Lakes Plain languages
The Lakes Plain languages are a family of Papuan languages, spoken in the Lakes Plain of Indonesian New Guinea. They are notable for being heavily tonal and for their lack of nasal consonants.
| Lakes Plain | |
|---|---|
| Geographic distribution | Lakes Plains, New Guinea |
| Linguistic classification | one of the world's primary language families |
| Glottolog | lake1255 |
Classification
The Lakes Plain languages were tentatively grouped by Stephen Wurm with the Tor languages in his Trans–New Guinea proposal. Clouse (1997) rejected this connection to the Tor languages and grouped them with the Geelvink Bay languages. Malcolm Ross classifies the languages as an independent family, a position confirmed by Timothy Usher.
Because of the apparent phonological similarities and sharing of stable basic words such as ‘louse’, William A. Foley speculates the potential likelihood of a distant relationship shared between the Skou and Lakes Plain families, but no formal proposals linking the two families have been made due to insufficient evidence.[1] Additionally according to Foley, based on some lexical and phonological similarities, the Keuw language (currently unclassified) may also possibly share a deep relationship with the Lakes Plain languages.
Like the East Cenderawasih Bay, Trans-New Guinea, and South Bougainville language families, Lakes Plain languages have ergative case marking systems. In contrast, most languages of northern Papua New Guinea have accusative case marking systems.[2]
Clouse (1997)
Clouse (1997, p. 155) internally classifies the Lakes Plain family as:[3]
- Lakes Plain superstock
- Rasawa stock
- Tariku stock
Clouse concludes that the East Geelvink Bay languages are the most closely related to the Lakes Plain languages, forming a wider Geelvink Bay phylum with it.[3]
Usher (2018)
The Lakes Plain languages as classified by Usher are as follows:[4]
| Lakes Plains |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Not included in the above classification, Kaiy, Kwerisa, Doutai and Waritai are presumably also Central Lakes Plain; the same for Obokuitai and Biritai. Clouse had placed them closest to Papasena and to Eritai, respectively, and they might form dialect clusters with those languages.
There are particular questions about the inclusion of Saponi, Kehu and Tause.
Pronouns
The pronouns Ross reconstructs for proto-Tariku are,
I *a/*i we *a/*ai thou *de you *da s/he *au they ?
The corresponding "I" and "thou" pronouns are proto–East Lake Plain *a, *do, Awera yai, nai (the latter from *dai; compare also e "we"), and Rasawa e-, de-. Saponi shares no pronouns with the Lakes Plain family; indeed its pronouns mamire "I, we" and ba "thou" are remenincent of proto–East Bird's Head *meme "we" and *ba "thou". However, Saponi shares half its basic lexical vocabulary with Rasawa, and Ross left it in the Lakes Plain family pending further investigation. The Tause language was also previously grouped amongst the Tariku group of Lakes Plain languages. Ross transferred it to the East Bird's Head – Sentani languages on the basis of pronoun similarities in hopes that this would promote further research.
Below are pronouns in selected Lakes Plain languages as given by Foley (2018):[1]
Phonology
Lakes Plain languages have remarkably small phonemic inventories, rivaling even those of Polynesian languages.
Consonants
Clouse and Clouse (1993) note many of the Lakes Plain languages share several unusual phonological features. While Papuan languages typically have at least two nasal phonemes, this is not the case for Lakes Plain languages. Although phonetic nasals do exist in most Lakes Plain languages, they do not contrast with the corresponding voiced stops. Doutai, Sikaritai, Obokuitai and Abawiri (Foau) lack even phonetic nasals. Additionally, no Lakes Plain language has a liquid phoneme. Clouse (1997) reconstructs a typologically remarkable consonant inventory for the ancestor of Lakes Plain, consisting entirely of only five stops:
| Labial | Alveolar | Velar | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Voiceless Stop | *p | *t | *k |
| Voiced Stop | *b | *d |
This results in Lakes Plain languages having high functional load, meaning that there are many words with small distinctions in sounds.
Vowels
Many of the languages have very high constricted (fricativised) vowels; in Doutai and Kirikiri these constitute separate phonemes from /i/ and /u/. The fricativised vowels seem to have developed from deletion of a following consonant.
