Lakes Plain languages

Last updated
Lakes Plain
Geographic
distribution		 Lakes Plains, New Guinea
Linguistic classification one of the world's primary language families
Subdivisions
  • East Lakes Plain
  • Tariku
  • West Lakes Plain
Glottolog lake1255

The Lakes Plain languages are a family of Papuan languages, spoken in the Lakes Plain of Indonesian New Guinea. They are notable for being heavily tonal and for their lack of nasal consonants.

Contents

Classification

The Lakes Plain languages were tentatively grouped by Stephen Wurm with the Tor languages in his Trans–New Guinea proposal. Clouse (1997) rejected this connection to the Tor languages and grouped them with the Geelvink Bay languages. Malcolm Ross classifies the languages as an independent family, a position confirmed by Timothy Usher.

Because of the apparent phonological similarities and sharing of stable basic words such as ‘louse’, William A. Foley speculates the potential likelihood of a distant relationship shared between the Skou and Lakes Plain families, but no formal proposals linking the two families have been made due to insufficient evidence. [1] Additionally according to Foley, based on some lexical and phonological similarities, the Keuw language (currently unclassified) may also possibly share a deep relationship with the Lakes Plain languages.

Like the East Cenderawasih Bay, Trans-New Guinea, and South Bougainville language families, Lakes Plain languages have ergative case marking systems. In contrast, most languages of northern Papua New Guinea have accusative case marking systems. [2]

Clouse (1997)

Clouse (1997, p. 155) internally classifies the Lakes Plain family as: [3]

Clouse concludes that the East Geelvink Bay languages are the most closely related to the Lakes Plain languages, forming a wider Geelvink Bay phylum with it. [3]

Usher (2018)

The Lakes Plain languages as classified by Usher are as follows: [4]

Lakes Plains 
  Wapoga River  
West
Central

Sikaritai, Eritai, Papasena

Duvle–East

Duvle

East Lakes Plain: Foau (Abawiri), Taworta (Diebroud)

Not included in the above classification, Kaiy, Kwerisa, Doutai and Waritai are presumably also Central Lakes Plain; the same for Obokuitai and Biritai. Clouse had placed them closest to Papasena and to Eritai, respectively, and they might form dialect clusters with those languages.

There are particular questions about the inclusion of Saponi, Kehu and Tause.

Pronouns

The pronouns Ross reconstructs for proto-Tariku are,

I*a/*iwe*a/*ai
thou*deyou*da
s/he*authey ?

The corresponding "I" and "thou" pronouns are proto–East Lake Plain *a, *do, Awera yai, nai (the latter from *dai; compare also e "we"), and Rasawa e-, de-. Saponi shares no pronouns with the Lakes Plain family; indeed its pronouns mamire "I, we" and ba "thou" are remenincent of proto–East Bird's Head *meme "we" and *ba "thou". However, Saponi shares half its basic lexical vocabulary with Rasawa, and Ross left it in the Lakes Plain family pending further investigation. The Tause language was also previously grouped amongst the Tariku group of Lakes Plain languages. Ross transferred it to the East Bird's Head – Sentani languages on the basis of pronoun similarities in hopes that this would promote further research.

Below are pronouns in selected Lakes Plain languages as given by Foley (2018): [1]

Awera Kirikiri Iau Duvle Obokuitai Diebroud
Lakes Plain pronouns
1Syaiaaæiaː
2Sdaidedidodidaː
1Peeeaaiiː

Phonology

Lakes Plain languages have remarkably small phonemic inventories, rivaling even those of Polynesian languages.

Consonants

Clouse and Clouse (1993) note many of the Lakes Plain languages share several unusual phonological features. While Papuan languages typically have at least two nasal phonemes, this is not the case for Lakes Plain languages. Although phonetic nasals do exist in most Lakes Plain languages, they do not contrast with the corresponding voiced stops. Doutai, Sikaritai, Obokuitai and Abawiri (Foau) lack even phonetic nasals. Additionally, no Lakes Plain language has a liquid phoneme. Clouse (1997) reconstructs a typologically remarkable consonant inventory for the ancestor of Lakes Plain, consisting entirely of only five stops:

Labial Alveolar Velar
Voiceless Stop *p*t*k
Voiced Stop*b*d

This results in Lakes Plain languages having high functional load, meaning that there are many words with small distinctions in sounds.

Vowels

Many of the languages have very high constricted (fricativised) vowels; in Doutai and Kirikiri these constitute separate phonemes from /i/ and /u/. The fricativised vowels seem to have developed from deletion of a following consonant.

