Kaure is a Papuan language of West Papua (region), West Papua. It is spoken in the villages of Lereh, Harna, Wes, Masta, and Aurina. Narau is either a dialect or a closely related language. It is known from a short word list in Giël (1959). Texts include Auri et al. (1991).Auri, Piter, Peter R. Dommel and Markus Pokoko. 1991. ''Kaureki a Opoksel (Percakapan-percakapan Dalam Bahasa Kaure: Kaure Conversations)''. Jayapura: University of Cenderawasih and Summer Institute of Linguistics.

Phonology

Consonants

The Kaure consonants are:

Vowels

The Kaure vowels are:

Tone

Like the Lakes Plain languages, Kaure is a tonal language. There are two tones, namely high and low. Monosyllabic minimal pairs showing phonemic tone contrast include: *''tái'' ‘footprint’, ''tài'' ‘sago’ *''pí'' ‘boil’, ''pì'' ‘pig’ *''hín'' ‘limbum wood’, ''hìn'' ‘blood’ *''héik'' ‘flower’, ''hèik'' ‘snake’ In multisyllabic words, only one stressed syllable carries full tone contrasts, while the other syllables are "neutral" or toneless. Multisyllabic minimal sets include: *''káteil'' ‘toss it’, ''katéil'' ‘dry’, ''katèil'' ‘dry’ *''nálain'' ‘female animal’, ''naláin'' ‘kind of root’, ''nalàin'' ‘to run off’

Pronouns

Attested pronouns are 1sg ''wẽ'', 2sg ''hane'', 1pl ''nene''. The 2sg form resembles Mek languages, Mek *ka-n, and 1pl resembles Pauwasi languages, Pauwasi ''numu~nin'', but apart from that little can be said. Kaure pronouns listed by Foley (2018) are: : Kaure pronouns are not specified for number, just like in Nimboran language, Nimboran.

Kaure–Kapori hypothesis

Voorhoeve (1975) suggested that Kaure was related to Kapori language, Kapori and Kosare language, Kosare, two otherwise unclassified languages. However, subsequent evaluations have not found any significant connections (Rumaropen 2006, Wambaliau 2006).

References

*Benny Rumaropen (2006). ''Draft Survey Report on the Kapauri Language of Papua''. SIL Electronic Survey Reports. *Theresia Wambaliau (2006). ''Draft Laporan Survei pada Bahasa Kosare di Papua, Indonesia''. SIL Electronic Survey Reports. *Dommel, Peter R., Gudrun E. Dommel, Pieter Auri and Markus Pokoko. 1991. Kaure Vocabulary. Jayapura: Cooperative Program of the University of Cenderawasih and the Summer Institute of Linguistics. *Dommel, Peter R. and Gudrun Dommel. 1993. Orang Kaure. In: ''Etnografi Irian Jaya: panduan sosial budaya'' (buku satu). 21–75. [Jayapura]: Kelompok Peneliti Etnografi Irian Jaya. *Giël, R. 1959. ''Exploratie Oost-Meervlakte'' [Exploration of the Eastern Lakes Plain Area]. Nationaal Archief, Den Haag, Ministerie van Koloniën: Kantoor Bevolkingszaken Nieuw-Guinea te Hollandia: Rapportenarchief, 1950–1962, nummer toegang 2.10.25, inventarisnummer 13. (Contains word lists of Taworta language, Taworta, Taria language, Taria, Airo language, Airo, Kauwera language, Kaowera, Manowa (Burmeso language, Boromesso), and Narau) {{Languages of Indonesia Kaure–Kosare languages Languages of western New Guinea Language isolates of New Guinea Tonal languages