Lamalama language

The Lamalama language, also known by the List of [Australian Aboriginal group names|clan name] Mbarrumbathama or Mba Rumbathama, formerly known as Lamu-Lamu or Lama-Lama, is a Paman language of Queensland, Australia. Lamalama is one of four languages once spoken by the Lamalama people, the others being Morrobolam, Mbariman-Gudinhma, and Umpithamu.

Naming and language relationships

In January 2019, the ISO database changed its reference name to Lamalama, from Lamu-Lamu., Glottolog calls it Lamalama, while AIATSIS' Austlang database thesaurus heading is Mbarrumbathama language.
Austlang says, quoting linguist Jean-Cristophe Verstraete, that Lamalama, Rimanggudinhma and Morrobolam form a Genetic [relationship (linguistics)|genetic] subgroup of Paman known as Lamalamic, "defined by shared innovations in phonology and morphology". Within this subgroup, "Morrobolam and Lamalama form a phonologically innovative branch, while Rumanggudinhma forms a more conservative branch".

Phonology

Consonants

Voiceless fricative sounds are heard as voiced when in consonant clusters and in intervocalic positions.
Fricatives can be heard as laminal and alveolar fricatives when in word-initial position in free variation among speakers.
can be heard as when in word-initial position in free variation among speakers.
The fricative trill is also heard as voiceless in free variation in initial positions.
The trill sound can be heard as voiceless when in word-final contexts.
All labial consonants can also be labialized optionally within the onset of stressed syllables, or when after high-back vowel sounds.
Consonant lengthening can be heard within the onset of stressed syllables.

Vowels

Phoneme	Allophone	Notes
		in unstressed syllables
		in stressed syllables
	,	when following labial consonants
		in free variation with
		in unstressed syllables
		when in the context of palatal sounds
		realized within the diphthong /ia/
		realized within the diphthong /ua/
		in unstressed positions

Lamalama's vowels do not show contrastive length. There are two diphthongs, and. can raise to, and can raise to.