Papuan languages

As Papuan is called several language families and isolated languages ​​that are common in New Guinea and some surrounding islands (Solomon Islands, Halmahera, Timor) and do not belong to the family of Austronesian languages. The Papuan languages ​​are not a genetic unit, but form the residual category of non - Austronesian languages ​​in the respective field. There are about 800 Papuan with a total of about 4 million speakers.

Survey

The Papuan languages ​​can be classified according to present knowledge in a total of 12 language families, five more are isolated languages. By far the most important language family of Papua New Guinea is the Trans - Makrophylum with about 530 languages ​​and 3.2 million speakers, which - extends over most of New Guinea - as the name says. Other large families are West Papua, Geelvink Bay, Torricelli, Sepik - Ramu and West Papua.

Whether all of these languages, or some groups which can be summarized into larger genetic units, is not yet fully understood. However, the genetic unity of all Papuan is highly unlikely according to current knowledge. A fortiori, Joseph Greenberg's hypothetical macro family Indo - consisting of the Andamanese, Tasmania and Papua New Languages ​​- rejected by almost all relevant researchers.

Papua languages ​​with at least 100,000 speakers

There are only four Papuan with at least 100,000 speakers, they all belong to the Trans - New Guinea Makrophylum.

  • Dani 270,000, Dani- Kwerba
  • Enga 170,000, East New Guinea Highlands
  • Melpa or Hagen 130,000, East New Guinea Highlands
  • Ekari 100,000, Wissel Lakes

Classification

The following is a classification of language families, which are among the Papuan languages, with the number of languages ​​( Sp), number of speakers and geographical distribution. The web link below gives a complete overview of all 800 Papuan, their genetic assignment and number of speakers.

  • Trans - New Guinea Makrophylum 533 Sp, 3.2 million, New Guinea; Timor, Alor, pantar Trans - New Guinea, Main Branch 294 Sp, 2.6 million, New Guinea ( Irian Jaya and Papua New Guinea) Central-West Trans - New Guinea 249 Sp, 2.4 million, Central and Western New Guinea Huon - Finisterre, 63 Sp, 165,000, Northeast Papua New Guinea
  • East New Guinea Highlands 64 Sp, 1.4 million, Papua New Guinea: Eastern Highlands
  • Central and South New Guinea 57 Sp, 190,000, Irian Jaya, West Papua, New Guinea
  • Kutuban 3 Sp, 5000, southern Papua New Guinea
  • Angan 13 Sp, 95,000, Southeast Papua New Guinea
  • Gogodala - Suki 4 Sp, 13,000, South Papua New Guinea: Fly River
  • Kayagar 3 Sp, 15,000, South Irian Jaya
  • Sentani 4 Sp, 37,000, West Irian Jaya
  • Marind 6 Sp, 22,000, South Irian Jaya, West Papua, New Guinea
  • Dani- Kwerba 17 Sp, 340,000, North Central Irian Jaya
  • Wissel Lakes 6 Sp, 140,000, West Irian Jaya
  • Mairasi 4 Sp, 5000, West Irian Jaya
  • West Bomberai 3 Sp, 7000, West Irian Jaya
  • The Sp 1, 1000, West Irian Jaya
  • Mor 1 Sp, < 1.000, Irian Jaya ( West - Bomberai )
  • Binandere 10 Sp, 80,000, Southeast Papua New Guinea
  • Central Southeast TNG 35 Sp, 90,000, Southeast Papua New Guinea
  • Madang 58 Sp, 40,000, North Papua New Guinea: Madang
  • Adelbert Range 44 Sp, 45,000, North Papua New Guinea: Adalbert chain
  • West Papua 25 Sp, 310,000, Halmahera; Irian Jaya: Vogelkop Peninsula
  • East Vogelkop 3 Sp, 40,000, Irian Jaya: Vogelkop Peninsula
  • Geelvink - Bay 33 Sp, 22,000, Irian Jaya: Geelvink Bay, Japen Island East Bay Geelvink - 11 Sp, 8000, Östl. Geelvink - Bay
  • Lakes Plain 22 Sp, 14,000 Lakes Plain
  • Sepik 52 Sp, 175,000, North Papua New Guinea: Sepik
  • Ramu 37 Col, 45,000, Papua New Guinea, East Sepik, Madang
  • Leonhard Schultze 6 Sp, 1000, Papua New Guinea: West Sepik
  • Nor- Pondo 6 Sp, 12,000, Papua New Guinea, East Sepik
  • Gapun 1 Sp, 100, Papua New Guinea, East Sepik

According to current knowledge isolated Papuan

  • Burmeso 300 speakers, Irian Jaya: Holmes Lake
  • Busa 300, Papua New Guinea: West Sepik
  • Yale 600, Papua New Guinea: West Sepik
  • Karkar - Yuri 1100, Papua New Guinea: West Sepik
  • Kibiri 1100, Papua New Guinea: Gulf, Aird Hills
  • Yele 3750, Papua New Guinea: Louisiade Archipelago ( counting from the other to the East Papuan languages)
West Papuan languages Macrofamily Indo-Pacific languages Tasmanian languages Alor Island East New Guinea Highlands languages Left May languages Torricelli languages Languages of Papua New Guinea Languages of East Timor
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