ |
| Nose | mluk /mluk/ | lyaa /ʎaː/ | mutum /mutum/ | — | iruvaoto /iɾuβaoto/ | nus /nus/ | agota /aɡota/ |
| Mouth | megmgan /meɡməɡan/ | kambu /kambu/ | bon /bon/ | — | akuta /akuta/ | maus /maus/ | haeyapa /haejapa/ |
| Tooth | meg /meɡ/ | nenge /neŋɡe/ | kail /kaʔil/ | ит /it/ | reuri /ɾeuɾi/ | tit /tit/ | haemota /haemota/ |
| Tongue | aleb /aleb/ | keke /keke/ | falang /falaŋ/ | эй /ej/ | arevuoto /aɾeβuoto/ | tang /taŋ/ | nevoda /nevoda/ |
| Hand | ñn /ɲən/ | kingi /kiŋɡi/ | miim /miːm/ | хы /xɨ/ | vavae /βaβae/ | han /han/ | anita /anita/ |
| Foot | tob /tob/ | moko /moko/ | jɑn /jɑn/ | бул /bul/ | kokoto /kokoto/ | lek /lek/ | iya /ija/ |
| Heart | mdmagi /mədmaɡi/ | mona /mona/ | kayem /kajem/ | кутʼ /kutʼ/ | vovouisi /βoβouisi/ | bel /bel/ | alutumopa /alutumopa/ |
| Bone | tgɩ /təɡɪ/ | kuli /kuli/ | kun /kun/ | аʼт /aʔt/ | kerua /keɾua/ | bun /bun/ | apova /apova/ |
| Blood | lkañ /lkaɲ/ | taiyoko /taijoko/ | kaim /kaim/ | сур /sur/ | revasiva /ɾeβasiβa/ | blut /blut/ | golana /ɡolana/ |
| Poop | sb /səb/ | — | — | — | — | pekpek /pɛkpɛk/ | — |
| Love | — /—/ | auu kaenge /auː kaeŋɡe/ | kunum /kunum/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | laikim /lajkim/ | amige /amiɡe/ |
| Tree | mon /mon/ | ita /ita/ | biin /biːn/ | ос /os/ | evaova /eβaoβa/ | diwai /diwaj/ | yava /java/ |
| Dog | kayn /kajn/ | yana /jana/ | kuyak /kujak/ | тʼип /tʼip/ | kaakau /kaːkau/ | dok /dok/ | gala /ɡala/ |
| Cat | pus /pus/ | pusi /pusi/ | kit /kit/ | — /—/ | — /—/ | pusi /pusi/ | pusi /pusi/ |
| Fish | kobsal /kobsal/ | amane /amane/ | takam /takam/ | ис /is/ | atarito /ataɾito/ | pis /pis/ | fayana /fajana/ |
| Bird | yakt /jakt/ | yaka /jaka/ | awon /awon/ | — | kokio /kokio/ | pisin /ˈpisin/ | nama /nama/ |
| Butterfly | gogaŋ /ɡoɡaŋ/ | — | — | — | kokopuoto /kokopuoto/ | bataplai /bataplaj/ | gokopala /ɡokopala/ |
| Egg | yakt magi /jakt maɡi/ | tuku /tuku/ | — | еӈ /eːŋ/ | takura /takuɾa/ | kiau /kiau/ | amuna /amuna/ |
| Horse | kaj hos /kadʒ hos/ | osa /osa/ | auos /auos/ | — | hos /hos/ | hos /hos/ | silumata /silumata/ |
| House | kotp /kotəp/ | anda /anda/ | am /am/ | хус /xus/ | kepa /kepa/ | haus /haus/ | yona /jona/ |
| Milk | ti mk /ti muk/ | andu /andu/ | muk /muk/ | — | — | susu /susu/ | duna /duna/ |
| Honey | bojm magi /bodʒim maɡi/ | oni /oni/ | kin wok /kin wok/ | — | koisi ovi /koisi oβi/ | hani /hani/ | utaʼ gabe /utaʔ ɡabe/ |
| Salt | pi /pi/ | aipi /aipi/ | yol /jol/ | — | avaka /aβaka/ | sol /sol/ | hage /haɡe/ |
