East Papuan
(obsolete)
Geographic
distribution
Melanesia
Linguistic classificationProposed language family
Subdivisions
GlottologNone

The East Papuan languages is a defunct proposal for a family of Papuan languages spoken on the islands to the east of New Guinea, including New Britain, New Ireland, Bougainville, Solomon Islands, and the Santa Cruz Islands. There is no evidence that these languages are related to each other, and the Santa Cruz languages are no longer recognized as Papuan.

All but two of the starred languages below (Yélî Dnye and Sulka) make a gender distinction in their pronouns. Several of the heavily Papuanized Austronesian languages of New Britain do as well. This suggests a pre-Austronesian language area in the region.

History of the proposal

The East Papuan languages were proposed as a family by linguist Stephen Wurm (1975) and others. However, their work was preliminary, and there is little evidence that the East Papuan languages actually have a genetic relationship. For example, none of these fifteen languages marked with asterisks below share more than 2–3% of their basic vocabulary with any of the others. Dunn and colleagues (2005) tested the reliability of the proposed 2–3% cognates by randomizing the vocabulary lists and comparing them again. The nonsense comparisons produced the same 2–3% of "shared" vocabulary, demonstrating that the proposed cognates of the East Papuan languages, and even of proposed families within the East Papuan languages, are as likely to be due to chance as to any genealogical relationship. Thus in a conservative classification, many of the East Papuan languages would be considered language isolates.

Since the islands in question have been settled for at least 35 000 years, their considerable linguistic diversity is unsurprising. However, Malcolm Ross (2001; 2005) has presented evidence from comparing pronouns from nineteen of these languages that several of the lower-level branches of East Papuan may indeed be valid families. This is the classification adopted here. For Wurm's more inclusive classification, see the Glottolog page here.

Classification (Ross 2005)

Small families

Each of the first five entries in boldface is an independent language family, not known to be related to the others. Languages that are transparently related to each other are listed together on the same line. The first family is a more tentative proposal than the others and awaits confirmation.

Reconstructed pronoun sets for each of the families are given in the individual articles.

Yélî Dnye (Yele)* (Rossel Island)

 West  New Britain 

Anêm* (New Britain)

Ata (Pele-Ata, Wasi)* (New Britain)

Baining: Mali*, Qaqet, Kairak, Simbali, Ura, Makolkol

Taulil–Butam: Taulil**, Butam (extinct)**

Keriaka

Konua (Rapoisi)**

Rotokas: Rotokas*, Eivo

 Buin 

Buin*

Motuna (Siwai)*

Uisai

Nasioi: Koromira, Lantanai, Naasioi*, Nagovisi (Sibe)**, Oune, Simeku

Bilua* (Vella Lavella Island)

Touo (Baniata)* (southern Rendova Island, part of the New Georgia Islands)

Lavukaleve* (Russell Islands)

Savosavo* (Savo Island)

* Dunn and colleagues found no demonstrable shared vocabulary between these fifteen languages.

** Ross considered these four languages in addition to the fifteen studied by Dunn and colleagues.

True language isolates

These three languages are not thought to be demonstrably related to each other or to any language in the world.

  • Sulka isolate* – New Britain (poor data quality; the possibility remains that Sulka will be shown to be related to Kol or Baining)
  • Kol isolate* – New Britain
  • Kuot (Panaras) isolate* – New Ireland

* Dunn and colleagues found no demonstrable shared vocabulary between these fifteen languages.

Austronesian languages formerly classified as East Papuan

Wurm classified the three languages of the Santa Cruz and Reef Islands as an additional family within East Papuan. However, new data on these languages, along with advances in the reconstruction of Proto-Oceanic, has made it clear that they are in fact Austronesian:

Similarly, Wurm had classified the extinct Kazukuru language and its possible sister languages of New Georgia as a sixth branch of East Papuan. However, in a joint 2007 paper, Dunn and Ross argued that this was also Austronesian.

Lexical comparison

The tables below give lexical comparisons for the East Papuan languages (i.e., all Papuan languages spoken in New Britain and islands to the east), with languages listed roughly from west to east. All lexical items are from the Trans-New Guinea database[1] unless noted otherwise.

