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Kenyah languages

Languages of Borneo From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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The Kenyah languages are a group of half a dozen or so closely related languages spoken by the Kenyah peoples of Borneo. They are:

Kenyah proper (a dialect cluster, incl. Madang), Sebob, Tutoh (Long Wat), Wahau Kenyah, Uma’ Lung / Uma’ Lasan.
Quick facts Geographic distribution, Linguistic classification ...

Ethnologue says that the Punan–Nibong languages are related to Uma’ Lasan, Glottolog that they are outside the Kenyah languages.

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Classification

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Soriente (2008) proposes a Kayan-Kenyah grouping.[1]

However, Smith (2015) rejects Soriente's grouping, and argues that Kenyah and Kayan are separate groups. Smith (2015) proposes the following classification.[2]

  • Proto-Kenyah
    • Highland
      • Highland A dialects: Lepoʼ Gah, Lepoʼ Sawa, Lepoʼ Laang, Lepoʼ Baha, Lepoʼ Maʼut, Lepoʼ, Bakung, Lepoʼ Ndang
      • Highland B dialects: Lepoʼ Tau, Badeng, Umaʼ Lasan, Umaʼ Alim, Òma Lóngh
    • Lowland
      • Western Lowland dialects: Lebo' Vo'
      • Eastern Lowland dialects: Lebuʼ Kulit, Lebuq Timai, Umaʼ Pawa, Umaʼ Ujok, Umaʼ Kelap/Kelep
    • Penan-Sebop

This classification of Kenyah languages was updated in a second publication, "Penan, Sebop, and Kenyah internal classification". There, it was shown that Penan and Sebop subgroup specifically with the Western-Lowland branch of Lowland Kenyah. This subgrouping was repeated in the dissertation, "The languages of Borneo: a comprehensive classification".

  • Proto-Kenyah
    • Highland
      • Highland A dialects: Lepoʼ Gah, Lepoʼ Sawa, Lepoʼ Laang, Lepoʼ Baha, Lepoʼ Maʼut, Lepoʼ, Bakung, Lepoʼ Ndang
      • Highland B dialects: Lepoʼ Tau, Badeng, Umaʼ Lasan, Umaʼ Alim, Òma Lóngh
    • Lowland
      • Western Lowland dialects: Lebo' Vo', Eastern Penan, Western Penan, Sebop
      • Eastern Lowland dialects: Lebuʼ Kulit, Lebuq Timai, Umaʼ Pawa, Umaʼ Ujok, Umaʼ Kelap/Kelep
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Supposed Austroasiatic influence

Kaufman (2018) notes that many Proto-Kenyah words (Smith 2017) are of likely Austroasiatic origin, including the following (Note: The Austroasiatic branch reconstructions are from Paul Sidwell's reconstructions).[3]

  • *saləŋ ‘black’ (cf. Proto-Palaungic *laŋ; Proto-Bahnaric *sla(ː)ŋ ‘clear, transparent’)
  • *makaŋ ‘brave’
  • *dəŋ ‘deaf’ (cf. Proto-Katuic *tuŋ; Mon daŋ)
  • *pətat ‘divorce’ (cf. Mon tɛt)
  • *naʔ ‘give’ (cf. Proto-South-Bahnaric *ʔaːn; Khmu ʔan)
  • *biləŋ ‘green’
  • *mə-bʰuh ‘help, assist’
  • *laʔu ‘hungry’
  • *adaŋ ‘must’
  • *iəŋ ‘mosquito’
  • *kabiŋ ‘left (side)’
  • *pilaw ‘smooth’ (cf. Proto-Katuic *phiil)
  • *biʔən ‘time’ (cf. Proto-Palaungic *bən ‘(future) time’)
  • *nəmbam ‘tomorrow’
  • *ait ‘sand’
  • *luaŋ ‘seed’
  • *su ‘grandchild’ (cf. Proto-Palaungic *cuʔ)

Vo words of likely Austroasiatic origin include:

  • ɟen ‘bring’
  • pikəp ‘narrow’
  • mamoŋ ‘pregnant’
  • imaʔ ‘rain’ (cf. Proto-Austroasiatic *gmaʔ)
  • lañaʔ ‘fast/quick’ (cf. Proto-Vietic *m-laɲ; Proto-North-Bahnaric *raɲ)
  • məɲon ‘sit’ (cf. Proto-Palaungic *-ɟɔn)
  • ʄap ‘ten’ (cf. Khmer dɑp < Chinese?)
  • sah ‘seed’ (cf. Proto-Palaungic *ʄak)
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References

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