Ottilien languages

Last updated
Ottilien
Ramu Coast
Watam-Awar-Gamay
Geographic
distribution
Yawar Rural LLG, Madang Province, Papua New Guinea
Linguistic classification Ramu
Glottolog wagg1235

The Ottilien or Watam-Awar-Gamay languages are a small family of clearly related languages,

Contents

WatamKaian, Gamei (Mbore), and BosmanAwar.

They are generally classified among the Ramu languages of northern Papua New Guinea.

The Ottilien languages are all spoken in Yawar Rural LLG, in locations mostly along the coast of Madang Province, Papua New Guinea. [1] [2]

Watam and Bosman share plural morphology with Lower Sepik (Nor–Pondo), supporting the Ramu – Lower Sepik language-family proposal.

The family is named for the mouth of the Ottilien River, now known as the Ramu.

Phonemes

Usher (2020) reconstructs the consonant inventory as follows: [3]

*m*n
*p*t*s*k
*mb*nd*ndz*ŋg
*w*j
*i*u
*e*o
*a

Pronouns

Pronouns in proto-Watam-Awar-Gamay (proto-Ottilien) reconstructed by Foley (2005) are: [4]

singulardualplural
1st person*aŋga*ai
2nd person*(n)oŋgo(a)*ne
3rd person*ma(n)*maniŋg*mi(n)

See also Lower Ramu languages#Pronouns.

Usher (2020) reconstructs the pronouns as: [3]

sgdupl
1*ŋg[o]*aŋga*ai
2*[n]oŋga*ne(-n)
3*ma(-n)

Proto-Ottilien

A phonological reconstruction of proto-Watam-Awar-Gamay (proto-Ottilien) has been proposed by Foley (2005). [4]

proto-Watam-Awar-Gamay reconstructions (Foley 2005)
glossproto-Watam-Awar-Gamay Watam Kaian Gamay Bosmun Awar
one*kakukakukakukabekokumbɨnə
two*mbuniŋmbwoinimbuniŋmbuniŋmbuniŋmbuni
threegiramotgiramautmbonkakbonkakmbribin
person*namotnamotnamotramotmotmot
woman/motheraemmeakmeakmes/mamməri/mam
fatheraesaesaetsatesat
waterarumŋarumpukmokmok
fire*s(u)əksaksaktaksuəksuək
sun*ra(u)nau/rararalaurau
moon*kər(v)indoŋarkarekarvɨikərvikəri
stargwigwaegwiɲjempot
canoe*korkorkorkorkorkor
houseendauendaukaktomuŋto
villagen(a)oŋnoŋauŋwunisŋuni
breast*mɨrmurmurmɨrmɨrmɨr
tooth*nda(r)ndakaindakaindardarndar
bloodrumbyakaindrakaindnimbitrerik
bone*ɣargagargagargagarɣarɣarɣar
tongue*mi(m)mimemraŋmimeitapɲjiekpun
ear*kwarkwarkwarkwarkurkur
eye*rəmeaknamakrameaklamŋeakrəmakrəmaʔ
nose*ŋgumŋgumŋgumŋgumŋgumŋgum
leg*or ?ororororrue
hairmbunatsabrityakwartwakarɨdəmbar
eggyoryorlornuoknuʔ
bird*ŋgwarakŋgorakŋgorakŋgorakgwarakŋgorak
leaf*(ra)parraparraparraparparpar
treepadoŋparaŋikkənkən
yesterday*ɣurŋurŋaupŋaurɣurgur
tomorrow*ɣurap ?ŋarapŋorapŋorapvuarapgurap
oar*anupanupanupnupnuapnop
betelnut*mbokmeɲjakmbokmbokmbokmbok
lime*awi(r)aiaipakavirverpakvirwa
sago*veakwakweakveakvesvek
pig*rəkəmmarkummarkummarkəmrəkəmrəgəm
crocodilenamkainomgaimugmaiŋgomeŋgumi
snake*ndopmindopmindopnduopndupkondok
name*ɣiwiwiijigi
mosquito*ŋgitnaŋgitnaŋgitŋgitɲjetŋget
groundwakarwakartiakartesinterik
feces*yu/oyoyupakloyuwurɲjit
hear*varakwarakwarakwarakvaivai
hitruŋpipiŋaraŋa
eat*ambambambambmbamba
go*saŋgsaŋgsaŋgtaŋgsaŋgsaŋg
come*kɨprukuprukupkɨpkɨpkɨp
sit*mbirakmbirakmbirakmbirakberakmbirak
stand*-tikutikutikwɨtɨktistik
bignakananeakaɲekɣorvret
good*ya(o)ŋyaoŋyaoŋlaŋyaŋyandi
black*mbəkmbəkmbukmbukmbukmbukmbəkmbəkbəkbəkmbəkmbək
hotwiwiwaiovaivɨvigɨgɨr
coldgagaugagaugagauɣiɣiatrivut

