Torricelli languages
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The Torricelli languages are a relatively young language family of about fifty languages of the northern Papua New Guinea coast, spoken by only about 80 000 people in all. The most populous and best known Torricelli languages are the Arapesh, with about 30 000 speakers.
The most promising external relationship for the Torricelli family is the Sepik languages. In reconstructions of both families, the pronouns have a plural suffix *-m and a dual suffix *-p.
The Torricelli languages occupy three geographically separated areas, evidently separated by migrations of Sepik language speakers several centuries ago.
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[edit] Classification
Ross broke up Laycock and Z’graggen's 1975 Kombio branch, placing the Kombio language in the Palei branch and leaving Wom as on its own, with the other languages (Eitiep, Torricelli (Lou), Yambes, Aruek) unclassified due to lack of data.
- Wom
- Arapesh branch: Bukiyip, Bumbita, Mufian
- Maimai branch: Nambi, Wiaki, Siliput, Yahang, Heyo
- West Wapei branch: Seti, Seta, One
- Monumbo branch: Monumbo, Lilau
- Marienberg branch: Bungain, Wiarumus (Mandi), Muniwara, Urimo, Kamasau, Elepi, Buna
- Wapei branch: Beli, Yis, Yau, Olo, Elkei, Au, Yil, Dia (Alu), Ningil, Sinagen (Galu), Yapunda, Valman
- Palei branch: Urim, Urat, Kombio, Agi, Aruop, Wanap (Kayik), Aiku, Alatil (Aru)
[edit] Pronouns
The pronouns Ross reconstructs for proto-Torricelli are,
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I *ki we two *ku-p we *ku-m, *əpə thou *yi, *ti you two *ki-p you *ki-m, *ipa he *ətə-n, *ni they two (M) *ma-k they (M) *ətə-m, *ma, *apa- she *ətə-k, *ku they two (F) *kwa-k they (F) *ətə-l
[edit] See also
[edit] Reference
- Malcom Ross (2005). "Pronouns as a preliminary diagnostic for grouping Papuan languages." In: Andrew Pawley, Robert Attenborough, Robin Hide and Jack Golson, eds, Papuan pasts: cultural, linguistic and biological histories of Papuan-speaking peoples, 15-66. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.
