Nalca
Trans-New Guinea
Nalca is a Trans-New Guinea Mek-family language of the central Highlands of Papua, Indonesia, spoken by ~10,000 people in the Yahukimo Regency. The Mek family (Eipo, Yale, Una, Nalca, Mek, etc. — ~12 languages, ~50,000 total speakers) is one of the smaller Trans-New Guinea subgroups, occupying the Star Mountains and the western Eastern Highlands. Linguistically, Nalca shares Mek-family features with classical Trans-New Guinea typology: SOV constituent order, postpositions, complex verb morphology with hierarchical agreement, and noun classifiers. SIL Bible translation work since the 1990s has produced literacy materials in Nalca; the Mek-family Eipo Bible (1992) was a notable Mek-family Bible translation project.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Nalca
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Trans-New Guinea
| Meaning | Nalca | Faiwol | Toba Batak | North Moluccan Malay | Ambon Malay | Musi | Batak Angkola |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | mek /mek/ | ok /ok/ | aek /aek/ | aer /aer/ | aer /aer/ | ayek /ajek/ | aek /aek/ |
| Fire | uk /uk/ | baal /baːl/ | api /api/ | api /api/ | api /api/ | api /api/ | api /api/ |
| Sun | heng /heŋ/ | kibel /kibel/ | mata ni ari /mata ni ari/ | matahari /matahari/ | mata hari /mata hari/ | matahari /matahari/ | mata ni ari /mata ni ari/ |
| Moon | walaʼ /walaʔ/ | ulup /ulup/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulang /bulaŋ/ | bulan /bulan/ | bulan /bulan/ |
| Star | guraʼ /ɡuraʔ/ | milum /milum/ | bintang /bintaŋ/ | bintang /bintaŋ/ | bintang /bintaŋ/ | bintang /bintaŋ/ | bintang /bintaŋ/ |
| Night | inimik /inimik/ | am midla /am midla/ | borngin /borŋin/ | malam /malam/ | malang /malaŋ/ | malem /maləm/ | borngin /borŋin/ |
| Rain | mok /mok/ | weiw /weiw/ | udan /uˈdan/ | ujang /uˈdʒaŋ/ | ujang /udʒaŋ/ | ujan /uˈdʒan/ | udan /uˈdan/ |
| Wind | kaboʼ /kaboʔ/ | gedul /ɡedul/ | alogo /aloɡo/ | angin /aŋin/ | anging /aŋiŋ/ | angin /aŋin/ | angin /aŋin/ |
| Earth | suk /suk/ | bakan /bakan/ | tano /tano/ | tana /tana/ | tana /tana/ | tanah /tanah/ | tano /tano/ |
| Stone | kirik /kirik/ | tum /tum/ | batu /batu/ | batu /batu/ | batu /batu/ | batu /batu/ | batu /batu/ |
| Mountain | mein /mein/ | amgu /amɡu/ | dolok /dolok/ | gunung /ɡunuŋ/ | gunung /ɡunuŋ/ | gunung /ɡunuŋ/ | dolok /dolok/ |
| Sea | mek gwan /mek ɡwan/ | yol wok /jol wok/ | laut /laut/ | lao /lao/ | lau /lau/ | laot /laot/ | laut /laut/ |
| Mother | genong /ɡenoŋ/ | anim /anim/ | ina /ina/ | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | mak /mak/ | inang /inaŋ/ |
| Father | neyung /nejuŋ/ | atim /atim/ | ama /ama/ | papa /papa/ | papa /papa/ | bapak /bapak/ | amang /amaŋ/ |
