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.
distributionEast Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea
- Nor
- Pondo?
| Lower Sepik | |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| |
Classification
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
Proto-language
| Proto-Lower Sepik | |
|---|---|
| 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.
