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Koiarian languages

Family of Trans–New Guinea languages From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Koiarian languages /kɔɪˈɑːriən/[2] Koiari are a small family of Trans–New Guinea languages spoken in the "Bird's Tail" (southeastern peninsula) of New Guinea. They are classified within the Southeast Papuan branch of TransNew Guinea.

Geographic
distribution
Southeastern peninsula of Papua New Guinea:
Central Province and Oro Province
Subdivisions
  • Koiari
  • Baraic (Managalas Plateau)
Quick facts Geographic distribution, Linguistic classification ...
Koiarian
Koiari – Managalas Plateau
Geographic
distribution
Southeastern peninsula of Papua New Guinea:
Central Province and Oro Province
Linguistic classificationTrans–New Guinea
Subdivisions
  • Koiari
  • Baraic (Managalas Plateau)
Language codes
Glottologkoia1260
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Languages

The languages are:

Dutton (2010) classifies the Koiarian languages as:[3]:3

Proto-language

Pronouns

Usher (2020) reconstructs the pronouns as:[1]

More information sg, pl ...
sgpl
1 *na*no
2 *a*ja
3 *aɸu*[i/e]abu
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Vocabulary

The following basic vocabulary words of Proto-Koiarian and other lower-level reconstructions are from the Trans-New Guinea database:[4]

More information gloss, Proto-Koiarian ...
glossProto-KoiarianProto-KoiariacProto-Baraic
head *kina
hair *fómo
ear *gada
eye *ni
nose *uri
tooth *gubai
tongue *bitarV
leg *díʔ-
louse *ʔumu
dog *to*(ʔ,k)uo
pig *ofo*mafV
bird *ugu[fa]
egg *uni
blood *taɣo
bone *(ʔ)adV
skin *vata
breast *amu*m(u,o)sV
tree *idí
man *ata*baru
woman *maɣina*nigi
sun *vani*maja-; *ve
moon *bata
water *[i]do
fire *vené
stone *muni*Umari
road, path *ɣuma
name *ifí
eat *i-
one *(i,o)gau*Ogonu
two *abu(t)i*inoki
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Evolution

Koiarian reflexes of proto-Trans-New Guinea (pTNG) etyma are:[5]

Koiari language:

  • muka ‘lump’ < *maŋgV ‘round object’
  • uni ‘egg’ < *mun(a,i,u)ka
  • idu ‘tree’ < *inda
  • iya ‘cassowary’ < *ku(y)a
  • karika ‘dry’ < *(ŋg,k)atata
  • muni ‘stone < *(na)muna
  • nana ‘older same-sex sibling’ < *nan(a,i)
  • u-tuvu ‘ashes’ < *kambu-sumbu

Managalasi language:

  • ata ‘bone’ < *kondaC
  • muka ‘lump’ < *maŋgV ‘round object’
  • iha ‘name’ < *imbi
  • uma ‘louse’ < *iman
  • uka ‘bird’ < *yaka
  • tuua ‘short’ < *tukumba[C]
  • muna ‘stone’ < *(na)muna
  • ija ‘tree’ < *inda
  • otoka ‘knee’ < *(k,ŋg)atuk
  • kora ‘dry’ < *(ŋg,k)atata

Phonotactics

Like the Binanderean languages, Barai and other Koiarian languages only allow for open syllables and do not allow final CVC.[5]:87

References

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