Waropen (Wonti) is an Austronesian language spoken at the Cendrawasih Bay of Papua, Indonesia. It is a primary branch of the South Halmahera–West New Guinea languages.

Dialects are Ambumi, Napan, Mo'or (Moor), and Waropen Kai.

Phonology

Consonants
LabialAlveolarPalatalVelarGlottal
Nasalmnŋ
Plosivevoicelessptkʔ
prenasalᵐbⁿdᵑɡ
voicedbdɡ
Fricativefsɣ(h)
Rhoticr
Approximantwj

/w/ can also be heard as a fricative [β].

/h/ may also exist phonemically in other dialects.

Sounds /w,j/ can be heard as vowels [ʊ,ɪ] when after vowel sounds.

Vowels
FrontCentralBack
Closeiu
Midɛ ~ eəɔ
Opena

/ɛ/ may be pronounced as [ɛ] or [e].

Distribution

In Papua province, it is spoken in Mamberamo Raya Regency and Waropen Regency. The Ambumi dialect, also called Waruri, mainly spoken in Ambumi village in Wondama Bay Regency, West Papua. Waropen is also spoken southwest to the Rombak River mouth.

Among the Ambumi dialect, there are two groups of speech areas, namely in Nabire Regency, including the villages of Napan (considered a separate dialect), Weinami, Masipawe, Makimi, Moor (separate dialect), Mambor, and Ambumi. In addition, there is a speech group that enters the Manokwari Regency, inhabits the villages of Yendeman, Saybes, War, Kayob, and Menarbu. Meanwhile, Waropen Kai dialect speakers inhabit the villages of Semanui, Wapoga, Desawa, Waren, and the villages of Paradoi, Sanggei, Mambui, and Nubuai, which are combined in several settlement, namely Urei Faisei, Risei Sayati, Wonti, Bokaro, and Koweda.