Akoye language

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

Akoye
Lohiki
Native to	Papua New Guinea
Region	Morobe Province
Native speakers	600 (2001)[1]
Language family	Trans–New Guinea Angan Southwest Akoye–Tainae Akoye
Language codes
ISO 639-3	miw
Glottolog	akoy1238
ELP	Akoye

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.

Consonants^[2]

	Labial	Alveolar	Velar
Nasal	m	n
Plosive	p	t	k
Fricative	f	s
Approximant	w

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]

	Front	Central	Back
Close	i		u
Mid	e	ə	o
Open			ɑ

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

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