Kobon Language (kpw) - Revision history

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Description: Kobon (pronounced Kombon) is a language of Papua New Guin...
2009-08-13T18:34:29Z

New page: <table valign=top> <tr> <td valign=top align=left width="50%"> <table valign=top> <tr><td><b>Description:</b> Kobon (pronounced Kombon) is a language of Papua New Guin...

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<tr><td><b>Description:</b>

Kobon (pronounced Kombon) is a language of Papua New Guinea. It has somewhere around 90-120 verbs.
Kobon is spoken in Papua New Guinea.
Kobon distinguishes an alveolar lateral /l/, an alveolopalatal lateral /ȴ/, and a retroflex lateral flap.
Kobon is an SOV language.
Like the other Kalam languages, Kobon is famous for having a very small number of verbs—perhaps less than 120 for the entire language. These verbs are combined with nouns into phrases with specific meanings, much as one says "have dinner" rather than "dine" in English.
This makes for an interesting window into semantics. One might expect that with a very limited set of verbs, their meanings would be quite general, as have, do, be and go are in English. To some extent this is born out. For example, there is only one verb of perception. That is, the same verb is used for see, hear, taste, smell, feel (both physically and emotionally), think, and understand (compare with "I see" for "I understand" in English). Another verb is used for making sound, whether it's speaking, singing, praying, crying, twigs breaking, rocks clattering, or water gurgling. However, some Kobon verbs are quite specific. There is one exception for<i>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/index.html?curid=1581675 ..... full article at Wikipedia]</i></td></tr>
<tr><td><h2>Location of Kobon Language Speakers</h2>
http://llmap.org/languages/kpw/static_map.png?width=400&height=300&kilroywashere=.png
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<tr><td><h2>Rosetta Document Collection</h2>
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<tr><td>Detailed Description:</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>1</td><td>[http://www.archive.org/details/rosettaproject_kpw_detail-1 (download)]</td><td>[http://www.archive.org/stream/rosettaproject_kpw_detail-1 (browse)] </td></tr>
<tr><td>Phonology:</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>1</td><td>[http://www.archive.org/details/rosettaproject_kpw_phon-1 (download)]</td><td>[http://www.archive.org/stream/rosettaproject_kpw_phon-1 (browse)] </td></tr>
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<h2>Overview</h2>

<tr><td><b>Main Country: </b></td><td>[http://www.freebase.com/view/en/papua_new_guinea Papua New Guinea]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Spoken In: </b></td><td>

<b><i>Regions: </i></b>[http:///www.freebase.com/view/en/oceania Oceania]
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<tr><td><b>ISO 639-3 Code: </b></td><td>kpw</td></tr>

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<tr><td><h2>Classification Taxonomy</h2>
[[All Languages]]

  [[Trans-New Guinea Group]]

    [[Main Section Group]]

      [[Central and Western Group]]

        [[East new guinea highlands Central and Western Group]]

          [[Kalam Group]]

            [[Kalam-Kobon Group]]

              <b>[[Kobon Language]]</b>

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