Clouse (1997) reconstructs a five-vowel system for proto-Lakes Plain, not unlike Japanese or Spanish:
| Front | Back | |
|---|---|---|
| High | *i | *u |
| Mid | *e | *o |
| Low | *a |
Tone
Lakes Plain languages are all tonal. (The Skou languages and Kainantu-Goroka languages are other Papuan languages possessing contrastive tone.) Clouse and Clouse (1993) reconstruct tone (high level "H" and low level "L") in proto-Lakes Plain.[1]
Duvle and Sikaritai have only two tones, high and low, but all other Lakes Plain languages have more than two tones. All West Tariku languages have both rising and falling tones.[3] Abawiri (Foau) has phonological high and low tones as well as a derived mid tone.[5]
Iau is the most tonally complex Lakes Plain language. Unlike other Lakes Plain languages which can be disyllabic or trisyllabic, Iau word structure is predominantly monosyllabic. Iau has eight phonemic tones, transcribed by Bateman using numerical Chao tones (usually used with East Asian languages): high (44), mid (33), high-rising (45), low-rising (23), high-to-low-falling (42), high-to-mid-falling (43), mid-to-low-falling (32), and falling-rising (423).[1] Four of the eight Iau tones occur on short vowels, while the remaining four occur on long vowels and often correspond to disyllabic words in other Lakes Plain languages.[3] (See Iau language#Tone.)
Morphology
Unlike most Papuan languages to the east, words in Lakes Plain languages do not have gender. Bauzi, an East Geelvink Bay language spoken to the northwest of the Lakes Plain family, also does not have gender.[1] Most Lakes Plain languages are primarily analytic and isolating, with little morphology. However, there is some variation in the family. Iau is almost exclusively analytic and isolating,[6] while Abawiri has extensive verbal morphology.[7]
Basic vocabulary
Basic vocabulary of the Lakes Plain languages (Rasawa, Kirikiri, Iau, Duvle, Obokuitai, Diebroud) listed in Foley (2018):[1]
Lakes Plain basic vocabulary gloss Rasawa Kirikiri Iau Duvle Obokuitai Diebroud ‘bird’ beβo du dusi fura du duː ‘blood’ uːyo klu oe sæire saig ai die ‘bone’ weβi kiʼ iʼ kæ-ri-a -baig butːu ‘breast’ tu tu tui do toub tow ‘ear’ u-ra ke e ovei -kwei ebre ‘eat’ ki-βaβo sa sa dɪa da- beya ‘egg’ uβa dute bi ævisa ako ko ‘eye ɔra kla ɸæ gari -u ruːg ‘fire’ tayo kwɛ be bo kwɛ do ‘give’ paro tu baɛ bou behig bei ‘go’ uɣuβe kia i da/dou do- dug ‘ground’ gi ɸla a pɪa hra faː ‘hair’ u-kha ta-kruʼ iʼ-su tæri hoig teri ‘hear’ puaβo beika bi-bae bou/bæiɪ kwɛri atega ‘leg’ u-ru ɸa tai fria -hig aigwa ‘louse’ piye ɸli i(bo) pri hri fi(god) ‘man’ duβu te te oirɛ ta gutːi ‘moon’ bariya tɔ baiʼdaki vrisa so fere ‘name’ uβa kwa ɔsu oiɛ asukwa faya ‘one’ kri-βi suo-we bisi-be soɣo-ɛ kore-kekaig kwaka ‘path, road’ we kwari bɛ ioɣoia kuɛi eigre ‘see’ paβo ɸua/ɸori dɔɛ fei/fou badub fǝkta ‘stone’ pa ɸai ɸeki pæxi kwig gwid ‘sun’ kuri tɔ baiʼ væir so gwadi ‘tongue’ isɔːkɔ abla ae zæri -rija iri ‘tooth’ ɔ uri biʼ æbidi -brig adːi ‘tree’ ukui du u ura kub gru ‘two’ wɔri ɔro-we bɔ tɛʔɛ tio tai ‘water’ de(ye) da e dæ/dɛ -rig dye ‘woman’ kuru ko si oruæi tub ro
Proto-language
| Proto-Lakes Plain | |
|---|---|
| Reconstruction of | Lakes Plain languages |
