mˈɪɹiˌæm hɐz ɚɹˈaʊnd fˈoːɹɾi pɚsˈɛnt ʌv ɪts voʊkˈæbjʊlˌɛɹi ɪn kˈɑːmən wɪð ɪts ˌʌnɹᵻlˈeɪɾᵻd wˈɛstɚn tˈɔɹəz stɹˈeɪt nˈeɪbɚ kˈɑːlə lˈæɡɔː jɐ, wˌɪtʃ ɪz ɐn ɔːstɹˈeɪliən lˈæŋɡwɪdʒ.
Meriam has around 40 percent of its vocabulary in common with its unrelated Western Torres Strait neighbour Kala Lagaw Ya, which is an Australian language.