| Daughter | gelma /ɡelma/ | mun /mun/ | boru /boru/ | ana parampuang /ana parampuaŋ/ | ana parangpuang /ana paraŋpuaŋ/ | — | boru /boru/ |
| I | na /na/ | na /na/ | ahu /ahu/ | kita /kita/ | beta /beta/ | aku /aku/ | au /au/ |
| You | an /an/ | kaba /kaba/ | ho /ho/ | ngana /ŋana/ | ose /ose/ | kau /kau/ | ho /ho/ |
| We | nun /nun/ | nu /nu/ | hita / hami /hita / hami/ | torang /toraŋ/ | katong /katoŋ/ | kito / kami /kito / kami/ | hita / hami /hita / hami/ |
| Name | si /si/ | win /win/ | goar /ɡoar/ | nama /nama/ | nama /nama/ | namo /namo/ | goar /ɡoar/ |
| Person | nim /nim/ | kinim /kinim/ | halak /halak/ | orang /oraŋ/ | orang /oraŋ/ | wong /woŋ/ | halak /halak/ |
| Head | huk /huk/ | gebom /ɡebom/ | ulu /ulu/ | kapala /kapala/ | kapala /kapala/ | palak /palak/ | ulu /ulu/ |
| Eye | heng /heŋ/ | nin /nin/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mata /mata/ | mato /mato/ | mata /mata/ |
| Ear | o /o/ | kalun /kalun/ | pinggol /piŋɡol/ | talinga /taliŋa/ | talinga /taliŋa/ | telingo /teliŋo/ | pinggol /piŋɡol/ |
| Mouth | sibamaʼ /sibamaʔ/ | bon /bon/ | baba /baba/ | mulu /mulu/ | mulu /mulu/ | mulut /mulut/ | baba /baba/ |
| Tooth | si /si/ | kail /kaʔil/ | ngingi /ŋiŋi/ | gigi /ɡiɡi/ | gigi /ɡiɡi/ | gigi /ɡiɡi/ | ipon /ipon/ |
| Tongue | silyum /siljum/ | falang /falaŋ/ | dila /dila/ | lida /lida/ | lida /lida/ | lidah /lidah/ | dila /dila/ |
| Hand | soruk /soruk/ | miim /miːm/ | tangan /taŋan/ | tangang /taŋaŋ/ | tangang /taŋaŋ/ | tangan /taŋan/ | tangan /taŋan/ |
| Foot | yan /jan/ | jɑn /jɑn/ | pat /pat/ | kaki /kaki/ | kaki /kaki/ | — | pat /pat/ |
| Heart | ganya /ɡanja/ | kayem /kajem/ | roha /roha/ | hati /hati/ | hati /hati/ | hati /hati/ | roha /roha/ |
| Bone | yog /joɡ/ | kun /kun/ | holi-holi /holiˈholi/ | tulang /tulaŋ/ | tulang /tulaŋ/ | tulang /tulaŋ/ | holi-holi /holiˈholi/ |
| Blood | eneng /eneŋ/ | kaim /kaim/ | mudar /mudar/ | dara /dara/ | dara /dara/ | darah /darah/ | mudar /mudar/ |
| Love | wanaʼ /wanaʔ/ | kunum /kunum/ | holong /holoŋ/ | sayang /sajaŋ/ | sayang /sajaŋ/ | sayang /sajaŋ/ | holong /holoŋ/ |
| Tree | gal /ɡal/ | biin /biːn/ | hau /hau/ | pohong /pohoŋ/ | pohong /pohoŋ/ | kayu /kaju/ | hayu /haju/ |
| Dog | gam /ɡam/ | kuyak /kujak/ | biang /biaŋ/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | anjing /andʒiŋ/ | asu /asu/ |
| Cat | kucing /kutʃiŋ/ | kit /kit/ | huting /hutiŋ/ | ikung /ikuŋ/ | kucing /kutʃiŋ/ | kucing /kutʃiŋ/ | huting /hutiŋ/ |
| Fish | hadyaʼ /hadjaʔ/ | takam /takam/ | dekke /ˈdekːe/ | ikang /ˈikaŋ/ | ikang /ˈikaŋ/ | ikan /ˈikan/ | ihan /ˈihan/ |
| Bird | wining /winiŋ/ | awon /awon/ | pidong /pidoŋ/ | burung /buruŋ/ | burung /buruŋ/ | burung /buruŋ/ | unggas /uŋɡas/ |
| Egg | doug /douɡ/ | — | pira /pira/ | tolor /tolor/ | telor /təlor/ | telok /telok/ | pira /pira/ |