Clouse (1997) reconstructs a five-vowel system for proto-Lakes Plain, not unlike Japanese or Spanish:

FrontBack
High*i*u
Mid*e*o
Low*a

Tone

Lakes Plain languages are all tonal. (The Skou languages and Kainantu-Goroka languages are other Papuan languages possessing contrastive tone.) Clouse and Clouse (1993) reconstruct tone (high level "H" and low level "L") in proto-Lakes Plain. [1]

Duvle and Sikaritai have only two tones, high and low, but all other Lakes Plain languages have more than two tones. All West Tariku languages have both rising and falling tones. [3] Abawiri (Foau) has phonological high and low tones as well as a derived mid tone. [5]

Iau is the most tonally complex Lakes Plain language. Unlike other Lakes Plain languages which can be disyllabic or trisyllabic, Iau word structure is predominantly monosyllabic. Iau has eight phonemic tones, transcribed by Bateman using numerical Chao tones (usually used with East Asian languages): high (44), mid (33), high-rising (45), low-rising (23), high-to-low-falling (42), high-to-mid-falling (43), mid-to-low-falling (32), and falling-rising (423). [1] Four of the eight Iau tones occur on short vowels, while the remaining four occur on long vowels and often correspond to disyllabic words in other Lakes Plain languages. [3] (See Iau language#Tone.)

Morphology

Unlike most Papuan languages to the east, words in Lakes Plain languages do not have gender. Bauzi, an East Geelvink Bay language spoken to the northwest of the Lakes Plain family, also does not have gender. [1] Most Lakes Plain languages are primarily analytic and isolating, with little morphology. However, there is some variation in the family. Iau is almost exclusively analytic and isolating, [6] while Abawiri has extensive verbal morphology. [7]

Lexical reconstruction

Clouse (1997) reconstructs basic vocabulary for proto-Lakes Plain and other lower branches. [3]

Lakes Plain reconstructions by Clouse (1997)
glossproto-Lakes Plainproto-Far West Lakes Plainproto-Tarikuproto-West Tarikuproto-Central Tarikuproto-East Tariku
neck*kukro*roko*kokro*kokrV*kro
mouth*kukadi/u*koru*kuari*kuari*ba*kua
tooth*bri*biri*bri*bri*biri*bri
eye*kudatiCV*ura*kurati*kurati*kuratiC
nose*boru*boru*boru
hair/fur*kru/i*kru/i*kru*kru/i
fingernail*pV*bV*pV*ɸV*ɸo*pe
skin*ɸidi*bi*ɸiri*ɸire*iri*bari
meat*tV*tV*tV*tV*ta*tV
bone*be*kai*kai*i*ai
breast*touCV*tou*touC*tou^*touC*touC
stomach*kuria*wia*kuria*kuri*kuia
leg*tu*Ca*Ca*ta*a
foot*to*to*to
water*deida*deire*dida*dida*ida*wadi
fire*kudaide*tairo*kure*kue*be*kure
adjectival suffix*-we/-die*-we/-de*-we/-die*-we*-be*-die
stone*kuipade*pare*kuiɸae*kuiɸae*kuiɸa*kuip
one*kri*keiki*keiki
three*didi*dri*Cidi*Cido*tidi
land*pra/i*pri*pra*ɸra*pra
path*kuadi*arV*kuari*kuari*ba*kuai
wide*wara
rain*kurire*kuie*kuri*kuri*bi
dull*baCu*paupe*baCu*baCu*ba
sun*tio*tio*tio*so*so
moon*bari
banana*kriCV*kiri*kriC*kri^*kiri*kriC
tree*kuCV*ku*kuC*u*u*kuC
split*pekeka
thorn*kude*pore*kure*kure*be*kure
seed*weto*kaba*ɸe*aCi
black*kVCa*kuara*kVC*kaCa*kiC
bird*du*du*du*du*du
wing*auCo*uko*auCu*auro*apu*akau
cassowary*diadi*kiri*diari*diari*diari
a fly*kubadi*poiti*kubari*kuari*bari*kuari
mosquito*tide*tre*tire*tire*tire*tire
dog*tabi*kaCo*tabi*tiabi*dabi*dabi
tail*tiCa*tiCa*tiCa*tia*tiC
fish*tie*te*tie*tie*te
leech*kibV*kiba*kibi*ki*ki*kibi
louse*pri*piri*pri*ɸri*pri
long*pobi*kure*kure*be*kuri
house*kuadV*aru*kuarV*kua*urV*kuari
near*paipai*paia*aiɸai*aiɸai
person*tau*du*tai*te*te*tai
bad*kaibe*ɸVra*ɸe*ɸura
child*tau-bri*tu-ri*tau-bri*tau-bri*tau-*tau-bi
2SG*de*de*de*de*di*de
1PL*ai*e*ai*ai*e*ai
3SG*kibV*be*o*de
go/walk*kidia*dao*kidia*kidia*dia
hear-STAT*kuedi-kuda*beri-kura*kueri-kua*beri-kua*beri-wa*kueri-kua
search*paka
suck*tau*tu*tau*taua*betu
vomit*kadudu*aru*karudu*ku*u*krudu
scrape*kiCi*kibie*kiri*kiri*iri*bekiri
sit*ɸuɸu*kua*ɸuɸu*ɸoko*bau*buhu
stand*dia-dau*tarau*dia-da*dia-da
grab*tiadado*suarau*araro*araro*da*do
blow*pudV*purV*purV*ɸura*ɸoi*bu-ɸuru
cough*takadV*takari*takurV*takuro*taurai*takura
firewood*bodi*bori*bo*bori
feces*pade*pare*ɸa*ɸa*pare
urine*tiCi*tiCi*ti^*tii*tiCi
penis*tiuCV*tiuC*tiu^*tiu*tuC
scrotum*kudiCV*kuriC*kui^*kuiC
chin*kuaukadi*kuaukari*kuaukai*baukai*kuaukari
ant*keCV*keC*ke*e*kiC
arrow*poka*poka*ɸoka*ɸoka*poka

