Lower Sepik languages
Language family of Papua New Guinea From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.
Lower Sepik | |
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Nor–Pondo | |
Geographic distribution | East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea |
Linguistic classification | a primary language family |
Subdivisions |
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Language codes | |
Glottolog | lowe1423 |
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Classification
Summarize
Perspective
The original conception of the family, under the name Nor–Pondo, is as follows:
Nor–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]
i u e ə o a
Yimas-Karawari has only four vowels.[4]
i u ə a
Proto-language
Summarize
Perspective
Proto-Lower Sepik | |
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Reconstruction of | Lower Sepik languages |
Pronouns
The pronouns reconstructed for the proto-language are,
- Proto–Lower Sepik (Ross)
I *ama we two *ka-i, *ka-pia we few *(p)a-ŋk-i-t we all *a-i, *a-pia, *i-pi thou *nɨmi you two *ka-u, *ka-pua you few *(p)a-ŋk-u-t you all *a-u, *a-pu, *i-pu(a) s/he *mɨn they two *mɨnɨmp ? (M),
*mpɨ ? (F)they few *mɨŋkɨ-t they all *mump (M),
*pum (F)
- Proto-Nor–Pondo (Foley)
I *ama we two *ka-i, *ka-pa-i we few *(pa)ŋk-it we all *a-i, *a-pa-i, *(y)i-i, *(y)i-pa-i thou *mi you two *ka-u, *ka-pa-u you few *(pa)ŋk-ut you all *a-u, *a-pa-u, *(y)i-u, *(y)i-pa-u s/he *mən they two ? they few *mɨŋkɨ they 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)
gloss | proto-Lower Sepik | Yimas | Karawi | Chambri | Angrm | Murik | Kopar |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
one | *mb(w)ia- | mpa- | mba- | mbwia- | mbia- | abe | mbatep |
two | *ri-pa- | -rpal | ripay | -ri | -(lɨ)par | kobo | kombari |
three | *-ram | -ramnaw | -rianmaw | -ram | -elɨm | keroŋgo | keremɨŋ |
person | *nor | nar-maŋ | yarmasɨnar | noranan | nor | nor | |
male | *pon | panmal | panmari | pondo | puin | ||
woman | *ŋay | ŋay | asay | kaye | nuŋor | ŋai | nana |
water | *arɨm | arɨm | arɨm | arɨm | alɨm | arɨm | arɨm |
fire | *awr | awt | awi | ayɨr | aluŋ | awr | awr |
sun | tɨmal | sɨmari | sɨnmari | mbwino | akɨn | akɨn | |
moon | *m(w)il ? | mɨla | tuŋkwi | mwɨl | mɨle | karewan | karep |
star | awak | suŋkwiɲcirim | suŋgwi | areɲjo | moai | kinaŋ | |
canoe | *kay | kay | kay | ke | ke | gain | kain |
house | nam | yam | kurɨr | nam | iran | indan | |
village | *num | num | imuŋka | num | num | nomot | numot |
breast | *nɨŋgay | nɨŋay | ɲjay | nɨŋke | ŋge | niŋgen | niŋgin |
tooth | *sisiŋk ? | tɨrɨŋ | sɨsɨŋ | sraŋk | sisiŋ | asarap | asirap |
blood | *ya- | yat | yay | yari | ayakone | yaran | yuwaran |
bone | *sariŋamp | tanɨm | tanɨm | anamp | salɨŋ | sariŋib̩ | sarekimp |
tongue | *minɨŋ | mɨɲɨŋ | mumɨɲɨŋ | tɨbulaniŋk | mɨnɨŋ | menɨŋ | mimiŋ |
eye | *tambri | tuŋkuruŋ | sampɨs | sɨsiŋk | tambli | nabrin | nambrin |
nose | tɨkay | ipun | wambusu | naŋɨm | daur | imbot | |
leg | *namuŋk | pamuŋ | pamuŋ | namaŋk | namuŋ | namɨŋ | |
hair | wapwi | wampi | yawi | mbwikmaley | dwar | ruar | |
ear | *kwand- | kwantumuŋ | kwandukas | kukunam | kwandum | karekep | kundot |
egg | *awŋ | awŋ | yawŋ | awŋk | awŋ | gaug | awŋ |
leaf | *nɨmpramp | nɨmprɨm | yimprɨm | nɨmpramp | namblum | nabirɨk | nɨmbiraŋ |
yesterday / tomorrow | *ŋarɨŋ | ŋarɨŋ | arɨŋ | namasɨnɨŋ | nakɨmɨn | ŋarɨŋ | rari |
oar | *(mɨ)naŋ | muraŋ | mɨnaŋ | naŋk | inap | inaŋ | naŋ |
betelnut | *poruŋ | patn | payn | muntɨkɨn | parɨŋ | porog | puruŋ |
lime | *awi(r) | awi | as | ayɨr | awer | air | air |
pig | *numpran | numpran | impian | numpran | imbar | nɨmbren | nɨmbren |
crocodile | manpa | manpo | ayi | walami | oramen | uri | |
snake | *wakɨn | wakɨn | wakɨn | wan | paruŋ | wakɨn | ikun |
mosquito | *naŋgun | naŋkun | yaŋkun | naŋgun | wawarɨn | nauk | nangɨt |
ground | *andi | anti | anti | nɨŋkrump | andi | agin | andin |
feces | *mɨndi | mɨlɨm | mɨnti | muɲjar | mɨndi | mɨndɨn | mɨndɨ |
hear | *and- | andɨ | andu | andɨ | andɨ | dɨn | nda |
hit | *di | tupul | kurar | dɨɨ | ti | di | nɨŋ |
eat | *am(b) | am(b) | am(b) | am(b) | am(b) | mɨn | ma |
go | *wa | wa | kuria | kal | wa | on | wa |
come | *ya | ya | kurapia | ya | ya | ya | ya |
sit | *sa | tay | sa | nda | sa | nda | |
big | *kupa | kɨpa | kupa | wupa | kupa | apo | kapu |
cold | *sarV- | tarɨk | sarɨk | saruk | popant | sarapakin |
For comparisons with the language isolate Tayap, see Tayap language#Classification.
Footnotes
Further reading
References
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