Ambai

Introduction

Ambai is a language of Indonesia. It is spoken in Papua Province, Yapen Waropen regency, Yapen Selatan and Yapen Timur subdistricts, 10 villages. On Ambai island in Cenderawasih bay, south of Serui town, along south coast of Serui island.

Dialects

Ambai (Wadapi-Laut), Manawi, Randawaya. Closely related to Ansus (See: Ansus?), Woi (See: Woi?), Pom (See: Pom?), Wabo (See: Wabo?), Marau (See: Marau?), Papuma (See: Papuma?), Munggui (See: Munggui?), and Kurudu (See: Kurudu?). Lexical similarity: 77% with Serui-Laut (See: Serui-Laut?), 71% with Wandamen (See: Wandamen).

The Ambai Verb

Verblist

• aiou -- to breathe
• bebara -- to swell
• bera -- to turn
• deda -- to flow
• -eria -- to swim
• i-ampi -- to eat
• i-ana -- to shoot
• i-aviti -- to tie up, fasten
• i-awa -- to sew
• i-ena -- to sleep
• i-eoa -- to say
• i-eto -- to count
• i-fai -- to open, uncover
• i-isaŋ -- to stab, pierce
• i-kamananapi -- to steal
• i-kanui -- to spit
• i-kiri -- to bite
• i-kuari -- to squeeze
• i-kutui -- to cut, hack
• i-mamuta -- to vomit
• i-matai -- to fear
• i-minohi -- to sit
• i-miri -- to laugh
• i-mumpi -- to hunt
• i-muni -- to kill
• i-nunu -- to cook
• i-oa -- to stand
• i-ohondomi -- to work
• i-ra -- to walk
• i-ruti -- to hold
• i-sai -- to cry
• i-sarai -- to dig
• i-so -- to throw
• i-sufi -- to suck
• i-tanamp -- to plant
• i-tarabauri -- to split
• i-tara-hu oa -- to hear
• i-tawa -- to fall
• i-tuhiŋ -- to hit
• i-tut|ahi -- to pound, beat
• i-unu -- to drink
• i-vata -- to lie down
• i-vati -- to see
• i-vori -- to buy
• -ma -- to come
• -miai -- to dream
• -naha -- to sniff, smell
• ramati -- to scratch
• reha -- to die, be dead
• siai -- to blow
• sifo -- to fly
• tawana -- to know, be knowledgeable
• tituaita -- to think
• -utai -- to climb
• yi-riri -- to choose