Nii language

Nii
Ek Nii
Native toPapua New Guinea
RegionWestern Highlands Province
Native speakers
(12,000 cited 1991)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3nii
Glottologniii1240

Nii is a Trans–New Guinea language of the Chimbu–Wahgi branch spoken in the highlands of Papua New Guinea.

Nii has an unusual number of lateral consonants: a typical alveolar flap, /ɺ/, plus both dental and velar lateral fricatives, /ɬ̪/ and /𝼄/, which are voiced between vowels and do not occur in initial position.[2][3]

  1. ^ Nii at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. ^ Foley, 1986:63, The Papuan languages of New Guinea
  3. ^ https://www.sil.org/system/files/reapdata/23/85/34/23853451869958568538398841625100014874/Nii_Phonology.pdf [bare URL PDF]