Below, proto-Watam-Awar-Gamay is listed in comparison with four other Ramu languages that are closely related to, but not part of, Watam-Awar-Gamay: the Misegian languages Kire and Mikarew, and the Tanggu languages Tangu and Igom. [4]

Proto-Watam-Awar-Gamay and Ramu comparisons (Foley 2005)
glossproto-Watam-Awar-Gamay Kire Mikarew Tangu Igom
one*kakuibabiraamərawunwanunuʔaka
two*mbuniŋpʰuniniponimunaimokupea
threepʰunipomənimkasammunainwanmokupea unuʔa
person*namotgumagumawanikwuɣu
woman/mothermbikaim/amiməinməin
fatherndiaapisiyavaiyap
watermbɨcupniamniam
fire*s(u)əkvaparivruwuv/roguplugu
sun*ra(u)raaregarŋgar
moon*kər(v)ikəniŋekinimənammənam
starkammukoperiyɨndɨklikian
canoe*korkemagiam
housevun/pentɨpeŋtaŋtaŋ
villageŋguuŋipməŋmiaŋ
breast*mɨrtaoteŋgyuavgii
tooth*nda(r)tharatarimandardər
bloodvusunwusiirienməy
bone*ɣarxaraɣarɣavaŋɣavaŋ
tongue*mi(m)zemɨzmmamiakɨmimiaŋ
ear*kwarkwarkwarwukwarɣukwar
eye*rəmeakrumaʔtamaraikraik
nose*ŋgumkwomwinibamunwameɲjia
leg*or ?ruusuemiɲaŋmbwan
hairruguntapanariɣasia/ŋgasiarɨgesn
eggrerarormɨnduapenwarɨan
bird*ŋgwarakkworakkwaraŋgwarakŋgwarak
leaf*(ra)parfartafarimraparpat
treekʰatepgəkɣək
yesterday*ɣurgurmunpɨkɨmruarmugisi
tomorrow*ɣurap ?gurmunkuromuwumasanmom
oar*anup(n)dabiŋgap
betelnut*mbokpukmismiakmiak
lime*awi(r)rwiiwimuwurenuɣum
sago*veakvikwisimgiav/ŋiavyaŋgia
pig*rəkəmdamtaramram
crocodilekumkoaviarilaisaŋ
snake*ndopkurukkurukyuokkiak
name*ɣizinizirigiavrigiaŋ
mosquito*ŋgitketciŋgwangwan
groundnwiaʔanŋwasnduvʃa
feces*yu/ovi(r)buarimgavigmiɲaŋ
hear*varakmbara?orakvara/baramwiari
hitsoʔsosŋakmənaramu
eat*ambmbɨtamaɣam/mikam
go*saŋgvu/ŋguusimaŋ/wugigi
come*kɨpsi/saiɣ/gijikarigi
sit*mbirakperaʔapriaipi/pindipwiaŋge
stand*-tiktʰəkcuɣambi/ləmberambia
bigbakumearuʔaruma/arumarum
good*ya(o)ŋvuŋaŋwiswari/arayara
black*mbəkmbəkpəkpəkŋes/nəsŋiatʃ
hotqurgurfeiuŋtikivarip

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References

  1. Eberhard, David M.; Simons, Gary F.; Fennig, Charles D., eds. (2019). "Papua New Guinea languages". Ethnologue: Languages of the World (22nd ed.). Dallas: SIL International.
  2. United Nations in Papua New Guinea (2018). "Papua New Guinea Village Coordinates Lookup". Humanitarian Data Exchange. 1.31.9.
  3. 1 2 New Guinea World, Ramu Coast
  4. 1 2 3 Foley, William A. (2005). "Linguistic prehistory in the Sepik-Ramu basin". In Andrew Pawley; Robert Attenborough; Robin Hide; Jack Golson (eds.). Papuan pasts: cultural, linguistic and biological histories of Papuan-speaking peoples. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics. pp. 109–144. ISBN   0858835622. OCLC   67292782.