Moi language
Moi is a West Papuan language of the Bird's Head Peninsula of New Guinea. PhonologyConsonants
[ʔ] is in free variation with /k/ in word-final position. Vowels
/i, u/ can also be heard as [ɪ, ʊ].[2] MorphologyVerb morphologyVerbs agree with the grammatical subject for person, number and, in the third-person, for gender. There are three grammatical genders: masculine, feminine and non-human. For the third person plural, the gender distinction applies only for human vs. non-human. For the first person plural, there exists a two way clusivity distinction. The agreement markers are prefixes on the main verb. [3]
Along with agreement prefixes cross-referencing the grammatical number of the subject, the verb stem itself can reflect number too: there may be one stem allomorph with front vowels (singular agreement) and one with back vowels (plural agreement). (1f): aa-ya-faagu DU-3PL.H-collect kawak stone n-uu-s 3PL.NH-at.PL-PERF ow DEM 'They both collected stones there' [7] (1g): aa-m-oka DU-1PL.EXCL-assume aa-n-ankar DU-2PL-cheat mam 1PL.EXCL 'We both thought that the two of you cheated us' [7] (1h): ara breadfruit.tree n-eesin 3PL.NH-fruit n-oolok 3PL.NH-fall n-osu 3PL.NH-to aali below 'Fruits of the breadfruit tree fell down' As can be seen in the examples (1d) and (1f) and elaborated on by Menick, elements corresponding to prepositions in English share characteristics with verbs, which is why the conclusion can be made that the lexical category of adpositions is absent in Moi.[6] Nominal morphologyInalienable nouns are obligatorily marked by prefixes for the possessor agreement (see example (1h) ara n-eesin 'breadfruit fruits', literally 'breadfruit tree its fruits') NegationTo negate a clause, the particle dau following the verb is used: (2a): ne-Moi person-Moi y-eek 3PL.H-know dau NEG yawa sago.tree k-ow PROX.DEM 'Moi people did not know this sago tree'[6] The same particle can also negate a noun phrase: (2b): ne-Moi person-Moi dau NEG y-eek 3PL.H-know yawa sago.tree k-ow PROX.DEM 'not the Moi people knew this sago tree'[6] (2c): ne-Moi person-Moi y-eek 3PL.H-know yawa sago.tree k-ow PROX.DEM dau NEG 'the Moi people knew not this sago tree'[6] AspectThe verb -ein indicates perfective aspect. It can also be indicated by the means of the suffix -s appended to the verb, cf ex. (1f) above. (3): ya-sak 3PL.H-cross Kalasowo river.name aali-ow below-DEM p-ein 3SG.NH-finish y-umu 3PL.H-leave:PL 'After they had crossed the Kalasowo river, they left.' References
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