Clouse (1997) reconstructs basic vocabulary for proto-Lakes Plain and other lower branches.[3]
- Lakes Plain reconstructions by Clouse (1997)
gloss proto-Lakes Plain proto-Far West Lakes Plain proto-Tariku proto-West Tariku proto-Central Tariku proto-East Tariku neck *kukro *roko *kokro *kokrV *kro mouth *kukadi/u *koru *kuari *kuari *ba *kua tooth *bri *biri *bri *bri *biri *bri eye *kudatiCV *ura *kurati *kurati *kuratiC nose *boru *boru *boru hair/fur *kru/i *kru/i *kru *kru/i fingernail *pV *bV *pV *ɸV *ɸo *pe skin *ɸidi *bi *ɸiri *ɸire *iri *bari meat *tV *tV *tV *tV *ta *tV bone *be *kai *kai *i *ai breast *touCV *tou *touC *tou^ *touC *touC stomach *kuria *wia *kuria *kuri *kuia leg *tu *Ca *Ca *ta *a foot *to *to *to water *deida *deire *dida *dida *ida *wadi fire *kudaide *tairo *kure *kue *be *kure adjectival suffix *-we/-die *-we/-de *-we/-die *-we *-be *-die stone *kuipade *pare *kuiɸae *kuiɸae *kuiɸa *kuip one *kri *keiki *keiki three *didi *dri *Cidi *Cido *tidi land *pra/i *pri *pra *ɸra *pra path *kuadi *arV *kuari *kuari *ba *kuai wide *wara rain *kurire *kuie *kuri *kuri *bi dull *baCu *paupe *baCu *baCu *ba sun *tio *tio *tio *so *so moon *bari banana *kriCV *kiri *kriC *kri^ *kiri *kriC tree *kuCV *ku *kuC *u *u *kuC split *pekeka thorn *kude *pore *kure *kure *be *kure seed *weto *kaba *ɸe *aCi black *kVCa *kuara *kVC *kaCa *kiC bird *du *du *du *du *du wing *auCo *uko *auCu *auro *apu *akau cassowary *diadi *kiri *diari *diari *diari a fly *kubadi *poiti *kubari *kuari *bari *kuari mosquito *tide *tre *tire *tire *tire *tire dog *tabi *kaCo *tabi *tiabi *dabi *dabi tail *tiCa *tiCa *tiCa *tia *tiC fish *tie *te *tie *tie *te leech *kibV *kiba *kibi *ki *ki *kibi louse *pri *piri *pri *ɸri *pri long *pobi *kure *kure *be *kuri house *kuadV *aru *kuarV *kua *urV *kuari near *paipai *paia *aiɸai *aiɸai person *tau *du *tai *te *te *tai bad *kaibe *ɸVra *ɸe *ɸura child *tau-bri *tu-ri *tau-bri *tau-bri *tau- *tau-bi 2SG *de *de *de *de *di *de 1PL *ai *e *ai *ai *e *ai 3SG *kibV *be *o *de go/walk *kidia *dao *kidia *kidia *dia hear-STAT *kuedi-kuda *beri-kura *kueri-kua *beri-kua *beri-wa *kueri-kua search *paka suck *tau *tu *tau *taua *betu vomit *kadudu *aru *karudu *ku *u *krudu scrape *kiCi *kibie *kiri *kiri *iri *bekiri sit *ɸuɸu *kua *ɸuɸu *ɸoko *bau *buhu stand *dia-dau *tarau *dia-da *dia-da grab *tiadado *suarau *araro *araro *da *do blow *pudV *purV *purV *ɸura *ɸoi *bu-ɸuru cough *takadV *takari *takurV *takuro *taurai *takura firewood *bodi *bori *bo *bori feces *pade *pare *ɸa *ɸa *pare urine *tiCi *tiCi *ti^ *tii *tiCi penis *tiuCV *tiuC *tiu^ *tiu *tuC scrotum *kudiCV *kuriC *kui^ *kuiC chin *kuaukadi *kuaukari *kuaukai *baukai *kuaukari ant *keCV *keC *ke *e *kiC arrow *poka *poka *ɸoka *ɸoka *poka
See also
- List of districts of Papua for a list of districts and villages with respective languages
Further reading
- Proto-Lakes-Plain. TransNewGuinea.org. From (1) Clouse, D.A. 1997. Towards a reconstruction and reclassification of the Lakes Plain languages of Irian Jaya. In Franklin, K. (ed). Papers in Papuan Linguistics No. 2. Pacific Linguistics: Canberra. ; (2) Clouse, D.A. 1993. Languages of the Western Lakes Plain. Irian, 21, 1–32.
