Marienberg languages

Marienberg
Marienberg Hills
Geographic distribution	Marienberg Hills, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea
Linguistic classification	Torricelli Sepik Coast Tayap–Marienberg Marienberg
Language codes
Glottolog	mari1433
The Torricelli languages as classified by Foley (2018)

The Marienberg or Marienberg Hills languages are a branch of the Torricelli language family. They are spoken in a mountainous stretch of region located between the towns of Wewak and Angoram in the Marienberg Hills of East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea.

Kamasau is the best documented Marienberg language. ^[1]

Typology

Marienberg languages distinguish masculine and feminine genders, with feminine being the default unmarked gender. ^[1]

Unlike all other Torricelli branches except for the Monumbo languages, word order in the Bogia languages is SOV, likely due to contact with Lower Sepik-Ramu and Sepik languages. ^{[1] : 298}

Languages

Foley (2018) provides the following classification, based primarily on morphological evidence. ^[1]

• Buna, Blabla (Elapi / Samap)
• Kamasau
• Bungain
• Muniwara, Urimo, Mandi (Wiarumus)

There is also Forok, labeled as a variety of Bungain in survey vocabularies.

Pronouns

Pronouns in selected Marienberg Hill languages: ^{[1] : 304}

pronoun	Muniwara	Bungain	Buna
1SG	ŋa	ŋan	ŋa
2SG	nu	nu	no
3M.SG	na	neŋ	den
3M.SG	wo	veŋ	gwen
1PL	ŋam	ŋaŋ	ŋam
2PL	num	nuŋ	nom
3M.PL	ma	meŋ	bon
3F.PL	kwo	ceŋ	en

References

1. Foley, William A. (2018). "The Languages of the Sepik-Ramu Basin and Environs". 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. 197–432. ISBN   978-3-11-028642-7.

• Foley, William A. (2018). "The Languages of the Sepik-Ramu Basin and Environs". 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. 197–432. ISBN   978-3-11-028642-7.