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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.[2]

Alekano
Gahuku
Native to	Papua New Guinea
Region	Gahuku Rural LLG, Goroka District, Eastern Highlands Province
Native speakers	25,000 (1999)[1]
Language family	Trans–New Guinea Kainantu–Goroka Goroka Gahuku Alekano
Writing system	Latin
Language codes
ISO 639-3	gah
Glottolog	alek1238
ELP	Alekano
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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, and Alekano has been largely adopted as the official name. The latter name means "bring it". In two closely related languages spoken directly to the northwest, Tokano and Dano, it has the same meaning.[3][4]

Phonology

Alekano has 5 vowels, all unrounded, which is exceptional. It has 12 consonants, but /w/ is found only in the village Wanima, in derivations or in pidgin loanwords.[5]

Vowels

	Front	Back
High	i	ɯ
Mid	e	ɤ
Low		ɑ

Glottal coda

In Alekano, a syllable may be closed only with a glottal stop, as in /ɑʔnesiʔ/ "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.[4]

Consonants

		Bilabial	Alveolar	Velar	Glottal
Nasal		m	n
Plosive		p	t	k
Approximant		β	l~ɽ	ɣ	h
Sibilant	voiceless		s
	voiced		z

The lateral is [l] initially and [ɽ] between vowels.

Syllables

The most complex syllables are of the form /CVVʔ/: VV may be a diphthong of /ɑ/, /e/, or /ɤ/ followed by /i/ or /ɯ/, or of /iɯ/. 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.[6]

Orthography

Alekano uses the Latin script.[5]

IPA	ɑ	e	ɣ	h	i	k	l	m	n	ɤ	p	s	z	t	ɯ	β
Letter	Aa	Ee	Gg	Hh	Ii	Kk	Ll	Mm	Nn	Oo	Pp	Ss	Zz	Tt	Uu	Vv

References

External links

• Alekano dictionary Archived 2012-10-15 at the Wayback Machine
• An open access archive of Alekano audio and video are available through the Kaipuleohone.

На других языках

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- [en] Alekano language

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[fr] Alekano

L'alekano, ou gahuku (gahuku-gama), est une langue papoue parlée dans les Hautes-Terres Orientales, en Papouasie-Nouvelle-Guinée. Elle compte environ 25 000 locuteurs.

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[ru] Алекано

Алекано (Alerano, Gafuku, Gahuku, Gahuku-Gama) — папуасский язык, на котором говорит народ гахуку (кахуку), проживающий на территории города Горока округа Горока провинции Истерн-Хайлендс в Папуа-Новой Гвинее. Название алекано в переводе означает «приносить это». В двух близкородственных языках, на которых непосредственно говорят на северо-западе, токано и дано, это также означает «приносить это». Также похож на языки бенабена, дано, сиане, токано и явеюха.

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