Basic vocabulary

Basic vocabulary of the Lakes Plain languages (Rasawa, Kirikiri, Iau, Duvle, Obokuitai, Diebroud) listed in Foley (2018). The sets are not necessarily cognate. [1]

Lakes Plain basic vocabulary
gloss Rasawa Kirikiri Iau Duvle Obokuitai Diebroud
‘bird’beβodudusifuraduduː
‘blood’uːyokluoesæiresaigai die
‘bone’weβikiʼiʼkæ-ri-a-baigbutːu
‘breast’tututuidotoubtow
‘ear’u-rakeeovei-kweiebre
‘eat’ki-βaβosasadɪada-beya
‘egg’uβadutebiævisaakoko
‘eyeɔraklaɸægari-uruːg
‘fire’tayokwɛbebokwɛdo
‘give’parotubaɛboubehigbei
‘go’uɣuβekiaida/doudo-dug
‘ground’giɸlaapɪahrafaː
‘hair’u-khata-kruʼiʼ-sutærihoigteri
‘hear’puaβobeikabi-baebou/bæiɪkwɛriatega
‘leg’u-ruɸataifria-higaigwa
‘louse’piyeɸlii(bo)prihrifi(god)
‘man’duβuteteoirɛtagutːi
‘moon’bariyatɔbaiʼdakivrisasofere
‘name’uβakwaɔsuoiɛasukwafaya
‘one’kri-βisuo-webisi-besoɣo-ɛkore-kekaigkwaka
‘path, road’wekwaribɛioɣoiakuɛieigre
‘see’paβoɸua/ɸoridɔɛfei/foubadubfǝkta
‘stone’paɸaiɸekipæxikwiggwid
‘sun’kuritɔbaiʼvæirsogwadi
‘tongue’isɔːkɔablaaezæri-rijairi
‘tooth’ɔuribiʼæbidi-brigadːi
‘tree’ukuiduuurakubgru
‘two’wɔriɔro-webɔtɛʔɛtiotai
‘water’de(ye)daedæ/dɛ-rigdye
‘woman’kurukosioruæitubro

See also

Further reading

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trans–New Guinea languages</span> Large Papuan language family

Trans–New Guinea (TNG) is an extensive family of Papuan languages spoken on the island of New Guinea and neighboring islands, a region corresponding to the country Papua New Guinea as well as parts of Indonesia.

The Sko or Skou languages are a small language family spoken by about 7000 people, mainly along the Vanimo coast of Sandaun Province in Papua New Guinea, with a few being inland from this area and at least one just across the border in the Indonesian province of Papua.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Geelvink Bay languages</span> Papuan language family of Indonesia

The East Geelvink Bay or East Cenderawasih languages are a language family of a dozen Papuan languages along the eastern coast of Geelvink Bay in Indonesian Papua, which is also known as Sarera Bay or Cenderawasih.

The East Bird's Head–Sentani languages form a family of Papuan languages proposed by Malcolm Ross which combines the East Bird's Head and Sentani families along with the Burmeso language isolate. Sentani had been a branch of Stephen Wurm's proposal for Trans–New Guinea. It has lexical similarities with the Asmat–Kamoro languages, but Ross does not believe these demonstrate a genealogical relationship.

Tause, also known as Doa or Darha, is a poorly-known Papuan language of Indonesia spoken by approximately 500 people, mainly in Derapos village.

