Papuan language family
The Asmat–Muli Strait languages are a branch of the Trans–New Guinea languages spoken along the southern coast of Indonesian New Guinea, established by Timothy Usher and Edgar Suter.[1]
Protoforms of basic vocabulary include *moi 'water', *iafVnV 'ear', *uase 'name', *awoɣ 'breast'.[1]
Subdivision
Asmat–Muli Strait consists of two primary subgroups:[2]
Proto-language
Phonology
Proto-Asmat–Muli Strait is reconstructed with 12 consonants and 5 vowels:[1]
*m |
*n |
|
|
*p |
*t |
|
*k
|
*(m)b |
*(n)d |
|
*(ŋ)g
|
|
*s |
|
|
*w |
*ɾ |
*j |
|
Vowels are *a *e *i *o *u.
Basic vocabulary
Some lexical reconstructions by Usher (2020) are:[1]
gloss |
Proto-Asmat-Muli |
Proto-Asmat-Kamrau |
Proto-Muli Strait
|
head/hair
|
*gVɸV |
*uɸu |
*ɣo̝p, *ɣo̝w
|
ear
|
*iaɸVnV |
*iaɸ[a/o]ne |
*ie̝pær
|
nose/tip
|
*mVnVgV |
*m[e/a]n[e] |
*mæne̝ɣ
|
tooth/sharp
|
*sisV |
*sisV |
*-sir
|
blood
|
*[i/e]sV |
*ese |
*ir
|
breast
|
*awVgV |
*awo |
*abuɣ
|
louse
|
*amV |
*amo |
*am
|
dog
|
*iuwuɾi |
*juwuɾi |
*i[u]bui
|
pig
|
*[o/u]ɸV |
*oɸo |
*up
|
egg
|
*[o]k[a] |
*oka |
|
sun
|
*jau[a] |
*jawu |
*zaua
|
water
|
*mVi |
*moi |
*mo̝i
|
name
|
*uase |
*uwase |
*ur
|
eat
|
*nV |
*nV |
*no̝ku
|
References
External links