- Proto-Far West Lakes Plain. TransNewGuinea.org. From (1) Clouse, D.A. 1997. Towards a reconstruction and reclassification of the Lakes Plain languages of Irian Jaya. In Franklin, K. (ed). Papers in Papuan Linguistics No. 2. Pacific Linguistics: Canberra. ; (2) Clouse, D.A. 1993. Languages of the Western Lakes Plain. Irian, 21, 1–32.
- Proto-Tariku. TransNewGuinea.org. From (1) Clouse, D.A. 1997. Towards a reconstruction and reclassification of the Lakes Plain languages of Irian Jaya. In Franklin, K. (ed). Papers in Papuan Linguistics No. 2. Pacific Linguistics: Canberra. ; (2) Clouse, D.A. 1993. Languages of the Western Lakes Plain. Irian, 21, 1–32.
- Proto-West-Tariku. TransNewGuinea.org. From (1) Clouse, D.A. 1997. Towards a reconstruction and reclassification of the Lakes Plain languages of Irian Jaya. In Franklin, K. (ed). Papers in Papuan Linguistics No. 2. Pacific Linguistics: Canberra. ; (2) Clouse, D.A. 1993. Languages of the Western Lakes Plain. Irian, 21, 1–32.
- Proto-Central-Tariku. TransNewGuinea.org. From (1) Clouse, D.A. 1997. Towards a reconstruction and reclassification of the Lakes Plain languages of Irian Jaya. In Franklin, K. (ed). Papers in Papuan Linguistics No. 2. Pacific Linguistics: Canberra. ; (2) Clouse, D.A. 1993. Languages of the Western Lakes Plain. Irian, 21, 1–32.
- Proto-East-Tariku. TransNewGuinea.org. From (1) Clouse, D.A. 1997. Towards a reconstruction and reclassification of the Lakes Plain languages of Irian Jaya. In Franklin, K. (ed). Papers in Papuan Linguistics No. 2. Pacific Linguistics: Canberra. ; (2) Clouse, D.A. 1993. Languages of the Western Lakes Plain. Irian, 21, 1–32.
References
- Foley, William A. (2018). "The languages of Northwest 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. 433–568. ISBN 978-3-11-028642-7.
- Foley, William A. (2018). "The morphosyntactic typology of Papuan languages". 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. 895–938. ISBN 978-3-11-028642-7.
- Clouse, Duane A. (1997). "Towards a reconstruction and reclassification of the Lakes Plain languages of Irian Jaya". In Karl Franklin (ed.). Papers in Papuan linguistics no. 2 (PDF). Vol. A-85. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics. pp. 133–236. ISBN 0858834421.
- New Guinea World - Lakes Plains
- Yoder, Brendon (2018). "The Abawiri tone system in typological perspective". Language (Phonological Analysis). 94 (4): e266–e292. doi:10.1353/lan.2018.0067. S2CID 150242777 – via Project MUSE.
- Bateman, Janet (1986). "Iau verb morphology". NUSA. 26: 1–76.
- Yoder, Brendon (2020). A grammar of Abawiri, a Lakes Plain language of Papua, Indonesia (PhD thesis). University of California Santa Barbara.
- Clouse, Duane A. (1997). Karl Franklin (ed.). "Towards a reconstruction and reclassification of the Lakes Plain languages of Irian Jaya". Papers in New Guinea Linguistics. 2: 133–236. ISSN 0078-9135. OCLC 2729642.
- Clouse, Heljä; Duane A. Clouse (1993). "Kirikiri and the western Lakes Plain languages: selected phonological phenomena". Language and Linguistics in Melanesia. 24: 1–18. OCLC 9188672.
- 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.
- Silzer, Peter; Heljä Heikkinen (1991). Index of Irian Jaya languages (Second ed.). Jayapura: University Cenderawasih and Summer Institute of Linguistics. OCLC 26368341.
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