Chimbu–Wahgi languages explained
| Chimbu–Wahgi |
| Also Known As: | Simbu – Western Highlands |
| Region: | Papua New Guinea |
| Familycolor: | Papuan |
| Fam1: | Trans–New Guinea or Papuan Gulf? |
| Fam2: | Central New Guinea Highlands |
| Child1: | Chimbu |
| Child2: | Hagen |
| Child3: | Jimi |
| Child4: | Wahgi |
| Glotto: | cent2120 |
| Glottorefname: | Chimbu-Wahgi |
| Map: | Chimbu-Wahgi languages.svg |
| Mapcaption: | Map: The Chimbu–Wahgi languages of New Guinea |
The Chimbu–Wahgi languages are a language family of New Guinea. They are sometimes included in the Trans–New Guinea proposal; Usher links them with the Engan languages in a Central New Guinea Highlands family.[1]
Languages
There is little doubt that the Chimbu–Wahgi family is valid. The languages are:[2]
- Chimbu–Wahgi family
- Chimbu (Simbu) branch
- Western Highlands
Phonology
Several of the Chimbu–Wahgi languages have uncommon lateral consonants: see Nii, Wahgi, and Kuman for examples.
Chimbu–Wahgi languages have contrastive tone.
Pronouns
The singular pronouns are:
Dual *-l and plural *-n reflect Trans–New Guinea forms.
Evolution
Middle Wahgi reflexes of proto-Trans-New Guinea (pTNG) etyma:[3]
- ama ‘mother’ < *am(a,i)
- amu ‘breast’ < *amu
- numan ‘louse’ < *niman
- numan ‘thought, mind, will’ < *n(o,u)
- man, muŋ ‘fruit, nut, lump’
- muŋgum ‘kidney’ < *maŋgV ‘round object’
- mundmuŋ ‘heart’ < *mundun-maŋgV
- mokum, mokem ‘knuckle, joint’ < *mo(k,ŋg)Vm ‘joint’
- mundun mo- ‘be pot bellied’ < *mundun ‘internal organs, belly’
- ŋaŋ ‘small male child’ < *ŋaŋ[a] ‘baby’
- apa- ‘maternal uncle’ < *apa ‘father’
- embe(m) ‘name’ < *imbi ‘name’
- muk ‘blue’ < *muk
- tuk- ‘chop’ < *tVk- ‘cut, cut off’
- no- ‘eat’ < *na-
- mek si- ‘to vomit’
- mek ‘vomitus’ < *makV[C] + t(e,i)- ‘to vomit’
Further reading
External links
Notes and References
- NewGuineaWorld, Central New Guinea Highlands
- Usher, Timothy. Simbu-Western Highlands. New Guinea World.
- 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.
