West Papuan Highlands languages

West Papuan Highlands
West Papuan Highlands
Irian Highlands
Geographic; distribution	Highlands of Irian Jaya
Linguistic classification	Trans–New Guinea West Papuan Highlands;
Subdivisions	Dani; Paniai Lakes; Amung–Dem;
Glottolog	None
	Map: The Irian Highlands languages of New Guinea The Irian Highlands families Other Trans–New Guinea families Other Papuan languages Austronesian languages Uninhabited

The West Papuan Highland languages, also known as the Irian Highland languages, are a branch of the Trans–New Guinea language family proposed by Larson & Larson (1972) and confirmed by Timothy Usher.^[1] William A. Foley considers their Trans–New Guinea identity to be established.

Dani (Balim Valley) family
Paniai Lakes (Wissel Lakes) family
Amung–Dem
- Uhunduni (Amung, Damal)
- Dem

History

Capell linked the Dani languages to Kwerba in 1962, a position followed by Wurm, who included Dani-Kwerba and the Wissel Lakes (Paniai Lakes) languages as branches of Trans–New Guinea. Larson & Larson (1972) proposed that the Dani and Paniai Lakes families, along with the Amung and Dem isolates, grouped together within TNG. Ross (2005) suggests a possible link between Dani and Paniai with his West TNG proposal. Usher confirms Larson & Larson and finds that the Amung and Dem languages are closest to each other.

Lexical comparison

The lexical data below is from the Trans-New Guinea database^[2] and Usher (2020).^[3] The Bayono-Awbono data is from Wilbrink (2004).^[4] Neighboring languages not traditionally classified within West Papuan Highlands are also included for comparison.

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
Paniai Lakes	Ekari (Paniai Lake dialect)	migo	iyo		peka	juma	egó	etá		emo	mitoo	kadó	ama
Paniai Lakes	Proto-Lakes Plain^[3]		*kru/i		*kudatiCV		*bri					*ɸidi	*touCV
Dem	Dem	yagabuak	ari; yakuli		eŋgio		yavkasa		abuo	miet		aran; asi
Uhunduni	Damal	niŋok	niŋatok		noŋop		naik		dok; nok	nimang	dok; nok	nigip
Bayono-Awbono	Bayono^[4]	bɑˈbʔ	bɑbʔnɑ	koβokɑ	suki	y ̚ wũtɑmu	eˈbi	tiβu	ˈtɛkuru			kɑ	ɑˈmɑ
Bayono-Awbono	Awbono^[4]	bape	babena	ˑkobka	ˈsuki	ɛˑwontamõ newotomo	epi	tebu	bumi			karaka
Bayono-Awbono	Kovojab^[4]	bɐbe	bɐbenɐ	kɔbɔkɐ	suki	ɛwɔntəmu	ɛbi	tibɯ	kəni	təɾɔʰ	kɯrɯ	kʰɐ	ɐmɐ
Bayono-Awbono	Densar^[4]	ˈbabi	babaˈmina	kɔbuˈka	s̪uˈki	bɔnteˈmɔn	iˈbi	ˈkibʏn	neˈqa	t̪ɵˈɾɔ	kuˈɾa/[dɪˈba]kɵˈɾu	[digjɔ]qa	ʔaˈma
Dani	Dani, Lower Grand Valley (Tangma dialect)	mʋkkʋl-oak	nesi	nesakko	neil-ekken	namisaŋ	naik	namili		mep	noak	nakap	neilak
Somahai	Momuna	toko	toko-ate		otu		ija		i jo-ku	janɨ	toko	ke
Mek	Proto-Mek^[3]		*p[ɔ]t[ɔ]ŋ	*aᵓ	*atiŋ		*jo̝	*se̝l[ija]mu	*jan	*e̝ne̝ŋ	*jɔk		*mɔᵘm

