Sepik–Ramu languages

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Sepik–Ramu
(obsolete)
Geographic
distribution
New Guinea
Linguistic classificationProposed language family
Subdivisions
GlottologNone

The Sepik–Ramu languages are an obsolete language family of New Guinea linking the Sepik, Ramu, Nor–Pondo (Lower Sepik), Leonhard Schultze (Walio–Papi) and Yuat families, together with the Taiap language isolate, and proposed by Donald Laycock and John Z'graggen in 1975.[1]

Sepik–Ramu would consist of a hundred languages of the Sepik and Ramu river basins of northern Papua New Guinea, but spoken by only 200,000 people in all. The languages tend to have simple phonologies, with few consonants or vowels and usually no tones.

The best known Sepik–Ramu language is Iatmül. The most populous are Iatmül's fellow Ndu languages Abelam and Boiken, with about 35,000 speakers apiece.

Malcolm Ross and William A. Foley separately re-evaluated the Sepik–Ramu hypothesis in 2005. They both found no evidence that it forms a valid family. However, all of the constituent branches, except for Yuat within Ramu, remain individually valid in his evaluation. Ross links Nor–Pondo to Ramu in a Ramu–Lower Sepik proposal, places Leonhard Schultze (tentatively broken up into Walio and Papi) within an extended Sepik family, and treats Yuat and Taiap as independent families.

Classification[edit]

Ethnologue[edit]

This list is a mirror of the classification in Ethnologue 15.

Foley (2018)[edit]

Uncontroversially coherent subgroups accepted by Foley (2018) are:[2]

Lexical comparison[edit]

Below is a comparison of proto-Ndu, proto-Lower Sepik, and proto-Ottilien reconstructed by and listed in Foley (2005).[3]

gloss proto-Ndu proto-Lower Sepik proto-Ottilien
man, person *ntɨw *nor *namot
water *ŋkɨw *arɨm
fire *ya *awr *s(u)ək
sun *ɲa *ra(u)
moon *mpapmɨw *m(w)il ? *kər(v)i
breast *mɨwɲ *nɨŋgay *mɨr
tooth *nɨmpɨy *sisiŋk ? *nda(r)
bone *apə *sariŋamp *ɣar
tongue *tɨkŋa *minɨŋ *mi(m)
eye *mɨyR *tambri *rəmeak
nose *tam(w)ə *ŋgum
leg *man *namuŋk *or ?
ear *wan *kwand-
name *cɨ *ɣi
pig *mp(w)al *numpran *rəkəm
snake *kampwəy *wakɨn *ndop
mosquito *kɨvɨy *naŋgun *ŋgit
eat *kɨ *am(b) *amb
go *yɨ *wa *saŋg
come *ya *ya *kɨp
sit *rə *sa *mbirak
stand *rap(m) *-tik
one *nək *mb(w)ia- *kaku
two *ri-pa- *mbuniŋ
three *-ram

Due to its highly divergent lexicon, Foley does not classify Sepik with Lower Sepik and Ramu.

The lexical data below is from the Trans-New Guinea database,[4] Foley (2005),[3] and Usher (2020) (for Proto-Arafundi).[5]

