Language name and locationː Maiwa, Papua New Guinea [Refer to Ethnologue]

语言名称和分布地区: 麦瓦语, 巴布亚新几内亚米尔内湾省

1. desirom

2. duwam

3. duwamdesi ('two plus one')

4. duwam ɡe duwam  ('two plus two')

5. nanin ɡambenit  (litː 'hand half', 'nanin'=hand)                           

6. nanin ɡamben desirom

7. nanin ɡamben duwam

8. nanin ɡamben duwamdesi

9. nanin ɡamben duwam ɡe duwam

10. naninwanit (litː 'both hands')

11. naninwanit desirom 

12. naninwanit duwam

13. naninwanit duwamdesi

14. naninwanit duwam ɡe duwam

15. naninwanit nanin ɡambenit

16. naninwanit nanin ɡambenit desirom

17. naninwanit nanin ɡambenit duwam

18. naninwanit nanin ɡambenit duwamdesi

19. naninwanit nanin ɡambenit duwam ɡe duwam

20. apan desirom (litː 'one man=20 fingers')

Linguist providing data and dateː Mr. Takashi Nakamura, SIL International, Papua New

Guinea, June 17, 2011.

提供资料的语言学家: Mr. Takashi Nakamura, 2011 年 6 月 17 日

Other comments: Maiwa is spoken by approximately 2,500 speakers in Rabaraba district, Milne Bay province, Papua New Guinea. Maiwa has a traditional counting system based on twenty. Other higher numbers can be formed as belowː

25. apan desirom ɡe nanin ɡambenit, 30. apan desirom ɡe nanin wanit,

40. apan duwam=2 men,  80. apan duwom ɡe duwam,

100. apan nanin ɡambenit,  200. apan nanin wanit

However, only Maiwa elder people use their own language when they count 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10 and 20 now.Young people use English. For example, in case of 7, they do not say 'nanin gamben duwam'. They say just 'seven' in English. It is the same in other cases.