Bayono–Awbono languages

Bayono–Awbono is a recently discovered Papuan language cluster spoken in Papua Province, Indonesia, to the south of the Somahai languages. All that is known of them is a few hundred words recorded in first-contact situations recorded in Wilbrink (2004) and Hischier (2006).

Bayono–Awbono
Geographic distribution	Papua Province, Indonesia
Linguistic classification	Trans–New Guinea Central West New Guinea Awyu–Ok Greater Awyu Becking–Dawi Bayono–Awbono
Subdivisions	Bayono Awbono Densar Kovojab
Glottolog	bayo1259

Languages

Wilbrink (2004) lists 4 distinct language varieties.^[1][2]

• Bayono (Enamesi, Swesu), Kovojab (Kvolyab, Kopoyap)
• Awbono, Densar

Classification

Noting insufficient evidence, Pawley and Hammarström (2018) leave Bayono–Awbono as unclassified rather than as part of Trans-New Guinea.^[3] However, according to Dryer (2022), based on a preliminary quantitative analysis of data from the ASJP database, Bayono–Awbono is likely to be a subgroup of Trans–New Guinea.^[4]

Timothy Usher finds enough evidence to classify Awbono–Bayono within the Greater Awyu (Digul River) family.^[5]

Wilbrink (2004) notes limited similarity with the neighboring Ok languages, and does not classify Bayono–Awbono with Ok.^[1]

Pronouns

The pronouns demonstrate resemblances to the neighboring Ok and Greater Awyu languages, and the pronouns are consistent with Bayono-Awbono belonging to the Trans–New Guinea family:

Lect	1SG	2SG
Awbono	nɛ	ɡu
Bayono	ne	ɡwe
proto-Awyu–Dumut	*nu-p	*gu-p
proto-Ok	*na-	*ka-b-/*ku-b-
proto-TNG	*na	*ga

References

1. Wilbrink, Ans (2004). The Kopkaka of Papua: Provisional notes on their language, its language affiliation and on the Kopkaka culture. MA thesis, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.
2. Wilbrink, Ans 2004 in Glottolog 4.1
3. Pawley, Andrew; Hammarström, Harald (2018). "The Trans New Guinea family". In Palmer, Bill (ed.). The Languages and Linguistics of the New Guinea Area: A Comprehensive Guide. The World of Linguistics. Vol. 4. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. pp. 21–196. ISBN 978-3-11-028642-7.
4. Dryer, Matthew S. (2022). Trans-New Guinea IV.2: Evaluating Membership in Trans-New Guinea.
5. Usher, Timothy. North Digul River. New Guinea World.

Further reading

• Hischier, Phyllis (2006). Exploration of the Remote Kopayap and Urajin Areas in West Papua, Indonesia: A First Contact in Kopayap and Urajin. Manuscript.
• Wilbrink, Ans (2004). The Kopkaka of Papua: Provisional notes on their language, its language affiliation and on the Kopkaka culture. MA thesis, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

External links

• Timothy Usher, New Guinea World, Proto–Awbono–Bayono