Huli language
Huli is a Tari language spoken by the Huli people of the Hela Province of Papua New Guinea. It has a pentadecimal (base-15) numeral system: means 15, means 15×2 = 30, and means 15×15 = 225. Huli has a pandanus language called (bush divide taboo) used for collecting karuka nuts () as well as hunting or traveling. is used to evade malevolent bush spirits. The grammar for is nearly identical to normal Huli, but the vocabulary is changed, often borrowing words from Duna but with changed meanings. Phonology Huli has a syllable structure of (C)V. Vowels /ɑ/ is pronounced more fronted as [æ] before /r/ and /ʝ/. Vowel nasality is phonemic in the language. Vowels can also carry three phonemic tones; high-falling, mid-level, and low-rising. Consonants Stops /p t k/ can become aspirated as [pʰ tʰ kʰ]. Many speakers pronounce /t/ as [s] before /i/. /d/ is realized as voiceless as [d̥] when occurring word-initially, and is palatalized as [dʲ] between /i/ and a word-final /ɑ/. /r/ only occurs word-medially. /b ɡ/ can be phonetically realized as fricatives intervocalically as [β ɣ]. References External links Timothy Usher, New Guinea World, Huli on New Guinea World Huli counting system Huli phonology