Body parts
family language head hair ear eye nose tooth tongue leg blood bone skin breast
Trans-New Guinea Proto-Trans-New Guinea *kobutu; *kV(mb,p)utu; *mUtUna; *mVtVna *iti; *(nd,s)umu(n,t)[V]; *zumun *ka(nd,t)(i,e)C; *kat(i,e)C; *tVmV(d) *g(a,u)mu; *ŋg(a,u)mu; *(ŋg,k)iti [maŋgV]; *nVpV *mundu; *mutu *magata; *maŋgat[a]; *titi *balaŋ; *mbilaŋ; *me(l,n)e; *me(n,l)e *kani(n); *k(a,o)ond(a,o)C; *kitu *ke(ñj,s)a; *kesa *kondaC; *kwata(l,n) *gatapu; *(ŋg,k)a(nd,t)apu *amu
Yadë Nagatiman ʌsu ʌsʌǏahuᵽa ąhuǏuʔ na:ba yɛlu aǏižiʔ wi:nuʔ ɛlɛ:b̶u žib̶uʔ ma:ba
Busa Odiai owuna etete dinʌ dena wʌti wuti dʌgʌrʌ aɔ̨ ab̶uwibʌ tati
Amto-Musan Amto twæ (twæ) iwɔ ye mo ni i hæne; hʌne nʌkei hae ka ne
Amto-Musan Siawi nani nanigi mene Ǐimʌ ʔi hanɛ hařʔ hařʔ ʔaoko ne
Left May Bo kʌmi kʌmsiya mʌǏo ki ki lɛsɛ kwo mutuk tʌpɔ
Walio Yawiyo (Wosawari dialect) tipafu yei afe nimau tɩmʌsi nʌfe tanotai teyuowa ihuwa toefahewa mama
Papi Papi auwiyu ařupisi mʌgʌnaba sunweyo tʌnipɔku sʋmunu sakeyo taneke naikʌmio pʌsiyæ abiyaiɔ
Sepik, Abau Abau makwe nwek nane; nanɛ kasan nas sane; sanɛ sune; sunɛ nyoh ayo; i ohi mu
Sepik, Iwam Iwam mu wun nu nomwos piknu kwane wərku; wɨrku ni keew; kew pəw muy
Sepik, Wogamusin-Chenapian Chenapian toapᵒ; tuwap taoɛnavon; taunabon gwabuo; ugwabə džinano; ǰinino mɨnɨk; munɩk diu; duɨʔ taun; ton soʷanaup; šonawəp ne; nᵊe dža; ǰa· bɩn; bön mu; muʔ
Sepik, Tama Yessan-Mayo tara wan la; lə raŋkɨ; raŋki lər; lir tawlə towa; warə nap yaha was mu; mukw
Sepik, Ram Pouye nouraka maroalaka nowar wolokə piyapa laləmu lalə aywi lakə nəpyei muy
Sepik, Yellow River Namia magu mak eno nəmala; nɨmala pinarɨ; pinarə lar li:; lipala norə lak urarə mu
Sepik, Ndu Proto-Ndu[3] *wan *mɨyR *tam(w)ə *nɨmpɨy *tɨkŋa *man *apə *mɨwɲ
Sepik, Nukuma Kwoma masək fu:; mabiya mi:; miyi sumojɨ; sumwonj pu; tarəkwi kwunja; tarekwoy ya:te; yati pi apo; hapa mampə muk; muku
Sepik, Sanio Saniyo-Hiyewe tu; worɛ siyaʔi mato towe; tutowe apahɛ; apaniyɛ nihe; nihɛ ɛrɛme; ɛrɛmɛ pi sořowɛ; soruwɛ lowe; rowɛ fisa'i; fisaʔi paʔaře; pa'arɛ tahɛ mo'u; moʔu
Sepik, Bahinemo Bahinemo thu thunʌba bʌsiya niya sɛkʌnɩ pi thɔlu lowa mahələ hʌbi thʌbi mosu
Sepik, Alamblak Alamblak mʌbogath; mɛ̈ƀɨǥatʰ tʰɨ'maʀ̌č; tʌmarts; tʰɨ'maʀ̌š yimbɣindang; yɩmbɨǥin'daŋgɨtʰ; yɩmbʌlindangʌm ɲinga; 'ɲiŋgaʀ̥̥̌; ningaw 'hʰušɨ ɨtʰ; khusɩmʌth; 'kʰučɨmɨtʰ; kusm bɩ'čɛ̈tʰ; biʃə; bɩ'šɛ̈tʰ; bɩsʌm tor; torkh; 'tʰoʀ̥̌tʰ wʌlat; 'wɷ'řatʰ; wura khukhupam; kɨ'kʰupʰam thʌphim; tɨ'pɩʀ̥̌; tɨpi tʰɨ'ǥatʰ; thʌkhath mingam; miŋatʰ; niŋgam
Tayap Tayap[6] kokir kokɨrŋgrɨt neke ŋgino raw rewi malɨt ndow and nɨŋg toto min
Piawi Haruai (Wiyaw dialect) 'jeʥ̮ᵊ'mat̮ɑ jeʥ̮ᵊˈϕan ɾ̥ɨmɨnt̮ɕ 'momakʰ haŋi'etʰ andzᵊmakᵡ alᵊ'bʌɲ ϕa'letʰ haɲ jantʰ jɩmaɤ wɨɲ kau
Piawi Pinai-Hagahai (Aramo dialect) iʥ̮uə'xə iˌʥ̮imə'da jɛn'waϕe mɛmɛʥ̮ə'magə nama'gə ˌjɛd̮ʑɩ 'magə su'ə; syê hə'damə'si ga'ja jɛ'də wɩ'ɲi a'hu
