Paniai Lakes languages explained

Paniai Lakes
Also Known As:Wissel Lakes
Region:Paniai Lakes and highlands of Papua, Western New Guinea
Familycolor:Papuan
Fam1:Trans–New Guinea
Fam2:West Papuan Highlands (Irian Highlands)
Glotto:pani1259
Glottorefname:Paniai Lakes

The Paniai Lakes languages, also known as the Wissel Lakes or Wissel Lakes – Kemandoga River, are a small family of closely related Trans–New Guinea languages spoken in the Paniai Lakes region of the highlands of Western New Guinea in the Paniai Lakes region of Papua. Foley (2003) considers their Trans–New Guinea status to be established.

Languages

The languages are:[1]

They are most closely related to the Dani languages, Amung and Dem.[1]

Pronouns

Independent pronouns and possessive prefixes are:

singulardualplural
1
  • ani, *na-
  • ina
  • ini, *ni-
2
  • aka, *ka-
  • ika
  • iki
3
  • oka, *e-

Vocabulary comparison

The following basic vocabulary words are from Larson & Larson (1972)[2] and Voorhoeve (1975),[3] as cited in the Trans-New Guinea database.[4]

The words cited constitute translation equivalents, whether they are cognate (e.g. homa, huma for “stone”) or not (e.g. bodiya, usa for “fire”).

gloss Wolani
headmigo muŋagi moto
hairiyo mbagu elo
eyepeka seŋgamu
nosejuma jange juma
toothegó ego baga baga hego hego
tongueetá dabe debegada
legbado bado
louseuka uka amu amu uka uka
dogdodi home kawino
pigekina wogo iŋgina
birdbedo bedo beka bega bido bido
eggnipo ŋgeda
bloodemo emo eka ega emo emo
bonemitoo mitoo iwa iwa mitoo mitoo
skinkadó kado ada ada ebada ebada
breastama ama ama
treepija piya bo bo pija piya
manjame yame aka me me me
sunmeuka; tani tani emondani emondani dame dame
moonagoo tinawi agoo
wateruwo uwo du du uwo uwo
firebodija bodiya usa usa bida bida
stonemogo mogo homa ŋeda huma huma
road, pathitá kejako hindá
nameeka eka eje eze ekada ekada
eatnai nai nuija nuya nona nona
oneena; kate ena; kato hako hago naa naa
twowijá wiya hija hiya wijá wiya

Evolution

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

Ekari language

Moni language

Notes and References

  1. https://newguineaworld.linguistik.uzh.ch/families/trans-new-guinea/west-papuan-highlands/paniai-lakes NewGuineaWorld
  2. Larson, Gordon F. & Larson, M.O. 1972. The Ekagi-Wodani-Moni Language family of West Irian. Irian, 1(3), pp. 80–95.
  3. Voorhoeve, C.L. Languages of Irian Jaya: Checklist. Preliminary classification, language maps, wordlists. B-31, iv + 133 pages. Pacific Linguistics, The Australian National University, 1975.
  4. Web site: TransNewGuinea.org - database of the languages of New Guinea . Greenhill . Simon . 2016 . 2020-11-05.
  5. 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.