| Horse | abaksin pam /abaksin pam/ | auos /auos/ | hoda /hoda/ | kuda /kuda/ | kuda /kuda/ | — | kudo /kudo/ |
| House | e /e/ | am /am/ | jabu /dʒabu/ | ruma /ruma/ | ruma /ruma/ | rumah /rumah/ | bagas /baɡas/ |
| Milk | moum /moum/ | muk /muk/ | susu /susu/ | susu /susu/ | susu /susu/ | susu /susu/ | susu /susu/ |
| Honey | lusa mek /lusa mek/ | kin wok /kin wok/ | situak ni loba /situak ni loba/ | madu /madu/ | madu /madu/ | — | aer ni loba /aer ni loba/ |
| Salt | garam /ɡaram/ | yol /jol/ | sira /sira/ | garam /ɡaram/ | garang /ɡaraŋ/ | garam /ɡaram/ | sira /sira/ |
| Wine | anggur mek /aŋɡur mek/ | wain /wain/ | anggur /aŋɡur/ | anggur /ˈaŋɡur/ | anggor /ˈaŋɡor/ | — | anggur /aŋɡur/ |
| Iron | besi /besi/ | ayen /ajen/ | bosi /bosi/ | besi /besi/ | besi /besi/ | besi /bəsi/ | bosi /bosi/ |
| Book | buku /buku/ | buk /buk/ | buku /buku/ | buku /buku/ | buku /buku/ | buku /buku/ | buku /buku/ |
| Eat | de /de/ | nemin /nemin/ | mangan /maŋan/ | makang /makaŋ/ | makang /makaŋ/ | makan /makan/ | mangan /maŋan/ |
| Drink | mi ne /mi ne/ | ok ne /ok ne/ | minum /minum/ | minong /minoŋ/ | minong /minoŋ/ | minum /minum/ | minum /minum/ |
| One | hnon /hnon/ | makuw /makuw/ | sada /sada/ | satu /satu/ | satu /satu/ | siko /siko/ | sada /sada/ |
| Two | phein /pʰein/ | alew /alew/ | dua /dua/ | dua /dua/ | dua /dua/ | duo /duo/ | dua /dua/ |
| Three | hukuya /hukuja/ | alewbino /alewbino/ | tolu /tolu/ | tiga /tiɡa/ | tiga /tiɡa/ | tigo /tiɡo/ | tolu /tolu/ |
| Four | dombadya /dombadja/ | alalew /alalew/ | opat /opat/ | ampa /ampa/ | ampa /ampa/ | empat /əmpat/ | opat /opat/ |
| Five | lambadya /lambadja/ | auok kal /auok kal/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | lima /lima/ | limo /limo/ | lima /lima/ |
| Hello | silok /silok/ | ben kaba /ben kaba/ | horas /horas/ | cerang /tʃeraŋ/ | hela /hela/ | halo /halo/ | horas /horas/ |
| Thank you | amole /amole/ | ngam ngam /ŋam ŋam/ | mauliate /mauliate/ | tarima kase /tarima kase/ | tarima kase /tarima kase/ | terimo kasih /terimo kasih/ | mauliate /mauliate/ |
| Good | perob /perob/ | kanim /kanim/ | denggan /deŋɡan/ | bae /bae/ | bagus /baɡus/ | bagus /baɡus/ | denggan /deŋɡan/ |
| New | wenyok /wenjok/ | alokso /alokso/ | imbaru /imbaru/ | baru /baru/ | baru /baru/ | anyar /aɲar/ | imbaru /imbaru/ |
| Red | kanb /kanb/ | kaim /kʰaim/ | rara /rara/ | mera /ˈmera/ | mera /ˈmera/ | merah /ˈmerah/ | rara /rara/ |
| White | kul /kul/ | namal /namal/ | bontar /bontar/ | puti /puti/ | puti /puti/ | putih /putih/ | bontar /bontar/ |
| Black | miding /midiŋ/ | mitik /mitik/ | birong /biroŋ/ | itam /itam/ | itang /itaŋ/ | item /itəm/ | lomlom /lomlom/ |
| Green | sugulamla /suɡulamla/ | — | rata /rata/ | ijo /idʒo/ | ijo /idʒo/ | ijo /idʒo/ | rata /rata/ |
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