The Arapesh languages are several closely related Torricelli languages of the 32,000 Arapesh people of Papua New Guinea. They are spoken in eastern Sandaun Province and northern East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea. The Arapesh languages are among the better-studied of Papuan languages and are most distinctive in their gender systems, which contain up to thirteen genders (noun classes) with noun-phrase concordance. Mufian, for example, has 17 noun classes for count nouns plus two extra noun classes, i.e. proper names and place names. (See that article for examples.) Phonology The most notable feature of the Arapesh phoneme inventory is the use of labialization as a contrastive device. Consonants Vowels Arapesh syllables have the structure (C)V(V)(C), though in monosyllables there is a requirement that the coda be filled. Normally either of the higher central vowels (ɨ, ə) is inserted to break up consonant clusters in the middle of words. Pronouns Pronouns in Arapesh and other related Torricelli languages: {| ! !! Kombio !! Mountain Arapesh !! Southern Arapesh !! Urim !! Urat !! Aruop !! Kayik |- ! 1sg | apm || yek~eik || aeʔ || kupm || ŋam || am || kəmex |- ! 2sg | yikn || ɲak~ɲek || inəʔ || kitn || nin || yi || kiyox |- ! 3sg | kɨl || ənan~nani || ənən || kil || kin || din || təno |- ! 1pl | an(t) || okok~kwakwi || apə || men || poi || mendi || kupox |} Vocabulary comparison The following basic vocabulary words are from the Trans-New Guinea database: {| class="wikitable sortable" ! gloss !! Abu' Arapesh !! Bukiyip |- ! head | bʌrʌkʰa || berag |- ! hair | bʌrʌkʰa || |- ! ear | ɛligʌ || atah |- ! eye | ŋʌim || nabep |- ! nose | mutu || |- ! tooth | nʌluh || nau̥h̥ |- ! tongue | ʌhʌkʌ || jaham |- ! leg | burʔah || aijag |- ! louse | numunʌl || |- ! dog | nubʌt || nybat |- ! pig | bul || |- ! bird | ʌlimil || aramir |- ! egg | ʌlhuʌb || juhuryb |- ! blood | usibɛl || ausibør |- ! bone | pisitʌnʌgel || bøløpigør |- ! skin | beni'koh || jageniu̥h̥ |- ! breast | numʌb || |- ! tree | lʌ·wʌk || lawag |- ! man | ʌʔlemʌn || araman |- ! woman | numʌto