Alekano, or Gahuku (Gahuku-Gama), is a Papuan language spoken in Gahuku Rural LLG of Eastern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea. There are about 25,000 speakers.
Alekano is also known as Gahuku, after the name of the largest clan of speakers, or Gama, after the second largest clan. Calling the language by these names has been rejected by speakers who are not members of these clans. Alekano was proposed as a suitable new name by the linguist Rev Dr Ellis Deibler, and it might be considered the official name by linguists. The name is almost unknown to speakers of the Gahuku and Gama clans. "Alekano" means "bring it". In two closely related languages spoken directly to the northwest, Tokano and Dano, it has the same meaning.Deibler, Ellis W. 1987. "The function of glottal stop in Gahuku." In John M. Clifton (ed.), Studies in Melanesian orthographies, 23-30. Data Papers on Papua New Guinea Languages, 33. Ukarumpa: Summer Institute of Linguistics. Deibler, Ellis W., compiler. Available: 2008; Created: 2008. Dictionaries of Alekano - English and English - Alekano. [Manuscript] iii, 311 p.
Phonology Alekano has 5 vowels, all unrounded, which is exceptional. It has 12 consonants, but is found only in the village Wanima, in derivations or in pidgin loanwords.1992. Alekano Organised Phonology Data. [Manuscript]
Vowels Front Back High Mid Low
Glottal coda In Alekano, a syllable may be closed only with a glottal stop, as in "enough". That is currently not treated as a consonant, but it is unclear if words written as vowel initial begin with a glottal stop. It is written as an acute accent in the orthography, for example, ánesí.
Consonants Bilabial Alveolar Velar Glottal Nasal Plosive Approximant ~ Sibilant The lateral is initially and between vowels.
Syllables The most complex syllables are of the form : VV may be a diphthong of , , or followed by or , or of . Other vowels may also occur in sequence (hiatus).
Tone Alekano has low and high tones but with a very low functional load. HL receives strong stress, LH lesser stress.
Grammar Alekano is a subject–object–verb (SOV) language.
Orthography Alekano uses the Latin script. IPAɑeɣhiklmnɤpsztɯβ LetterAaEeGgHhIiKkLlMmNnOoPpSsZzTtUuVv
References
External links Alekano dictionary An open access archive of Alekano audio and video are available through the Kaipuleohone.