Bayono–Awbono languages explained

Bayono–Awbono
Familycolor:	Papuan
Fam2:	Central West New Guinea
Fam3:	Awyu–Ok
Fam5:	Becking–Dawi
Glotto:	bayo1259
Glottorefname:	Bayono–Awbono

Bayono–Awbono is a recently discovered Papuan language cluster spoken in Papua Province, Indonesia, to the south of the Somahai languages. All that is known of them is a few hundred words recorded in first-contact situations recorded in Wilbrink (2004) and Hischier (2006).

Languages

Wilbrink (2004) lists 4 distinct language varieties.^{[1] [2]}

• Bayono (Enamesi, Swesu), Kovojab (Kvolyab, Kopoyap)
• Awbono, Densar

Classification

Noting insufficient evidence, Pawley and Hammarström (2018) leave Bayono–Awbono as unclassified rather than as part of Trans-New Guinea.^[3] However, according to Dryer (2022), based on a preliminary quantitative analysis of data from the ASJP database, Bayono–Awbono is likely to be a subgroup of Trans–New Guinea.^[4]

Timothy Usher finds enough evidence to classify Awbono–Bayono within the Greater Awyu (Digul River) family.^[5]

Wilbrink (2004) notes limited similarity with the neighboring Ok languages, and does not classify Bayono–Awbono with Ok.^[1]

Pronouns

The pronouns demonstrate resemblances to the neighboring Ok and Greater Awyu languages, and the pronouns are consistent with Bayono-Awbono belonging to the Trans–New Guinea family:

Lect
Awbono	nɛ	ɡu
Bayono	ne	ɡwe
proto-Awyu–Dumut	nu-p	gu-p
proto-Ok	na-	ka-b-/*ku-b-
proto-TNG	na	ga

Further reading

• Hischier, Phyllis (2006). Exploration of the Remote Kopayap and Urajin Areas in West Papua, Indonesia: A First Contact in Kopayap and Urajin. Manuscript.
• 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.

External links

• Timothy Usher, New Guinea World, Proto–Awbono–Bayono

Notes and References

1. 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.
2. https://glottolog.org/resource/reference/id/310961 Wilbrink, Ans 2004
3. Book: Pawley . Andrew . Hammarström . Harald . Palmer . Bill . 2018 . The Languages and Linguistics of the New Guinea Area: A Comprehensive Guide . The Trans New Guinea family . The World of Linguistics . 4 . Berlin . De Gruyter Mouton . 21-196 . 978-3-11-028642-7.
4. Trans-New Guinea IV.2: Evaluating Membership in Trans-New Guinea. Matthew S.. Dryer. 2022.
5. Usher, Timothy. North Digul River. New Guinea World.