Wikipedia

Chimbu–Wahgi languages

(Redirected from Simbu – Western Highlands languages)

The Chimbu–Wahgi languages are a language family sometimes included in the Trans–New Guinea proposal.

Chimbu–Wahgi
Central East New Guinea Highlands
Simbu – Western Highlands
Geographic
distribution		Papua New Guinea
Linguistic classificationNortheast New Guinea and/or Trans–New Guinea?
  • Chimbu–Wahgi
Subdivisions
  • Chimbu
  • Hagen
  • Jimi
  • Wahgi
Glottologcent2120
Map: The Chimbu–Wahgi languages of New Guinea
  Chimbu–Wahgi languages
  Trans–New Guinea languages
  Other Papuan languages
  Austronesian languages
  Uninhabited

Languages edit

There is little doubt that the Chimbu–Wahgi family is valid. The languages are:[1]

Phonology edit

Several of the Chimbu–Wahgi languages have uncommon lateral consonants: see Nii, Wahgi, and Kuman for examples.

Chimbu–Wahgi languages have contrastive tone.[2]

Pronouns edit

The singular pronouns are:

sg
1 *ná
2 *nim
3 *[y]é

Dual *-l and plural *-n reflect Trans–New Guinea forms.

Evolution edit

See also: Wahgi language § Evolution

Middle Wahgi reflexes of proto-Trans-New Guinea (pTNG) etyma:[2]

  • ama ‘mother’ < *am(a,i)
  • amu ‘breast’ < *amu
  • numan ‘louse’ < *niman
  • numan ‘thought, mind, will’ < *n(o,u)
  • man, muŋ ‘fruit, nut, lump’
  • muŋgum ‘kidney’ < *maŋgV ‘round object’
  • mundmuŋ ‘heart’ < *mundun-maŋgV
  • mokum, mokem ‘knuckle, joint’ < *mo(k,ŋg)Vm ‘joint’
  • mundun mo- ‘be pot bellied’ < *mundun ‘internal organs, belly’
  • ŋaŋ ‘small male child’ < *ŋaŋ[a] ‘baby’
  • apa- ‘maternal uncle’ < *apa ‘father’
  • embe(m) ‘name’ < *imbi ‘name’
  • muk ‘blue’ < *muk
  • tuk- ‘chop’ < *tVk- ‘cut, cut off’
  • no- ‘eat’ < *na-
  • mek si- ‘to vomit’
  • mek ‘vomitus’ < *makV[C] + t(e,i)- ‘to vomit’

References edit

  1. ^ Usher, Timothy. Simbu-Western Highlands. New Guinea World.
  2. ^ a b Pawley, Andrew; Hammarström, Harald (2018). "The Trans New Guinea family". 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. 21–196. ISBN 978-3-11-028642-7.

Further reading edit

External links edit

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