Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 3, 2026

Waima language

The Waima language is a Nuclear West Central Papuan Tip language of the Oceanic group of Malayo-Polynesian languages, spoken in Papua New Guinea by 15,000 people. The three dialects, Waima, Roro, and Paitana, are very close.

Last revised
Jul 3, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
151 w
Citations
3
Source
Wikipedia ↗
Waima
RegionEastern New Guinea
Native speakers
(15,000 cited 2000 census)1
Language codes
ISO 639-3rro
Glottologwaim1251

The Waima language (sometimes known as Roro, though this is strictly the name of one dialect of Waima) is a Nuclear West Central Papuan Tip language of the Oceanic group of Malayo-Polynesian languages, spoken in Papua New Guinea by 15,000 people. The three dialects, Waima, Roro, and Paitana, are very close.2

Phonology

Consonants

Labial Alveolar Velar Glottal
Nasal m n
Plosive p t tʲ k ʔ
Fricative β h
Rhotic ɾ
Approximant w

/n/ can be palatalized as [ɲ] when before vowel sequences /ao, au/.3

Vowels

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

References

  1. Waima at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. "Waima".
  3. Kim, Namsoo & Duckshin (1998). Waima grammar essentials. Ukarumpa: SIL.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link)
External links