# Mailu language

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mailu_language
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Mailu_language.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mailu_language
> Source revision: 1330604438
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Papuan language of Papua New Guinea

Not to be confused with [Magɨ language (Madang Province)](/source/Mag%C9%A8_language_(Madang_Province)).

Mailu Magɨ Native to Papua New Guinea Region Central Province Native speakers (8,500 cited 2000 census)[1] Language family Trans–New Guinea Mailuan Mailu Language codes ISO 639-3 mgu Glottolog mail1248

**Mailu**, or **Magi** (Magɨ), is a [Papuan language](/source/Papuan_languages) of [Papua New Guinea](/source/Papua_New_Guinea).

## Overview

Magi is a non-Austronesian language spoken by upwards of 6000 people living on the islands of [Mailu](/source/Mailu_Island), Laluoru, Loupomu and Eunuoro and along the south coast between Cape Rodney and mid-Orangerie Bay of the Central Province of Papua New Guinea. It is often referred to as 'Mailu' as one of the major villages speaking this language is the village of that name on Mailu Island. It is related to the other languages of the Mailuan family (Ma, Laua, Morawa, Neme'a, Domu and Bauwaki whose speakers live or lived inland of this area). Ma and Laua are now extinct.

Magi speakers have for a long time had close contacts and (probably extensive) integration with Austronesian speakers, with the result that there has been a significant adoption of Austronesian vocabulary (around 30–40%, particularly [Magori](/source/Magori_language), Gadaisu, Suau, Ouma, Yoba and Bina, of which the last three are now extinct).

In turn, [Magori](/source/Magori_language) (as well as [Yoba](/source/Yoba_language), [Bina](/source/Bina_language_(Papua_New_Guinea)), and [Ouma](/source/Ouma_language)) has received significant influence from Magi.[2]

Magi itself is divided into two main groups of dialects: the eastern (Maisi/Varo) dialects, and the western (Island) dialects.

## Phonology

Consonants Labial Alveolar Palatal Velar Glottal Plosive voiceless p t k ʔ voiced b d ɡ Fricative (v) (s) Nasal m n Liquid l, (ɾ) Approximant w j

- /t/ is used interchangeably with a fricative [s], and was also with an affricate [ts] among older speakers.

- /l, w/ are used interchangeably with sounds [ɾ, v].

Vowels Front Central Back High i u Mid e o Low a

## See also

- [Magori language](/source/Magori_language), a nearby mixed Austronesian-Papuan language

## Notes

1. **[^](#cite_ref-e18_1-0)** [Mailu](https://www.ethnologue.com/18/language/mgu/) at *[Ethnologue](/source/Ethnologue)* (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Reesink-Contact_2-0)** Reesink, Ger; Dunn, Michael (2018). "Contact phenomena in Austronesian and Papuan languages". In Palmer, Bill (ed.). *The Languages and Linguistics of the New Guinea Area: A Comprehensive Guide*. The World of Linguistics. Vol. 4. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. pp. 939–985. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-3-11-028642-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-3-11-028642-7).

## References

- Saville, W. J. V. (Jul–Dec 1912). "A Grammar of the Mailu Language, Papua". *[Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute](/source/Journal_of_the_Royal_Anthropological_Institute)*. **42**: 397–436. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.2307/2843195](https://doi.org/10.2307%2F2843195). [hdl](/source/Hdl_(identifier)):[2027/uc1.c3206338](https://hdl.handle.net/2027%2Fuc1.c3206338). [JSTOR](/source/JSTOR_(identifier)) [2843195](https://www.jstor.org/stable/2843195).

- Thomson, N P, 1975, "Magi Phonology and Grammar: Fifty Years Afterwards", in T E Dutton, Ed., "Studies in Languages of Central and South-East Papua, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-85883-119-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-85883-119-8), Pub. by The Australian National University, Pacific Linguistics, Series C, No 29.

- Thomson, N P, 1975, "The Dialects of Magi", in "Papers in New Guinea Linguistics No 18", [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-85883-118-X](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-85883-118-X), Pub. by The Australian National University, Pacific Linguistics, Series A No 40.

## External links

- [Mailu Swadesh List by The Rosetta Project at the Internet Archive](https://archive.org/stream/rosettaproject_mgu_swadesh-1/mgu.txt)

v t e Southeast Papuan languages Koiarian Grass Koiari Mountain Koiari Koitabu Barai Namiae Ese Ömie Kwalean Humene Uare Mulaha † Manubaran Doromu Maria Yareban Moikodi Aneme Wake Bariji Nawaru Yareba Mailuan Bauwaki Domu Binahari Morawa Mailu Laua † Dagan Daga Mapena Maiwa Dima Ginuman Kanasi Onjob Umanakaina Turaka

Authority control databases: National Israel

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Mailu language](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mailu_language) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mailu_language?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.