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
Paniai Lakes	Ekari (Paniai Lake dialect)	uka	dodi	ekina	bedo	nipo	pija	meuka; tani	agoo	uwo	bodija	mogo	itá
Paniai Lakes	Proto-Lakes Plain	*pri	*tabi		*du		*kuCV			*deida	*kudaide	*kuipade	*kuadi
Dem	Dem	nduu	kwa	uwam; uwom	bela	au; onde	niye	uweməja		da; yat	kunu	(da)ŋat
Uhunduni	Damal	ma	mitim	bow	elato; olem	olemagam	em	ul		o; uk; ut	ka; kanelep	kela
Bayono-Awbono	Bayono				nɑ	onusimi / tanɛ	nọ	ɑbiwiŋuɑ		[ɔɣ]ɔʁ kumrum	wɑnto	tõ
Bayono-Awbono	Awbono		tʰi	gi	nɛ	tanɛ	naʔˑnɛɾɛɣɛɾɛ	abwĩ	wo	urõh	wã tõ	tũ	warʏ
Bayono-Awbono	Kovojab	təɾɔʰ	tʰiˈ	ŋgi	nɛh	tɐne	nɔx	ʌbiŋ	wɔh	ɔx	wɐntõ	tũ	mintɔ̃
Bayono-Awbono	Densar	t̪ɵˈɾɔ	tiːh	geh						ɒ	ni	tuum
Dani	Dani, Lower Grand Valley (Tangma dialect)	napɩ	jekke	wam	sʋe	sʋe-kken	e	mo	tuki	i	ettu	helep	kwe
Somahai	Momuna	amega	kwoka	uwo		magisaga	kwo	ɨkɨ		iŋga	kukwa	kɨ
Mek	Proto-Mek	*ami	*gam	*be̝sam	mak, mag	*do̝[k]	*gal	*k[ɛ]t[e̝]ŋ	*wal	*m[ɛ/a]g	*o̝ᵘg	gɛⁱl; gidig	*bi[t/s]ig

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)
Paniai Lakes	Ekari (Paniai Lake dialect)	jame		eka	nai	ena; kate	wijá
Paniai Lakes	Proto-Lakes Plain	*tau
Dem	Dem	ŋo		aluŋ; gago	nenawe	yagaŋ	ugwaŋ
Uhunduni	Damal	me		nem	nowin	amenkak	au; u
Bayono-Awbono	Bayono	kɑrio	o.su	ɛbiʔ	ɛrɛhigo	dɛke	[aβəsərɑŋui]ɑsɑʉrʉ
Bayono-Awbono	Awbono	mesi	osu	ɸwi	ɛri	kyâ	ˈkyâmɯrʏ
Bayono-Awbono	Kovojab	kʷai	ɔsɯ	ɸi	ɛlexene	qjʌ̃	qjʌ̃mərugɐ
Bayono-Awbono	Densar					jã	ˈjãmɾʏ
Dani	Dani, Lower Grand Valley (Tangma dialect)	ap	he; hʋmɩ	ettake		oppakke-at	p:ie
Somahai	Momuna	mogo-mearu			nowa-
Mek	Proto-Mek		*ge̝l	*si	*de̝-(b)	*[na]tɔn	*b[e̝/ɛ]te̝ne̝

References

^ NewGuineaWorld - West Papuan Highlands
^ Greenhill, Simon (2016). "TransNewGuinea.org - database of the languages of New Guinea". Retrieved 2020-11-05.
^ ^a ^b ^c Usher, Timothy (2020). "New Guinea World". Retrieved 2020-12-31.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Wilbrink, Ans (2004). The Kopkaka of Papua: Provisional notes on their language, its language affiliation and on the Kopkaka culture. MA thesis, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

[1] NewGuineaWorld - West Papuan Highlands

[TNG-org-2] Greenhill, Simon (2016). "TransNewGuinea.org - database of the languages of New Guinea". Retrieved 2020-11-05.

[Usher-2020-3] Usher, Timothy (2020). "New Guinea World". Retrieved 2020-12-31.

[Wilbrink-4] Wilbrink, Ans (2004). The Kopkaka of Papua: Provisional notes on their language, its language affiliation and on the Kopkaka culture. MA thesis, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

West Papuan Highlands
Irian Highlands
Geographic distribution	Highlands of Irian Jaya
Linguistic classification	Trans–New Guinea West Papuan Highlands
Subdivisions	Dani Paniai Lakes Amung–Dem
Glottolog	None
Map: The Irian Highlands languages of New Guinea The Irian Highlands families Other Trans–New Guinea families Other Papuan languages Austronesian languages Uninhabited