The Papuan languages are the non-Austronesian languages spoken on the western Pacific island of New Guinea, as well as neighbouring islands in Indonesia, Solomon Islands, and East Timor. It is a strictly geographical grouping, and does not imply a genetic relationship.
Morobe Province is a province on the northern coast of Papua New Guinea. The provincial capital and largest city is Lae. The province covers 33,705 km2, with a population of 674,810, and since the division of Southern Highlands Province in May 2012 it is the most populous province. It includes the Huon Peninsula, the Markham River, and delta, and coastal territories along the Huon Gulf. The province has nine administrative districts. At least 101 languages are spoken, including Kâte and Yabem language. English and Tok Pisin are common languages in the urban areas, and in some areas pidgin forms of German are mixed with the native language.
The Markham languages form a family of the Huon Gulf languages. It consists of a dozen languages spoken in the Ramu Valley, Markham Valley and associated valley systems in the lowlands of the Madang and Morobe Provinces of Papua New Guinea. Unlike almost other Western Oceanic languages of New Guinea, which are spoken exclusively in coastal areas, many Markham languages are spoken in the mountainous interior of Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea, where they are in heavy contact with Trans-New Guinea languages.
Watut is a language complex of Austronesian languages spoken in northern Papua New Guinea. Dialects include Maralinan, Silisili, Unank, Maralangko, and Danggal. It is spoken in Watut Rural LLG of Morobe Province.
Stephen Adolphe Wurm was a Hungarian-born Australian linguist.
Mailu, or Magi (Magɨ), is a Papuan language of Papua New Guinea.
Adzera is an Austronesian language spoken by about 30,000 people in Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea.
Labu is an Austronesian language of Papua New Guinea.
Bukawa is an Austronesian language of Papua New Guinea.
Kala, also known as Kela, is an Austronesian language spoken by about 2200 people in several villages along the south coast of the Huon Gulf between Salamaua Peninsula and the Paiawa River, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea.
Duwet, also known as Guwot or Waing, is an aberrant member of the Busu subgroup of Lower Markham languages in Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea. Duwet is spoken by about 400 people and appears to have been heavily influenced by its neighboring Nabak language of the Papuan Trans–New Guinea languages. It is spoken in the three villages of Lambaip, Lawasumbileng, and Ninggiet.
Abun, also known as Yimbun, Anden, Manif, or Karon Pantai, is a Papuan language spoken by the Abun people along the northern coast of the Bird's Head Peninsula in Sausapor District, Tambrauw Regency. It is not closely related to any other language, and though Ross (2005) assigned it to the West Papuan family, based on similarities in pronouns, Palmer (2018), Ethnologue, and Glottolog list it as a language isolate.
Aribwaung (Aribwaungg), also known as Yalu (Jaloc), is an Austronesian language of Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea. It is spoken in the single village of Yalu in Wampar Rural LLG.
Musom is an Austronesian language spoken in the single village of Musom in Labuta Rural LLG, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea. The other name for Musom is Misatik, given by the older generations because this was the name of the village that the ancestors settled on. Musom is currently an endangered language because native Musom speakers are continuing to marry other language speakers. Musom is also endangered because of its change in grammar and vocabulary due to its bi- and multilingualism. In the Musom village, other languages that Musom speakers may speak are Aribwuang and Duwet. In the Gwabadik village, because of intermarriages other languages that Musom speakers may speak are Nabak and Mesem.
Nafi, also known as Sirak, is an Austronesian language of Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea.
Wampar is an Austronesian language of Wampar Rural LLG, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea.
Mari, or Hop, is a minor Austronesian language of Madang Province, Papua New Guinea. It is spoken in the four villages of Bumbu, Bubirumpun, Musuam, and Sangkiang in Usino Rural LLG of the Ramu valley.
Wampur is a minor Austronesian language of Madang Province, Papua New Guinea. It is spoken in the two villages of Wampur and Mirir in Onga-Waffa Rural LLG.
Yalu is a large village in Wampar Rural LLG, located in the Markham Valley of Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea. It lies along the Highlands Highway 21.5 kilometres (13.4 mi) north-west of Lae, 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) southeast of Nadzab. The landscape is typically lowland rainforest.
Watut Rural LLG is a local-level government (LLG) of Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea. The Watut language is spoken in the LLG.