Arafundi Proto-Arafundi[5] *kopa *tum[a] *kund[a] *pok *kandz[a] *taTumat[a] *panamb[a] *kombet- *jekimb[a] *kumb[a]-; *tut[a] *ji[t/s]
Yuat Biwat fop; fopeh fufuimaivi; fufuimaye tuanhe; tundu siketeh; sipta gerekeh; ŋerek andu; andusivahe be; behe gambang; geambangeh amberaeh; ambra amfuva; amfuvaheh gamfuin; iaveteh meru; meruhe
Yuat Kyenele (Miyak dialect) ᵽop fusibɩľu tandu sɩpʰala nʌnɛlɩŋ ŋandu mpe ŋgambaŋ ambala amᵽuwa nᵽɩsakʰ miřu
Lower Sepik Proto-Lower Sepik[3] *kwand-; *kwandum *tambri *sisiŋk; *?*sisiŋk *minɨŋ; *minɨŋk *namuŋk *ya-; *ya-r *sariŋamp *nɨŋgay; *nɨŋkay
Ramu Ambakich (Arango dialect) katʃi katʃokei kər dun kɨpɨ aur mil brip sin karatʃ okanɨk oɾitʃ
Ramu Proto-Watam-Awar-Gamay[3] *kwar *rəmeak *ŋgum *nda(r) *mi(m) *or ? *ɣar *mɨr
Nature
family language louse dog pig bird egg tree sun moon water fire stone path
Trans-New Guinea Proto-Trans-New Guinea *niman *n(e,i); *n(e)i; *n[e]i; *yak; *yaka[i]; *yanem *maŋgV; *munaka; *mun(a,u)ka *ida; *inda ~ *iñja *kamali; *kamuli; *ketana *kal(a,i)m; *kamali; *takVn; *takVn[V] *nok; *(n)ok; *ok(u); *ok[V] *inda; *k(a,e)dap; *k(a,e)(n,d)ap; *kambu; *k(a,o)nd(a,u)p *kamb(a,u)na; *(na)muna; *[na]muna
Yadë Nagatiman mibaʔ kaliʔ gǏɛǏiʔ pʋlɛʔ kah ti: tuʔ ahuʐiʔ anɩziʔ ařʌgɛʔ
Busa Odiai amo inʌri waru wʌnʌ mʌiyʌ nda ani bitɔ ti
Amto-Musan Amto nanu ma ai ai: amɩ wi: maři tipeki mo
Amto-Musan Siawi nani so: kinʌdiʔ ʔai iǏɔ ameʔ wi maǏi tʌbɛki mono
Left May Bo ka naři ᵽu wɔi ka ʔu ta tʌpʌki keři; kʌři
Walio Yawiyo (Wosawari dialect) dibafuyei ifau; ivau ami ami auma aumufu yanu utlauwe tanuwa; tiyami tab̶iya efʌmowa
Papi Papi ařupɩsɩ agabu tʌmaub̶o ɔb̶ɔ; ɔ:sani usouyo na:b̶ʌkʌ ařukowa řiku tab̶iyaio pʌbřiyaio
Sepik, Abau Abau mapru nwɔf; nwɔhɔ fwok ahnɛ ne no; nɔw e; ey yen; yeny fu; hu ya məny
Sepik, Iwam Iwam ŋən; nɨn nwa hu owit yen pae(kap); paykap pi pwan op; o(p) pay siya
Sepik, Wogamusin-Chenapian Chenapian damian; dəmiaʔ gwara; ogwara kᵘo; ku džɛosiʔ; ǰɛoši noə; ṣⁱu no məntəp; montoap džabɨn; ǰaƀan nu džoʔ; ǰoʔ un nogɛrao; noguařo uni
Sepik, Tama Yessan-Mayo nɨ; ni wala for ap yen; yɨn me yabəl; yampəl lup; lɨyf ok; okw k-er; kər pa
Sepik, Ram Pouye nipikəm aukwə yio warə tau taliyə yalma you tapo tɨl
Sepik, Yellow River Namia nanpeu ar; ara lwae eyu puna mi wuluwa yem ijo; ito ipi lijei
Sepik, Ndu Proto-Ndu *r; *wac *mp(w)al *mɨy *ɲa *mpapmɨw *ŋkɨw *ya
Sepik, Nukuma Kwoma nəkə; nɨka asa buri; poyi apu apo; bey; mpei me ya nowəka; nɨwɨka uku hi; hi: papa
Sepik, Sanio Saniyo-Hiyewe nɛmɛ yo; you fe iřowɛ; iruwɛ hotɛ me; mɛ poɔyuɛ; poweyɛ yamɛ; yamɛ' sa'i; saʔi yɛhɛ tapiyɛ
Sepik, Bahinemo Bahinemo nʌmu yo fa wabo wabo mu mi tɩniya yamal hagi ya ba
Sepik, Alamblak Alamblak nəm; 'nɛ̈mɨtʰ; nʌmo yauʀ̥̌ʸ; yawi; yawu 'ᵽɛ̈gɨʀ̥̌; fagʌr; fəɣ nongwar; 'nugwaʀ̥̌ fɣa; fokam; ᵽo'ǥat mᵼč; mim; mᵼš; mɨy mar; 'mařɨʀ̥̌ yam; 'yamɨtʰ; yamʌth bukbam; 'bupʰam; bu-pam kaɣ; kʰaǥɨtʰ; khaxth š; taxim yɨ'ǥotʸoǥatʰ