Body parts
familylanguageheadhaireareyenosetoothtonguelegbloodboneskinbreast
isolate Ata[2] sangalieieiusine'ianaxu ilaanu (anaxu = 'mouth')levexetava'asialuxuxinevasime'asusu
isolate Anêm[3] ogkigêteipiŋiloêlêŋti 'foot'esinexepalau
isolate Kol 'kel.a; kela keřne'komɒ; komɔʔ kalɛane'bula; bula kɛřlɛpelnɛl; 'penelta'li:; tali keřne'mire; mi̠řɛ kɛřnɛdal kɛřnɛ; raalpe:re'be:la'ti:letomalu gomo; to'molu'tombo; to̠to la̠nɛ
isolate Sulka[4] lpekngirisngaelavorngapɨndiɨlptaik
Baining Mali (Arambum dialect) uʷʌskiǥʌsɛŋasdɛmgisaǥoŋulɩmgiǥɛŋǥɔbɩngaaǥařabⁱʌskaatlɨpŋᶺndᶺŋǥumukʰ
Baining Qaget niŋaǥa; ʌ niŋʌg̶ʌaǥsiŋ; ʌg̶asiŋasⁿdəmgi; sᵊdᵊmkiʌ rʌsʌkŋiʌm; saknaǥaǥəřɩmki; ʌ rʌg̶ʌrimgiařkiŋ; ařkingiǥalbiⁿka; og̶lbingaʌ laiŋyat; ɩlaⁱŋʌg̶ʌřʌkʌ; ǥᵊřᵊkalan; sləpkiǥət·dinki; ʌrʌgʌtdəŋitǥomʌk; og̶əmək
Baining Ura amʌ niŋʌǥi; auwʌski; ʌmʌ niŋʌǥɩaɣʌsɛŋ; kʌsiŋ; kʌsɩŋasdʌmgi; dʌsdəmgɩ; dʌsdəmgiasauɣoŋ; ʌ̂ sʌǥon; ʌ sʌǥoŋawʌlyʌmgi; ʌ ǥulimgɩ; ʌ ǥulimgiatkiŋgi; ʌ ǥʌřʌ; naeyɛŋ; næyɛŋaɣuebunga; duɛbingʌʌgʌřʌa biaska; biʌskʌa Lləp; ʌ Lləp; o slʌpkiaslɩɣɩge; ʌ sliyɩgɛ; ʌ sliyigɛat gəmuk; atkʌmuk
Taulil–Butam Taulil 'ulun'dɔmɔnul-tʌŋʌn'kɔlmʌřɩn'bulsun'lɩgim; lɩkɩnul-kɛmɛnfʌndɛh'suhnʌ 'kunʌpʰʌlkⁿeⁱn; pʰʌlɩnsusun
isolate Kuot bukomkapurumakikinəmirəmaakabunima; ŋoflaukimaməlobiemoləbuanmuanəmkumalip; neip; pəppəksisima
North Bougainville Rotokas[5] uvuoruiuvareouaosireitoiruvaotoreuriarevuotokokotoarevasivakeruaareiua; kakauoa; gagororooua
South Bougainville proto-South Bougainville[6] *bore*rome*rutɔ*keni*meneŋ*ereŋ*kōna
Central Solomons Mbilua (Ndovele dialect) lezutoutaliŋaviluŋgametakaleñokitindarapizatupususu
Central Solomons Mbaniata (Lokuru dialect) zufuōŋgotomberɔemɔnāneānlɔevominuzuɔnasusu
Central Solomons Lavukaleve vatumemeahovullemisisineolettau furimeravusosokiokeutɔfu
Central Solomons Savosavo batuluta; sivuɰatagalunitoɲokonalelapiɰabutovolokorakorasusu
isolate Yélî Dnye[7] ny:oogh:aangweńengwoloń:uunyóódêêyiwêêdînêtoongmo
Nature
familylanguagelousedogpigbirdeggtreesunmoonwaterfirestonepath
isolate Ata menia'aamemeengialaatoluaiinu; ovuasoso'iolexanavulavo'ovote'i
isolate Anem seimkauaêknînniladoklîŋkomukmîpaiuŋ
isolate Kol 'tare; ta̠řɛku'ɒ:; kwabu'ule; ulɛ'kondola; kondo̠la'ti:nel; ti̠nɛl'karege; kařɛ̠qɛ'igu; i̠qu'gonu; qu̠nuku'oŋ; kuɔŋ'lela; lɛlakɛrɛa; 'keria
isolate Sulka ngaininghoyingaelot, ngaelaut
Baining Mali (Arambum dialect) itimgaƀɛmgaʰi sʌmgalaŋumuŋʷunɛŋga'aǥɔngiřiŋgimudʌmbʌsdiǥaiskaʰ
Baining Qaget ᶩaⁱt; ʌ ɛɛtkidaŋka; ʌ dʌŋgʌƀiləmgʌ; ƀlamwaⁱṱki; ʌ wʌitkaluaǥa; ʌ luʌg̶ʌmʌŋkʰa; munkʌʌ niřag̶a; niřaǥa; nɩlaǥayaǥunki; ʌ yɔg̶ungiǥřapki; ʌ kʌinʌg̶ialtiŋki; ʌltiŋgiʌ dulkʌ; dulkaaiskʌ; aⁱska
Baining Ura məaᶥt; məaⁱt; ɩr̰aɩtimga; mɛmgʌƀɩɛmgʌ; ƀiɛmgʌ; wemgaɛɛ'sumgʌ; ɛɛsumgʌ; isʌmgaduřaiṱ; duřaᶥt̯; luaɣaʌ muŋgʌ; ŋʌmugaɣunʌga; wunʌgʌyaǥunǥɩ; yaɣungi; yʌǥungimʌřiŋgi; mʌřɩŋgɩ; rigimundʌbʌs; mundʌmduɩɣa; mʌ duɩ; mʌ duiiska; mʌiskʌ; mʌɩskʌ
Taulil–Butam Taulil huᵗlufbuisɩgʌʔ'kʰɔřɔlwaⁱwʌsuʔ'kɛᵐbɛn'mʌlumyʌffʌᵗŋas
isolate Kuot ineimakapunaamani; kobeŋdəkər; səgərpanbinimuləŋburunəm; danuotkitadəsalaŋ
North Bougainville Rotokas iiruikaakau; kevirakoie; kouekokiototakuraevaovaravireokekirauukoatuituiavekeraiva
South Bougainville proto-South Bougainville *masika*bɔrege*koi*rua*doŋ
Central Solomons Mbilua (Ndovele dialect) sipi; tiŋgausielembiaŋambiaŋatɔrurukambosonĵuuzalandokeve
Central Solomons Mbaniata (Lokuru dialect) lisa; vutusiemānozoāndenaīndifiɔhirɔhɛŋgae
Central Solomons Lavukaleve kea; laimitakeumalaɣulkeruvkualafilakembeko; vekolake
Central Solomons Savosavo dolemisukosukolei; sikuɰepivakedakatokeva
isolate Yélî Dnye y:emê weew:ââmbwêmêńmê; ńmow:uuyikââdîd:ââmbwaa; tolondê; ndyuw:echêêpîmaa
Miscellaneous
familylanguagemanwomannameto eatonetwo
isolate Ata alikosemauala’ieviletamei
isolate Anem axaŋdobalîŋeŋimîdêniak
isolate Kol mo; tɒ: 'ti:niŋdaiƀɛ; ra:l'olemo raŋ kal oŋ; tam·a'pusuɒ; titustɛřɛŋ; te'tepe
isolate Sulka mhel 'person'
Baining Mali (Arambum dialect) umʌskaaƀopᵊkinŋʌrɩpkiʰkatɨssɛgɨkʰudion
Baining Qaget ǥʷatka; ʌ g̶wʌtkʌnanki; ʌ nʌngidʸiʌringi namgi; řɨnkika tɨs; kʌ tᵊsǥʷanaska; og̶unʌskʌǥʷanasⁱam; og̶unʌsiʌm
Baining Ura gamoɛɣa; gʌmuɛgʌɛwəpkɩ; ɛwəpki; Ewopkidiŋyiřipki; diŋyɩrɩpkɩ; ŋʌr̰iþkiɣat tʌs; ka ts; kʌ tᵊssɩgʌk; sʌgʌk; sigʌkundiom; undɩom
Taulil–Butam Taulil bʌᵏ; taⁱlʌᵘ'wɔᵘsɩnŋʌnɩʔ; nʌmikʌᵘ; kaᵘkʌʔ'daU; iⁿdʌᵘ
isolate Kuot mikana; teimamakabunbonimo; paraknamuritnarain
North Bougainville Rotokas rare pieavuovaisiaaiokataierao
South Bougainville proto-South Bougainville *nugaŋ*mīŋ*nai
Central Solomons Mbilua (Ndovele dialect) mambarekoŋivuatomandeuomuŋga
Central Solomons Mbaniata (Lokuru dialect) finɔzɔŋgoheniniazafeāroŋo; thufiēri
Central Solomons Lavukaleve aliairalaŋieu; eui; ounedom; tetelomlelal; lemal
Central Solomons Savosavo tadaadakininil-ou; samuela; padeedo
isolate Yélî Dnye pikumbwada; pyââpimangmidimiyó

