Kiwaian languages

The Kiwaian languages form a language family of New Guinea. They are a dialect cluster of half a dozen closely related languages.[1] They are grammatically divergent from the Trans–New Guinea languages, and typically have singular, dual, trial, and plural pronouns.[2]

Kiwaian
Geographic
distribution		Papua New Guinea
Linguistic classificationa primary language family
Glottologkiwa1251
Map: The Kiwaian languages of New Guinea
  The Kiwaian languages
  Trans–New Guinea languages
  Other Papuan languages
  Austronesian languages
  Uninhabited

Classification

The Trans–New Guinea identity of Kiwaiian is supported by a relatively large number of basic lexical items. Ross (2005) tentatively linked Kiwaiian to the erstwhile language isolate Porome. However, the evidence is only two pronouns, and the connection has not been accepted by other researchers.

Languages

Kiwaian languages and respective demographic information listed by Evans (2018) are provided below.[3]

List of Kiwaian languages
LanguageLocationPopulationAlternate names
Southern KiwaiKiwai Rural LLG20,000Island Kiwai
WabudaKiwai Rural LLG2,750
Bamusouth Bamu Rural LLG6,310
Northeast KiwaiWest Kikori Rural LLG6,000Urama
KerewoWest Kikori Rural LLG1,090
MorigiWest Kikori Rural LLG ?

Proto-language

Phonemes

Usher (2020) reconstructs the consonant inventory as follows:[4]

*m*n
*p*t*s*k
*b*d*g
*w*ɾ
*i*u
*e*o
*a

Pronouns

Usher (2020) reconstructs the pronouns as,[4]

sgpl
1 *mo*nimo
2 *oɾo*nigo
3  ?*nei

Basic vocabulary

Some lexical reconstructions by Usher (2020) are:[4]

glossProto-Kiwai
head/hair*kepuɾu
hair/feather*mus[ua]
ear*gaɾe
eye*idomaɾi
nose*wodi
tooth*ibo(-nVɾV)
tongue*uototoɾo[p/b]e
leg/foot*sakiɾo
blood*kaɾima; *sa[w]i
bone*soɾo
skin/bark*tama
breast*amo
louse*nimo
dog*[k]umu
bird*wowogo
egg/fruit*kikopu
tree*nuk₂a; *kota
man/male*dubu
woman*oɾobo; *upi
sun/day*saɾik₂i; *si[w]io
moon*sagomi; *owe
water*kobo
fire*keɾa
stone*(nok₂oɾa-)kopi
path*gabo
name*paini, *paina
eat/drink*oɾuso (sg.), *iɾiso (pl.)
one*nak[o/u]
two*netoa

Evolution
See also: Kiwai language § Evolution

Kiwaian reflexes of proto-Trans-New Guinea (pTNG) etyma are:[2]

Southern Kiwai language:

  • magota ‘mouth’ < *maŋgat[a]
  • amo ‘breast < *amu
  • gare ‘ear’ < *kand(e,i)k(V]
  • pitu ‘fingernail’ < *mb(i,u)t(i,u)[C]
  • baba ‘father’ < *mbapa
  • sagana ‘moon’ < *takVn[V]
  • tuwo ‘ashes’ < *sumbu
  • era ‘tree’ < *inda
  • nimo ‘louse’ < *niman
  • epuru ‘head’ < *kV(mb,p)utu
  • kopu ‘short’ < *kutu(p,mb)a
  • abida ‘sister’ < *pi(n,nd)a

Other languages:

  • Waboda kepuru < *kV(mb,p)utu
  • Kerewo bena ‘shoulder’ < *mbena ‘arm’
  • Morigi kota ‘leg’ < *k(a,o)ndok[V]
  • N.E. Kiwai modi ‘nose’ < *mundu
  • Bamu kukamu ‘cold’ < *kukam(o,u)

References
  1. "Kiwai - newguineaworld".
  2. Pawley, Andrew; Hammarström, Harald (2018). "The Trans New Guinea family". In Palmer, Bill (ed.). The Languages and Linguistics of the New Guinea Area: A Comprehensive Guide. The World of Linguistics. Vol. 4. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. pp. 21–196. ISBN 978-3-11-028642-7.
  3. Evans, Nicholas (2018). "The languages of Southern New Guinea". In Palmer, Bill (ed.). The Languages and Linguistics of the New Guinea Area: A Comprehensive Guide. The World of Linguistics. Vol. 4. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. pp. 641–774. ISBN 978-3-11-028642-7.
  4. New Guinea World, Kiwai

Further reading
  • Wurm, S.A. "The Kiwaian Language Family". In Franklin, K. editor, The linguistic situation in the Gulf District and adjacent areas, Papua New Guinea. C-26:217-260. Pacific Linguistics, The Australian National University, 1973. doi:10.15144/PL-C26.21
  • Wurm, Stefan. 1951. Studies in the Kiwai Languages, Fly Delta, Papua, New Guinea. Wien: Herold.
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