Tayap Tayap kɨkrikɨ; pakɨnd nje mbor tam naŋa nɨm arawer karep awin otar moŋapat; njiŋai; ŋawmbɨ nder
Piawi Haruai (Wiyaw dialect) jɩm waɲa han 'jaʷər jaur mɩntɕ naijʌ r̥̃ʌn ɾ̥a'bʌ ɾ̥ᵼn ɾ̥ɩgɨ ganɨmϕ
Piawi Pinai-Hagahai (Aramo dialect) i'mɤd̮ʑi wɛ'ɲa jɛ'nɤ jau'thə jau't͑umu'si mɤ'na ɽə'ma sɔ'kɷnə ɲa'bɤ ɽɩ'gə 'diədə
Arafundi Proto-Arafundi *emuŋg *tawa[m/mb] *jat *kenet *mund[a] *jes *kVjom *kepa *jomb *jamb *naŋgum
Yuat Biwat uta; utaeh ken; kenhe vereh; vre kaok; kaokhek momoateh; mumuat mung; mungeh va; vaeh mumere; mumereh mam; mumeh mehen; men ghateh; yiak maikua; miakuahe
Yuat Kyenele (Miyak dialect) wututʰoma gɛn ƀeǏe wanma wanmuma ƀanma ŋgɨŋat maŋam mɨn mɨndɩm mayt
Lower Sepik Proto-Lower Sepik *nam *numpran *awŋ; *awŋk *y(uw)an *sɨnmari *?*m(w)il; *m(w)il *arɨm *awr; *aw-r
Ramu Ambakich (Arango dialect) ɛwar ɛrɛl ksu gumai mimo ondɨr̥ ɛmɩm bran amɨ an mɨndɨr duwan
Ramu Proto-Watam-Awar-Gamay *rəkəm *ŋgwarak *ra(u) *kər(v)i *s(u)ək
Miscellaneous
family language man woman name eat one two
Trans-New Guinea Proto-Trans-New Guinea *abV; *ambi *panV; *pan(V) *ibi; *imbi; *wani *na; *na- *ta(l,t)(a,e)
Yadë Nagatiman mɩsɛʔ hiɛǏɛ žuwaʔ teǏɛʔ
Busa Odiai nutu muniʌren otutu tinʌnʌ
Amto-Musan Amto kyu hama me:ne ohu kiyaA
Amto-Musan Siawi yɛnokono ʔeǏo pe sʌmo himolo
Left May Bo nʌkʌ kwa sanoʔ sɔsɔ tisʌ
Walio Yawiyo (Wosawari dialect) to; to i:wa sauto afaʔunařu ařʌsʌbau ařʌfři
Papi Papi sanoᵽo su:bu opo akepo sunuboku suwʌbiyaio
Sepik, Abau Abau lu; or; ur sa uru ra mun; rin pris
Sepik, Iwam Iwam kam; yen-kam wik (n)ai; (nd)ai oe; ruk; su ŋwis
Sepik, Wogamusin-Chenapian Chenapian tama; tamö tauwo; tawö tamgu nař; sⁱərəʔ ǰⁱək; nɛsi; ṣiṣi
Sepik, Tama Yessan-Mayo tama; tamə ta: a(m) wurɨ fes
Sepik, Ram Pouye lamo tʔlum yikən
Sepik, Yellow River Namia lu ere ilei (t) tipia pəli
Sepik, Ndu Proto-Ndu *ntiw *cɨ *kɨ *nək
Sepik, Nukuma Kwoma ma mi:ma hi a pochi uprus
Sepik, Sanio Saniyo-Hiyewe mɛni; mitaru taunɛ; tawnɛ yapɛ aiyei; asiyʌ hɛta'i; taʔi hɛsi
Sepik, Bahinemo Bahinemo 'ɩma swani wufa diyaw dʌbatha husi
Sepik, Alamblak Alamblak yima; 'yi'maʀ̥̌ 'metɨtʰ7; metum 'yuƀatʰ; yufa; yufat fa; ka; 'kʰaɛ̈ʀ̥̌; weyanum; ye rɛphar; rpa; řɨpʰatʰ hutsif; xočiᵽ; 'xošɩᵽ
Tayap Tayap munje noŋor nomb a nambar; mbatep sene
Piawi Haruai (Wiyaw dialect) 'nabʌ hʌmpʰ nɨm'da waɲɩŋ'geϕ jɩ'mag 'jɩŋgʷʌ
Piawi Pinai-Hagahai (Aramo dialect) na'ba mə'gə nabamɩ'he ˌmomə'dɛɽə a'gə ˌhəgə'naβəma'ɨ
Arafundi Proto-Arafundi *nuŋgum *nam *membi[a] *nembV- *kamin, *kondamin
Yuat Biwat foakpa; fuakpahe arepa; arepahe vu'geh; vuŋ ueh jiveh; u-u give nategeh; natek arauu; aravueh
Yuat Kyenele (Miyak dialect) aƀɷt miandu tšɛntšɛntšuƀa ŋaykʰʌkʰ aǏawin
Lower Sepik Proto-Lower Sepik *ŋay *am-; *am(b) *mb(w)ia- *ri-pa-
Ramu Ambakich (Arango dialect) kambo anatʃo dʒi mɨondɨmqam koŋ; ondɨsɨno nuŋgun
Ramu Proto-Watam-Awar-Gamay *ɣi *amb *kaku *mbuniŋ

