Hatam (also spelled Hattam, Atam) is a divergent language spoken on the island of New Guinea, specifically in the Indonesian province of West Papua.

Hatam
Native toPapua
RegionEastern Bird's Head
Native speakers
(16,000 cited 1993)[1]
Dialects
  • Moi (Moire)
  • Tinam
  • Miriei
  • Adihup
  • Uran
Language codes
ISO 639-3had
Glottologhata1243
ELPHatam
Approximate location where Hatam is spoken
Approximate location where Hatam is spoken
Hatam
Approximate location where Hatam is spoken
Approximate location where Hatam is spoken
Hatam
Approximate location where Hatam is spoken
Approximate location where Hatam is spoken
Hatam
Coordinates: 1°08′S 134°02′E / 1.14°S 134.04°E / -1.14; 134.04

Classification

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Apart from Mansim (Borai), formerly listed as a dialect, Hatam is not closely related to any other language, and though Ross (2005) tentatively assigned it to the West Papuan languages, based on similarities in pronouns, Ethnologue and Glottolog list it as a language isolate[1] or small independent family.[2]

Distribution

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Hatam is spoken on the island of New Guinea in the following regencies in the Indonesian province of West Papua:[3]

  • Pegunungan Arfak Regency: Menyambouw District, Anggi District, Anggi Dida District, Catubouw District, and Hingk District
  • Manokwari Regency: Manokwari Barat District, Manokwari Selatan District, Tanah Rubuh District, Warmare District, Prafi District
  • Manokwari Selatan Regency: Oransbari District (Masabui 1 and Masabui 2 villages) and Ransiki District (Sabri village)

Phonology

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The phonology of the Hatam language is listed below. In free form, both consonant and vowel phonemes can range to different sounds.[4]

Consonants
Labial Alveolar Palatal Velar Glottal
Plosive voiceless p t c k
voiced b d ɟ ɡ
geminated
Nasal voiced m n ɲ ŋ
geminated
Fricative s h
Liquid ɾ
Semivowel w j
Phoneme Allophones
/p/ [p, , , ɸ]
/t/ [t, ]
/c/ [c, ]
/k/ [k, , kx]
/ɡ/ [ɡ, k, ɡː]
/ɟ/ [ɟ, ɟː]
/d/ [d, t]
/b/ [b, p, ]
/ɾ/ [ɾ, l, ]
Vowels
Front Central Back
Close i u
Mid ɛ ɔ
Open a
Phoneme Allophones
/i/ [i, ɪ, ə]
/ɛ/ [ɛ, e]
/a/ [ä, a, ɐ]
/ɔ/ [ɔ, o]

References

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  1. ^ a b Hatam at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)  
  2. ^ Hammarström, Harald; Forke, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin; Bank, Sebastian, eds. (2020). "Hatam". Glottolog 4.3.
  3. ^ Ronsumbre, Adolof (2020). Ensiklopedia Suku Bangsa di Provinsi Papua Barat. Yogyakarta: Penerbit Kepel Press. ISBN 978-602-356-318-0.
  4. ^ Reesink (1999), pp. 9–13
  • Ross, Malcolm (2005). "Pronouns as a preliminary diagnostic for grouping Papuan languages". 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. 15–66. ISBN 0858835622. OCLC 67292782.

Further reading

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  • Reesink, Ger P. (1999). A Grammar of Hatam: Bird's Head Peninsula, Irian Jaya. Pacific Linguistics: Series C, 146. Canberra: Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, The Australian National University. hdl:1885/146620. ISBN 978-0-85883-497-2.