Lower Sepik languages

Language family of Papua New Guinea From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lower Sepik languages

The Lower Sepik a.k.a. Nor–Pondo languages are a small language family of East Sepik Province in northern Papua New Guinea. They were identified as a family by K Laumann in 1951 under the name Nor–Pondo, and included in Donald Laycock's now-defunct 1973 Sepik–Ramu family.

Quick Facts Geographic distribution, Linguistic classification ...
Lower Sepik
Nor–Pondo
Geographic
distribution
East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea
Linguistic classificationa primary language family
Subdivisions
  • Nor
  • Pondo?
Language codes
Glottologlowe1423
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Classification

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Perspective

The original conception of the family, under the name Nor–Pondo, is as follows:

Nor–Pondo
Nor family

Murik (Nor)

Kopar

Pondo family

Chambri

Karawari (Tabriak), Yimas

Angoram (Pondo)

Malcolm Ross (2005) broke up the Nor branch (and thus renamed the family Lower Sepik) because Murik does not share the characteristic /p/s of the first- and second-person pronouns of Kopar and the Pondo languages, so the latter may form a group: Murik vs Kopar–Pondo. Ross classified Lower Sepik as one branch of a Ramu–Lower Sepik language family.

Foley (2005) tentatively proposes that Chambri and Angoram may be primary branches: Nor, Chambari, Karawari–Yimas, Angoram. Usher, following Foley, keeps Nor together and breaks up Pondo.[1] Neither accept the connection to Ramu.

Foley (2018) and Usher (2020)

Foley (2018) and Usher (2020) agree on the following classification.[2][3]

Lower Sepik family

Foley notes that Angoram appears to be closer to Murik–Kopar, and Chambri to Karawari–Yimas, but Foley (2018: 213) leaves them as separate branches pending further evidence.

Phonology

Except for Yimas-Karawari, Lower Sepik languages typically have the following six-vowel system.[4]

iu
eəo
a

Yimas-Karawari has only four vowels.[4]

iu
ə
a

Proto-language

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Perspective
Quick Facts Proto-Lower Sepik, Reconstruction of ...
Proto-Lower Sepik
Reconstruction ofLower Sepik languages
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Pronouns

The pronouns reconstructed for the proto-language are,

Proto–Lower Sepik (Ross)
I*amawe two*ka-i, *ka-piawe few*(p)a-ŋk-i-twe all*a-i, *a-pia, *i-pi
thou*nɨmiyou two*ka-u, *ka-puayou few*(p)a-ŋk-u-tyou all*a-u, *a-pu, *i-pu(a)
s/he*mɨnthey two*mɨnɨmp ? (M),
*mpɨ ? (F)
they few*mɨŋkɨ-tthey all*mump (M),
*pum (F)
Proto-Nor–Pondo (Foley)
I*amawe two*ka-i, *ka-pa-iwe few*(pa)ŋk-itwe all*a-i, *a-pa-i, *(y)i-i, *(y)i-pa-i
thou*miyou two*ka-u, *ka-pa-uyou few*(pa)ŋk-utyou all*a-u, *a-pa-u, *(y)i-u, *(y)i-pa-u
s/he*mənthey two ?they few*mɨŋkɨthey all*mump ?

Lexicon

A phonological reconstruction of proto-Lower Sepik has been proposed by Foley (2005).[4] Foley's (2005) lexical reconstructions are provided below.

Proto-Lower Sepik reconstructions by Foley (2005)
More information gloss, proto-Lower Sepik ...
glossproto-Lower SepikYimasKarawiChambriAngrmMurikKopar
one*mb(w)ia-mpa-mba-mbwia-mbia-abembatep
two*ri-pa--rpalripay-ri-(lɨ)parkobokombari
three*-ram-ramnaw-rianmaw-ram-elɨmkeroŋgokeremɨŋ
person*nornar-maŋyarmasɨnarnoranannornor
male*ponpanmalpanmaripondopuin
woman*ŋayŋayasaykayenuŋorŋainana
water*arɨmarɨmarɨmarɨmalɨmarɨmarɨm
fire*awrawtawiayɨraluŋawrawr
suntɨmalsɨmarisɨnmarimbwinoakɨnakɨn
moon*m(w)il ?mɨlatuŋkwimwɨlmɨlekarewankarep
starawaksuŋkwiɲcirimsuŋgwiareɲjomoaikinaŋ
canoe*kaykaykaykekegainkain
housenamyamkurɨrnamiranindan
village*numnumimuŋkanumnumnomotnumot
breast*nɨŋgaynɨŋayɲjaynɨŋkeŋgeniŋgenniŋgin
tooth*sisiŋk ?tɨrɨŋsɨsɨŋsraŋksisiŋasarapasirap
blood*ya-yatyayyariayakoneyaranyuwaran
bone*sariŋamptanɨmtanɨmanampsalɨŋsariŋib̩sarekimp
tongue*minɨŋmɨɲɨŋmumɨɲɨŋtɨbulaniŋkmɨnɨŋmenɨŋmimiŋ
eye*tambrituŋkuruŋsampɨssɨsiŋktamblinabrinnambrin
nosetɨkayipunwambusunaŋɨmdaurimbot
leg*namuŋkpamuŋpamuŋnamaŋknamuŋnamɨŋ
hairwapwiwampiyawimbwikmaleydwarruar
ear*kwand-kwantumuŋkwandukaskukunamkwandumkarekepkundot
egg*awŋawŋyawŋawŋkawŋgaugawŋ
leaf*nɨmprampnɨmprɨmyimprɨmnɨmprampnamblumnabirɨknɨmbiraŋ
yesterday / tomorrow*ŋarɨŋŋarɨŋarɨŋnamasɨnɨŋnakɨmɨnŋarɨŋrari
oar*(mɨ)naŋmuraŋmɨnaŋnaŋkinapinaŋnaŋ
betelnut*poruŋpatnpaynmuntɨkɨnparɨŋporogpuruŋ
lime*awi(r)awiasayɨrawerairair
pig*numprannumpranimpiannumpranimbarnɨmbrennɨmbren
crocodilemanpamanpoayiwalamioramenuri
snake*wakɨnwakɨnwakɨnwanparuŋwakɨnikun
mosquito*naŋgunnaŋkunyaŋkunnaŋgunwawarɨnnauknangɨt
ground*andiantiantinɨŋkrumpandiaginandin
feces*mɨndimɨlɨmmɨntimuɲjarmɨndimɨndɨnmɨndɨ
hear*and-andɨanduandɨandɨdɨnnda
hit*ditupulkurardɨɨtidinɨŋ
eat*am(b)am(b)am(b)am(b)am(b)mɨnma
go*wawakuriakalwaonwa
come*yayakurapiayayayaya
sit*sataysandasanda
big*kupakɨpakupawupakupaapokapu
cold*sarV-tarɨksarɨksarukpopantsarapakin
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For comparisons with the language isolate Tayap, see Tayap language#Classification.

Footnotes

Further reading

References

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