See also

References

  1. Greenhill, Simon (2016). "TransNewGuinea.org - database of the languages of New Guinea". Retrieved 2020-11-05.
  2. Hashimoto, Kazuo (2008). Ata-English Dictionary with English-Ata Finderlist. Ukarumpa: Summer Institute of Linguistics.
  3. Thurston, William. 1982. A comparative study of Anêm and Lusi. Pacific Linguistics: Series B, 83. Canberra: Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University.
  4. Tharp, Douglas. 1996. Sulka grammar essentials. In John M. Clifton (ed.), Two non-Austronesian grammars from the islands, 77-179. Ukarumpa: Summer Institute of Linguistics.
  5. Firchow, Irwin B. and Jacqueline Firchow, compilers. 2008. Rotokas-English dictionary. Ukarumpa: Summer Institute of Linguistics.
  6. Evans, Bethwyn. 2009. Beyond pronouns: further evidence for South Bougainville. In Bethwyn Evans (ed.), Discovering history through language: Papers in honour of Malcolm Ross, 73-101. Canberra: Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University.
  7. Henderson, James E. and Anne Henderson, compilers. 1999. Rossel to English, English to Rossel Dictionary. Dictionaries of Papua New Guinea, Vol. 9. Ukarumpa: Summer Institute of Linguistics.
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