| Wine | wain /wain/ | waene /waene/ | wain /wain/ | — | wain /wain/ | wain /wain/ | vaeni /vaeni/ |
| Rice | lays /lajs/ | — | — | — | — | rais /rais/ | laesi /laesi/ |
| Iron | ayn /ajn/ | aene /aene/ | ayen /ajen/ | — | ain /ain/ | ain /ain/ | aeni /aeni/ |
| Book | buk /buk/ | buku /buku/ | buk /buk/ | — | vuku /βuku/ | buk /buk/ | buku /buku/ |
| Eat | ñb /ɲəb/ | nepenge /nepeŋɡe/ | nemin /nemin/ | фен /fen/ | aio /aio/ | kaikai /kajkaj/ | na /na/ |
| Drink | ñb /ɲəb/ | na pee /na peː/ | ok ne /ok ne/ | эт /et/ | ukaio /ukaio/ | dring /dɾiŋ/ | nava /nava/ |
| Sleep | wsn kn- /wəsən kən/ | luu palenge /luː paleŋɡe/ | akál /akɑl/ | — | uusi /uːsi/ | slip /slip/ | hao /hao/ |
| One | nokom /nokom/ | mendai /mendai/ | makuw /makuw/ | хуса /xusa/ | katai /katai/ | wanpela /wanpɛla/ | bogo /boɡo/ |
| Two | omŋal /omŋal/ | lapo /lapo/ | alew /alew/ | хынам /xɨnam/ | erao /eɾao/ | tu /tu/ | lole /lole/ |
| Three | omŋal nokom /omŋal nokom/ | tepo /tepo/ | alewbino /alewbino/ | доӈ /doŋ/ | vo peva /βo peβa/ | tripela /tripɛla/ | loleʼe bogeʼe /loleʔe boɡeʔe/ |
| Four | omŋal omŋal /omŋal omŋal/ | kitomende /kitomende/ | alalew /alalew/ | — | vo resura /βo ɾesuɾa/ | fopela /fopɛla/ | loleʼe loleʼe /loleʔe loleʔe/ |
| Five | omŋal omŋal nokom /omŋal omŋal nokom/ | yuungi /juːŋɡi/ | auok kal /auok kal/ | хак /xaːk/ | vo vavae /βo βaβae/ | faiv /faiv/ | faefu /faefu/ |
| Hello | ñn /ɲən/ | kotaka /kotaka/ | ben kaba /ben kaba/ | — /—/ | vearoa /βeaɾoa/ | halo /halo/ | amige /amiɡe/ |
| Thank you | ñib /ɲib/ | yaka pilyino lenge /jaka piʎino leŋɡe/ | ngam ngam /ŋam ŋam/ | — /—/ | vearovira /βeaɾoβiɾa/ | tenkyu /tɛŋkju/ | tega /teɡa/ |
| Good | tep /tep/ | epe /epe/ | kanim /kanim/ | — /—/ | rekoreko /ɾekoɾeko/ | gutpela /ɡutpɛla/ | kavi /kavi/ |
| New | ksen /ksen/ | enenge /eneŋɡe/ | alokso /alokso/ | — | aire /aiɾe/ | nupela /nupɛla/ | souva /souva/ |
| Red | lkañ /lkaɲ/ | kone /kone/ | kaim /kʰaim/ | сулʲ /sulʲ/ | revasia /ɾeβasia/ | retpela /retpela/ | golaʼ /ɡolaʔ/ |
| White | tud /tud/ | kyeo /kjeo/ | namal /namal/ | — | popote /popote/ | waitpela /waitpela/ | efeʼ /efeʔ/ |
| Black | mosb /mosəb/ | pumbuti /pumbuti/ | mitik /mitik/ | — | rupa /ɾupa/ | blakpela /blakpela/ | nupa /nupa/ |
| Green | kmab /kmab/ | sakapae /sakapae/ | — | — | kokovara /kokoβaɾa/ | grinpela /ɡrinpela/ | — |
| Blue | muk /muk/ | sakapae /sakapae/ | — | — | kuuva /kuːβa/ | blupela /blupela/ | gumo /ɡumo/ |
| Sugar | suka /suka/ | suka /suka/ | — | — | — | suga /suɡa/ | sukana /sukana/ |
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