Lower Sepik languages explained

Lower Sepik
Also Known As:Nor–Pondo
Region:East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea
Familycolor:Papuan
Family:a primary language family
Glotto:lowe1423
Glottorefname:Lower Sepik
Child1:Nor
Child2:Pondo?
Map:Nor-pondo-languages.png

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.

Classification

The original conception of the family, under the name Nor–Pondo, is as follows:

Malcolm Ross (2005) broke up the Nor branch (and thus renamed the family Lower Sepik) because Murik does not share the characteristic pronounced as //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

Except for Yimas-Karawari, Lower Sepik languages typically have the following six-vowel system.

i u
e ə o
a

Yimas-Karawari has only four vowels.

i u
ə
a

Proto-language

Proto-Lower Sepik
Familycolor:Papuan
Target: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 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.

Further reading

References

Notes and References

  1. https://newguineaworld.linguistik.uzh.ch/families/lower-sepik-river NewGuineaWorld - Lower Sepik River
  2. Book: Foley, William A. . Palmer . Bill . 2018 . The Languages and Linguistics of the New Guinea Area: A Comprehensive Guide . The Languages of the Sepik-Ramu Basin and Environs . The World of Linguistics . 4 . Berlin . De Gruyter Mouton . 197–432 . 978-3-11-028642-7.
  3. https://newguineaworld.linguistik.uzh.ch/families/lower-sepik-river Lower Sepik River
  4. Book: Foley, William A. . William A. Foley . 2005 . Linguistic prehistory in the Sepik-Ramu basin . Papuan pasts: cultural, linguistic and biological histories of Papuan-speaking peoples . Canberra . Pacific Linguistics . 0858835622 . 67292782 . Andrew Pawley . Andrew Pawley . Robert Attenborough . Robin Hide . Jack Golson . 109 - 144 .