| Western Oceanic | |
|---|---|
| (reduced) | |
| Geographic distribution: |
Western Pacific |
| Linguistic classification: | Austronesian
|
| Subdivisions: | |
The Western Oceanic languages is a linkage of Oceanic languages, proposed and studied by Ross (1988).
Contents |
A reduced form of the family (excluding the Meso-Melanesian languages) was fully supported by a 2008 analysis of the Austronesian Basic Vocabulary Database.[1]
The 2008 study concluded that Schouten did not lie within the North New Guinea branch of Western Oceanic. The unity of the Ngero–Vitiaz branch of North New Guinea, and at least one language from the Huon Gulf branch, was supported with 85% confidence. In addition, it supported with 60% confidence a connection between the Willaumez branch and these North New Guinea languages. Papuan Tip as a whole was fully supported for the languages considered.