East New Guinea Highlands languages

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East New Guinea Highlands is a 1975 proposal by Stephen Würm for a family of Papuan languages spoken in Papua New Guinea. It was broken up by Malcom Ross in his classification of 2005 (see below).

[edit] Family division

  • Wiru isolate
  • Kenati isolate
  • Kalam family: Gants, Kalam-Kobon, Tai
  • Eastern (Kainantu) family
    • Owenia language
    • Kambaira language
    • Tairora branch: Binumarien, South Tairoa, North Tairoa, Waffa
    • Gapsup branch: Agarabi, Awiyaana, Awa, Gadsup, Kosena, Ontenu, Usarufa
  • Central family
    • Chimbu branch: Chuave, Dom, Golin, Kuman, Nomane, Salt-Yui, Sinasina
    • Hagen branch
      • Melpa (Medlpa) language
      • Kaugel languages: Imbongu, Mbo-Ung, Umbu-Ungu
    • Jimi branch: Maring, Narak, Kandawo
    • Wahgi branch: Nii, Wahgi, North Wahgi
  • East-Central (Goroka) family
    • Gende language
    • Fore branch: Fore, Gimi
    • Gahuku branch: Dano (Upper Asaro), Benabena, Alekano (Gahuku), Tokano (Lower Asaro)
    • Siane branch: Siane, Yaweyuha
    • Kamono-Yagaria branch: Kamono, Inoke-Yate, Kanite, Keyagana, Yagaria
  • West-Central family
    • Huli language
    • Enga branch: Enga, Nete, Ipili, Lembena, Bisorio
    • Angal-Kewa branch: Kyaka, Angal, Angal Heneng (Katinja), Angal Enen, Samberigi (Sau), West Kewa, East Kewa, Erave

Ross classified each of the families in bold as a separate branch of TNG, with the exceptions of Kainantu and Goroka, which he kept together; Kalam, which he linked to the Rai Coast family; and Kenati, which he had insufficient data to classify.

Ross believes that these languages lie near the homeland of proto-Trans New Guinea.

[edit] See also


In other languages