Awyu–Dumut languages

The Awyu–Dumut or Awyu–Ndumut languages are a family of perhaps a dozen Trans–New Guinea languages spoken in eastern West Papua. Six of the languages are sufficiently attested for a basic description; it is not clear how many of the additional names (in parentheses) may be separate languages.

• Awyu branch: Aghu (Jair), Shiaxa (Jenimu, Edera), Pisa (Asuwe)
• Dumut (Ndumut) branch: Mandobo (Kaeti), Wambon (Digul Wambon, North Wambon), Yonggom (Yonggom Wambon, South Wambon)
• Kombai: Kombai (Wanggom?)

In addition, the Sawi (Sawuy) and Korowai languages appear to be Awyu–Dumut, but have not been further classified.

Ethnologue lists a 'Central Awyu', but this is not attested as a distinct language (U. Amsterdam).

History

The Awyu and Awyu–Dumut families were identified by Peter Drabbe in the 1950s.

Voorhoeve included them in his proposed Central and South New Guinea group.^[1] As part of Central and South New Guinea, they form part of the original proposal for Trans–New Guinea.^[2]

External links

• The Awyu–Ndumut languages in their linguistic and cultural context (University of Amsterdam) has up-to-date information on Awyu–Dumut languages

Notes

1. ^ Voorhoeve, C.L. 1968. “The Central and South New Guinea Phylum: a report on the language situation in south New Guinea. Pacific Linguistics, Series A, No. 16: 1-17. Canberra: Australian National University.
2. ^ McElhanon, Kenneth A.and C.L. Voorhoeve. 1970. The Trans-New Guinea phylum: explorations in deep-level genetic relationships. Pacific Linguistics, Series B, No. 16. Canberra: Australian National University.

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.