Chimbu–Wahgi languages

Chimbu–Wahgi
Chimbu–Wahgi
Simbu – Western Highlands
Geographic; distribution	Papua New Guinea
Linguistic classification	Trans–New Guinea or Papuan Gulf? Central New Guinea Highlands Chimbu–Wahgi; ;
Subdivisions	Chimbu; Hagen; Jimi; Wahgi;
Language codes
Glottolog	cent2120
	Map: The Chimbu–Wahgi languages of New Guinea Chimbu–Wahgi languages Trans–New Guinea languages Other Papuan languages Austronesian languages Uninhabited

The Chimbu–Wahgi languages are a language family of New Guinea. They are sometimes included in the Trans–New Guinea proposal; Usher links them with the Engan languages in a Central New Guinea Highlands family.^[1]

Languages

There is little doubt that the Chimbu–Wahgi family is valid. The languages are:^[2]

Chimbu–Wahgi family
- Chimbu (Simbu) branch
  - Kuman (Chimbu)
  - Chuave
  - Nomane
  - Golin–Dom
  - Salt-Yui
  - Sinasina
- Western Highlands
  - Jimi River
    - Maring
    - Narak–Kandawo
  - Wahgi Valley
    - Nii
    - Wahgi
    - North Wahgi (= Yu We?)
  - Mount Hagen
    - Melpa (Medlpa)
    - Kaugel River
      - Imbo Ungu
      - Umbu-Ungu
      - Mbo-Ung (Bo-Ung)

Phonology

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

Chimbu–Wahgi languages have contrastive tone.^[3]

Pronouns

The singular pronouns are:

	sg
1	*ná
2	*nim
3	*[y]é

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

Evolution

Middle Wahgi reflexes of proto-Trans-New Guinea (pTNG) etyma:^[3]

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

^ NewGuineaWorld, Central New Guinea Highlands
^ Usher, Timothy. Simbu-Western Highlands. New Guinea World.
^ ^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.

External links

Kaipuleohone archive of Chimbu-Wahgi language recordings

[1] NewGuineaWorld, Central New Guinea Highlands

[2] Usher, Timothy. Simbu-Western Highlands. New Guinea World.

[Pawley-TNG-3] 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.

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