Dani languages

The Dani or Baliem Valley languages are a family of clearly related Trans–New Guinea languages spoken by the Dani and related peoples in the Baliem Valley in the Highland Papua, Indonesia. Foley (2003) considers their Trans–New Guinea language group status to be established. They may be most closely related to the languages of Paniai Lakes, but this is not yet clear. Capell (1962)[1] had posited that their closest relatives were the Kwerba languages, which Ross (2005) rejects.

For the Dani language of Brazil, see Deni language.
Dani
Baliem Valley
EthnicityDani, Lani, Yali, etc
Geographic
distribution		Baliem Valley in Highland Papua
Linguistic classificationTrans–New Guinea
Subdivisions
  • Wano
  • Dani proper
  • Ngalik
Glottologdani1287

Languages

Larson (1977)[2] divided the family into three branches based on lexicostatistics, and Nggem was later added as a fourth. The Ngalik languages are very poorly attested.

Phonemes

Usher (2020) reconstructs the consonant inventory as follows.[3] This is identical to the reconstruction of Bromley (1966-1967)[4] apart from adding the rare consonants *pw, *mbw and the possible additional vowel *ɐ.

*m*n
*p*pʷ*t*k*kʷ
*mb*mbʷ*nd*ŋg*ŋgʷ
*ɓ*ɗ
*w*l*j
*i*u
*ɪ*ʊ
*e[*ɐ]*o
*a

And the diphthongs *ei, *ou, *ai, *au.

Pronouns

Ross (1995) reconstructs the independent pronouns and possessive/object prefixes of Central Dani as:

singularplural
1 *an, *n[a]*ni-t, *nin[a]-
2 *ka-t, *k[a]*ki-t, *kin[a]-
3 *a-t, *∅/w-*i-t, *in[a]-

Vocabulary comparison

The following basic vocabulary words are from Bromley (1967)[4] and Voorhoeve (1975),[5] as cited in the Trans-New Guinea database:[6]

glossDani, Lower Grand Valley (Hitigima dialect)Dani, Lower Grand Valley (Tangma dialect)Dani, Lower Grand ValleyDani, Mid Grand ValleyDani, Upper Grand ValleyDani, Western[7]WalakSilimo (South Ngalik dialect)SilimoYali, AnggurukYali, Pass Valley
head mʊkkʊl-oakmʊkkʊl-oaknukul-oaqnʊgʊl-oaknanupahaneb; anobaknalupaknaŋgulnagʊlnʊgʊlhou
hair nesinesinesinesineetieeɾuwak; netinitinenasunasunotukhoŋ
ear nesakkonesakkonasuknatuk [nařuk]aɾuknatuk [nařuk]nesagonɪsago
eye neil-ekkenneil-ekkenneil-ekennel-egennenekenenegen; negennilnələŋgennɪlegennɪlhəŋ
nose nappisannamisaŋnakouwak-oaknakapakogobaknokopaknebijaŋnabijaŋ
tooth naiknaiknaiknaiknɪkneiknaikneniaknɪak; neaknajeksi
tongue namelinamilina∂inamɪlɪamelanatðinemakenabilikagen
leg nesoqiyok; owakyan saŋ
louse napɪnapɪnavinapɪnapɪabeenapɪnekepɪ; pɪpɪam
dog jekkejekkeyakejegegewogewo; nggewogewoyeŋgemenemenekam
pig wamwamwamwamwa:nwamwamwamwamwammeya
bird sʊesʊesuetʊetewetewe; towetewetuwesʊesuwewinaŋ
egg sʊe-kkensʊe-kkensue-kentʊe-gentewe-genekotewe-geneŋgensʊe-egensuwe-genwinaŋ won
blood mepmepmepmepmepamiya; muyamepmepgete; mepiniŋ
bone noaknoaknoaqnoaknowakanoowaknowaknʊaknoakyok
skin noatnakapnaxapnoatðonakatloagabelonakatðonakapnakappok
breast neilakneilakniðaknelakelakneðaknakamʊnak
tree oeeoejoeyoobeneee
man apapapapapapapapnimnya
woman he; hɪmɪhe; hʊmɪhekwekwekwamɪkeap
sky mbogut
sun momomomʊlɪgɪmooonegen; yawomo; o-ilmomohin
moon tukitukitʊttʊttuttʊtdukibikkalem
water iiiijimio; nio; niyoi; iesikiktin
fire hettoukettuetuhɪdʊ [hɪtʊ]ɪdʊ [ɪndʊ]endo; kaniiduendukodʊkidokuk
stone helephelephelephelegit [helekit]jʊkumyugum; yukumgit [ŋgit]kəlipkelepkelepkirik
road, path ke; kwekweholak-aðemtuwantuwanepelapʊgalem
name ettakeettakeeraxeedaka [etaga]edaka [endaga]endage; etaxeedakaonukunuknimnya
eat namennamen!; ne-; nenggenənəm-emennamɪn (ɪs ?)(kwaniŋ) etiŋ
one makke-at; pakke-atoppakke-atopake-atbagɪ-atabɪambe; ambitomagi-atambuimesikmɪsɪksendeik
two pete; pɪtep:ieperebete [peře]bete [mbeře]bere; mbeɾebeteperebitenbitenphenep

Evolution

Dani reflexes of proto-Trans-New Guinea (pTNG) etyma are:[8]

Grand Valley Dani language:

  • ap 'man' < *ambi
  • meli 'tongue' < *me(l,n)e
  • n-esi 'hair' < *iti[C] (n- is 1sg possessor)
  • me(m) 'come' < *me-
  • ket 'new' < *kVndak

Western Dani language:

  • ap 'man' < *ambi
  • (n)iti < *iti[C]
  • meli 'tongue' < *me(l,n)e
  • get 'new' < *kVndak
  • okut 'leg' < *k(a,o)ndok[V]
  • kat(lo) 'skin' < *(ŋg,k)a(nd,t)apu
  • idu 'tree' < *inda

Ngalik language:

  • idu(k)etu 'tree' < *inda
  • (nak) amu 'breast' < *amu
  • tokon 'full' < *tVkV[ti]
  • kopu 'smoke' < *kambu

References
  1. Capell, Arthur. 1962. Linguistic Survey of the South-Western Pacific (New and revised edition). (South Pacific Commission Technical Paper, 136.) Noumea: South Pacific Commission. 258pp.
  2. Larson, Gordon F. 1977. Reclassification of Some Irian Jaya Highlands Language Families: A Lexicostatical Cross-Family Subclassification with Historical Implications. Irian VI: 3-40.
  3. New Guinea World, Baliem Valley
  4. Bromley, Myron H. 1966-1967. The Linguistic Relationships of Grand Valley Dani: A Lexico-statistical Classification. Oceania 37: 286-305.
  5. Voorhoeve, C.L. Languages of Irian Jaya: Checklist. Preliminary classification, language maps, wordlists. B-31, iv + 133 pages. Pacific Linguistics, The Australian National University, 1975. doi:10.15144/PL-B31
  6. Greenhill, Simon (2016). "TransNewGuinea.org - database of the languages of New Guinea". Retrieved 2020-11-05.
  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.
  8. 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.
  • 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.
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