Iau or Turu is a Lakes Plain language of West Papua, Indonesia, spoken by about 2,100 people, native speakers of this language are the Turu people (Iau). Most speakers are monolingual, and their number is growing. Other peoples in the western Lakes Plain area speak basic Iau. Iau is heavily tonal, with 11 tones on nouns and 19 simple and compound tones on verbs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kaure–Kosare languages</span> Language family

The Kaure–Kosare or Nawa River languages are a small family spoken along the Nawa River in West Papua, near the northern border with Papua New Guinea. The languages are Kaure and Kosare.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mek languages</span> Trans–New Guinea language branch

The Mek languages are a well established family of Papuan languages spoken by the Mek people and Yali people. They form a branch of the Trans–New Guinea languages (TNG) in the classifications of Stephen Wurm (1975) and of Malcolm Ross (2005).

The Dani or Baliem Valley languages are a family of clearly related Trans–New Guinea languages spoken by the Dani and related peoples in the Baliem Valley in the Highland Papua, Indonesia. Foley (2003) considers their Trans–New Guinea language group status to be established. They may be most closely related to the languages of Paniai Lakes, but this is not yet clear. Capell (1962) posited that their closest relatives were the Kwerba languages, which Ross (2005) rejects.

Momuna (Momina), also known as Somahai, is a Papuan language spoken in Yahukimo Regency, Highland Papua and Asmat Regency, South Papua, Indonesia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dem language</span> Language spoken in New Guinea

Dem is a divergent Papuan language of West New Guinea. Although Palmer (2018) leaves it unclassified, it was tentatively included in the Trans–New Guinea family in the classification of Malcolm Ross (2005), and Timothy Usher ties it most closely to Amung.

The Orya–Tor languages are a family of just over a dozen Papuan languages spoken in Western New Guinea, Indonesia.

Rasawa is a Papuan language of Indonesia. It is spoken in Rasawa village in Oudate District, Waropen Regency.

Fayu, also known as Sehudate, is a Lakes Plain language of Papua Province, Indonesia spoken by about 1,400 Fayu people. It is spoken in Foida and other nearby villages.

Sikaritai (Sikwari) is a Lakes Plain language of Papua, Indonesia. It is named after Sikari village in Rafaer District, Mamberamo Raya Regency. Alternate names are Aikwakai, Araikurioko, Ati, Tori, Tori Aikwakai.

Duvle (Sikwari) is a Lakes Plain language of the Papua, Indonesia. It is spoken in Dagai village in Dagai District, Puncak Jaya Regency.

The Abawiri language is a Lakes Plain language of Papua, Indonesia. It is spoken in the village of Fuau, located along the Dijai River, a tributary to the Mamberamo River. Clouse tentatively included Abawiri and neighboring Taburta (Taworta) in an East Lakes Plain subgroup of the Lakes Plain family; due to the minimal data that was available on the languages at that time. With more data, the connection looks more secure.

Awera is a Lakes Plain language of Papua, Indonesia. It is spoken on the east side of Geelvink Bay, in the single village of Awera in Wapoga District, Waropen Regency, Papua. The village has a majority of Ansus (Austronesian) speakers.

Waritai is a Lakes Plain language of Irian Jaya, Indonesia. It is spoken in Taiyeve.

Obokuitai (Obogwitai) is a Lakes Plain language of Papua, Indonesia. It is named after Obogwi village in East Central Mambermano District, Mamberamo Raya Regency.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Foley, William A. (2018). "The languages of Northwest New Guinea". In Palmer, Bill (ed.). The Languages and Linguistics of the New Guinea Area: A Comprehensive Guide. The World of Linguistics. Vol. 4. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. pp. 433–568. ISBN   978-3-11-028642-7.
  2. ↑ Foley, William A. (2018). "The morphosyntactic typology of Papuan languages". In Palmer, Bill (ed.). The Languages and Linguistics of the New Guinea Area: A Comprehensive Guide. The World of Linguistics. Vol. 4. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. pp. 895–938. ISBN   978-3-11-028642-7.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Clouse, Duane A. (1997). "Towards a reconstruction and reclassification of the Lakes Plain languages of Irian Jaya". In Karl Franklin (ed.). Papers in Papuan linguistics no. 2 (PDF). Vol. A-85. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics. pp. 133–236. ISBN   0858834421.
  4. ↑ New Guinea World - Lakes Plains
  5. ↑ Yoder, Brendon (2018). "The Abawiri tone system in typological perspective" . Language (Phonological Analysis) . 94 (4): e266–e292. doi:10.1353/lan.2018.0067. S2CID   150242777 – via Project MUSE.
  6. ↑ Bateman, Janet (1986). "Iau verb morphology". NUSA. 26: 1–76.
  7. ↑ Yoder, Brendon (2020). A grammar of Abawiri, a Lakes Plain language of Papua, Indonesia (PhD thesis). University of California Santa Barbara.
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