Bimin (Bim Weng)

Bimin is a Mountain Ok language that belongs to the Trans-New-Guinea language family. It is spoken by about 2,300 people between the Murray and Strickland Rivers mainly in Sandaun Province, and also in Western Province and Southern Highlands Province in the west Papua New Guinea. In particular, it is spoken in the villages of Akalu, Wabagen, Tum, Sendawgen, Gawka, Sumten (Sandaun), Sengen, Fakobiw and Tukitabin (Western).

Bimin is also known as Bim, Bim Weng or Bimin Weng. It is related to Faiwol, which is spoken in the same area. It can be written with the Latin alphabet. Parts of the Bible have been translated into Bimin.

Bimin alphabet and pronunciation

Bimin alphabet and pronunciation

Download an Bimin alphabet chart (Excel)

Sample text (Akaru dialect)

Ne kame, nakalem soa em alenaluw sang mak bokoloki te. Soa e, waneng so diw waninba kemeluw te. Waneng so kunum so diw waninba kemeluw te. Yemen soul so be diw waninba kemeluw te. Ok o samal o mesesem be diw waninba kemeliw te. Aneng em tem akal uninba kemeliw te. “Ayemo!”, angeko, ke alenaliw te. Waneng ikal kunum am akalinba. Waneng ikal aul anggayeminba kemeliw te.

Translation

I like to tell a story from our past. Before women couldn't eat together (with men), that's how we used to do it. They couldn't eat water, animals etc., together. That's how they did it. It was forbidden (for the women) to go to tambu places. Also women mustn't sleep in men's houses. Women mustn't cover (by stepping over) children. Our old tradition had all this forbidden.

Source: Bimin Organised Phonology Data. Thomas Weber. 2003.

Sample video

Information about Bimin | Numbers | Tower of Babel

Links

Information about Bimin
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bimin_language
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bimin
https://www.sil.org/resources/search/language/bhl
https://lingweb.eva.mpg.de/channumerals/Bimin.htm

Oceanic languages

Adzera, Ahamb, Äiwoo, Aneityum, Apma, Araki, Are, ’Auhelawa, Avava, Babatana, Bariai, Bola, Big Numbas, Buhutu, Bwaidoka, Caac, Cheke Holo, Dorig, Hiri Motu, Hiw, Hoava, Kakabai, Kaninuwa, Kokota, Kove, Kurti, Lakon, Lehali, Lenakel, Lewo, Lote, Lo-Toga, Löyöp, Manam, Marovo, Maskelynes, Mato, Mavea, Mono-Alu, Motu, Mussau-Emira, Mwotlap, Nafsan, Nahavaq, Namakura, Nanggu, Nduke, Neve‘ei, Neverver, Ninde, North Efate, Nume, Paamese, Papapana, Raga, Rotuman, Roviana, Sa, Sakao, Saliba, Siar, Sio, Ske, Sobei, Sursurunga, Tamambo, Tami, Teanu, Tigak, Tirax, Tolai, Touo, Ubir, Ughele, Uneapa, Vatlongos, Vitu, Vurës, Western Fijian, Yabem, Yapese

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page created: 29.07.24. Last modified: 29.07.24

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