The South Pauwasi languages are a likely small language family of New Guinea, potentially consisting of Yetfa, Kimki, Lepki, Murkim and Kembra.[1]
| South Pauwasi | |
|---|---|
| Yetfa – South Pauwasi River | |
| Geographic distribution | Papua: Pegunungan Bintang Regency |
| Linguistic classification | Pauwasi
|
| Subdivisions | |
| Language codes | |
| Glottolog | None |
Classification
editUsher (2020) classifies the languages as follows,[1]
- Yetfa – South Pauwasi River
The relationship of the five languages was recognized in the early 2000s as Paul Whitehouse assembled unpublished data from the Summer Institute of Linguistics. Usher classifies them as a branch of the Pauwasi language family.[1] Søren Wichmann (2013) agrees that Murkim and Lepki at least appear to be very closely related.[2] Foley (2018) accepts that Kembra, which is very poorly attested, may be related as well.[3]
Cognates
editSome cognates connecting the languages are as follows. There are also loanwords in common with Pyu.[1]
South Pauwasi cognates gloss Yetfa Kimki Kembra Lepki Murkim water ket, kel di er kɛl kel two kais kaisi kais head anok no-tɛl anok leaf bwaitʰ (?) -βai bwaik skin/bark it-'ba jit jaitʰ worm briɸ brɛp breɸ louse (n)jim -nim nim nɪm ɪm hair itʰ -jet jɛt ear bwa bwi bwi eye iː ɛ̃ ji jɛ-mɔn coconut was- wæjs wais- speech ma mi mi- mi knife tema tma tə̆'ma tma canoe kuf õːp kuβ kuɸ shit ɲan ain -ɲa njah ~ iãh person ap ~ aɸ rá- ra ɸra egg nela -lĕl dɛl nel fire/wood jao (tree) já ja jo ~ ja- house nam meː nim mi laugh mamla -mwel-o mwalo this si si si cloud kos kos- kos- tongue arbak braw prouk tail nókwa jouk jakʷat~ɲakʷat white lʊ dol- lol far uje~udʒe w̆ijɛ wije~uje- come -ki- guj- kʷi 1pl name nakme 2pl same sakme-re
References
edit- ^ a b c d New Guinea World, South Pauwasi River
- ^ Wichmann, Søren. 2013. A classification of Papuan languages. In: Hammarström, Harald and Wilco van den Heuvel (eds.), History, contact and classification of Papuan languages (Language and Linguistics in Melanesia, Special Issue 2012), 313-386. Port Moresby: Linguistic Society of Papua New Guinea.
- ^ Foley, William A. (2018). "The languages of Northwest New Guinea". 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. 433–568. ISBN 978-3-11-028642-7.
External links
edit- Timothy Usher, New Guinea World, proto–South Pauwasi River