Kairiru language
Kairiru is one of three Kairiru languages spoken mainly on Kairiru and Mushu islands and in several coastal villages on the mainland between Cape Karawop and Cape Samein near Wewak in East Sepik Province of Papua New Guinea.
Phonology
Consonants
- The tap /ɾ/ varies freely between or a retroflex .
- is heard as an allophone of /tʃ/ among young speakers.
- /b/ is heard as in word-final position.
- /k/ may vary between a voiced or when in between a high and non-high vowel.
- The back-velar /k̠/ may also be heard freely as uvular , and may vary between a stop or fricatives , or voiced , when preceded and followed by /a/ or /o/.
Vowels
- Sounds /i, u, e, o/ may have lax allophones as in closed syllables.
- Vowels /e, o/ may have a lax allophone of when following other vowels.
- /a/ may be heard as when preceding a velar nasal /ŋ/ in free variation with .
Morphology