Angan languages

The Angan languages are a family of the Trans–New Guinea languages in the classification of Malcolm Ross. The Angan languages are clearly valid as a family. They were first identified as such by J. Lloyd and A. Healey in 1968; Wurm (1975) classified them as Trans–New Guinea.

• Angan family:
  • Angaatiha language
  • Angan proper (Nuclear Angan)
    • A (pronouns ni, ti): Hamtai (Kapau), Kamasa, Kawatsa, Menya, Yagwoia
    • B: Akoye (Lohiki), Yipma (Baruya), Safeyoka, Simbari, Susuami, Tainae (Ivori)

Another Angan proper language is Ankave.^[1]

Menya is notable for its dyadic kinship terms (terms referring to the relationship two or more people have to each other), which are present in less than 10 languages and not prevalent in Papua New Guinea (though they also exist in the Oksapmin language).^[2]

References

• 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. 

1. ^ Ankave is not listed in Ross's classification. It has the 1sg pronouns based on ni, but not a 2sg based on ti.
2. ^ The Oksapmin Kinship System, retrieved May 21, 2009.