Akoye, also known as Lohiki or Maihiri (Mai-Hea-Ri), is an Angan language of Papua New Guinea.

Phonology

Akoye has a small phonemic inventory, which is not well described.[2]

Consonants are /p t k, f s, m n, w/ and maybe /j/.[3] The first four are usually voiced to [b ɾ ɡ v] after a monophthongal vowel, though sometimes the voicing is blocked for unknown reasons.

Vowels are /i e ə ɑ o u/. Diphthongs (/ɑi, əi, oi, ɑu/) are said to be rare, though vowel sequences are common, so these are perhaps not equivalent.[4]

The most complex syllable is CCVV: /mtəəpə/ 'hair', /əəkwɑi/ 'eye'.

Tone plays a role: /ə̀ɡənə/ 'sky', /əɡə́nə/ 'lid'; /pɑɑ́/ (sp. bird), /pɑ̀ɑ/ 'body'.

References

• OLAC resources in and about the Akoye language

Further reading

• Whitney, Henry; Whitney, Virginia (2000). Akoye Phonology Essentials (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-07-10. Retrieved 2018-07-09.
• Whitney, Henry (1999). Akoye Non-final Clauses (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-07-23. Retrieved 2018-07-23.
• Whitney, Henry (1992). Organised Phonology Data (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2014-02-21.