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Laycock, D. C. and Z'graggen, John A. 1975. The Sepik-Ramu Phylum. In Wurm, S.A. (ed.), Papuan Languages and the New Guinea Linguistic Scene, New Guinea Area Languages and Language Study 1, 729-763. Australian National University.
  2. ^ Foley, William A. (2018). "The Languages of the Sepik-Ramu Basin and Environs". 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. 197–432. ISBN 978-3-11-028642-7.
  3. ^ a b c d e Foley, William A. (2005). "Linguistic prehistory in the Sepik-Ramu basin". In Andrew Pawley; Robert Attenborough; Robin Hide; Jack Golson (eds.). Papuan pasts: cultural, linguistic and biological histories of Papuan-speaking peoples. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics. pp. 109–144. ISBN 0858835622. OCLC 67292782.
  4. ^ Greenhill, Simon (2016). "TransNewGuinea.org - database of the languages of New Guinea". Retrieved 2020-11-05.
  5. ^ a b Usher, Timothy (2020). "New Guinea World". Archived from the original on 2022-12-16. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  6. ^ Kulick, Don; Terrill, Angela (2019). A Grammar and Dictionary of Tayap: The Life and Death of a Papuan Language. Pacific Linguistics 661. Boston/Berlin: Walter de Gruyter Inc. ISBN 9781501512209.