The Koiarian languages /kɔɪˈɑːriən/[2] Koiari are a small family of Trans–New Guinea languages spoken in the "Bird's Tail" (southeastern peninsula) of New Guinea. They are classified within the Southeast Papuan branch of Trans–New Guinea.

Koiarian
Koiari – Managalas Plateau
Geographic
distribution
Southeastern peninsula of Papua New Guinea:
Central Province and Oro Province
Linguistic classificationTrans–New Guinea
Subdivisions
  • Koiari
  • Baraic (Managalas Plateau)
Glottologkoia1260

Languages edit

The languages are:

Dutton (2010) classifies the Koiarian languages as:[3]: 3 

Proto-language edit

Pronouns edit

Usher (2020) reconstructs the pronouns as:[1]

sg pl
1 *na *no
2 *a *ja
3 *aɸu *[i/e]abu

Vocabulary edit

The following basic vocabulary words of Proto-Koiarian and other lower-level reconstructions are from the Trans-New Guinea database:[4]

gloss Proto-Koiarian Proto-Koiariac Proto-Baraic
head *kina
hair *fómo
ear *gada
eye *ni
nose *uri
tooth *gubai
tongue *bitarV
leg *díʔ-
louse *ʔumu
dog *to *(ʔ,k)uo
pig *ofo *mafV
bird *ugu[fa]
egg *uni
blood *taɣo
bone *(ʔ)adV
skin *vata
breast *amu *m(u,o)sV
tree *idí
man *ata *baru
woman *maɣina *nigi
sun *vani *maja-; *ve
moon *bata
water *[i]do
fire *vené
stone *muni *Umari
road, path *ɣuma
name *ifí
eat *i-
one *(i,o)gau *Ogonu
two *abu(t)i *inoki

Evolution edit

Koiarian reflexes of proto-Trans-New Guinea (pTNG) etyma are:[5]

Koiari language:

  • muka ‘lump’ < *maŋgV ‘round object’
  • uni ‘egg’ < *mun(a,i,u)ka
  • idu ‘tree’ < *inda
  • iya ‘cassowary’ < *ku(y)a
  • karika ‘dry’ < *(ŋg,k)atata
  • muni ‘stone < *(na)muna
  • nana ‘older same-sex sibling’ < *nan(a,i)
  • u-tuvu ‘ashes’ < *kambu-sumbu

Managalasi language:

  • ata ‘bone’ < *kondaC
  • muka ‘lump’ < *maŋgV ‘round object’
  • iha ‘name’ < *imbi
  • uma ‘louse’ < *iman
  • uka ‘bird’ < *yaka
  • tuua ‘short’ < *tukumba[C]
  • muna ‘stone’ < *(na)muna
  • ija ‘tree’ < *inda
  • otoka ‘knee’ < *(k,ŋg)atuk
  • kora ‘dry’ < *(ŋg,k)atata

Phonotactics edit

Like the Binanderean languages, Barai and other Koiarian languages only allow for open syllables and do not allow final CVC.[5]: 87 

References edit

  1. ^ a b New Guinea World, Owen Stanley Range
  2. ^ Laurie Bauer, 2007, The Linguistics Student’s Handbook, Edinburgh
  3. ^ Dutton, Tom. 2010. Reconstructing Proto Koiarian: The history of a Papuan language family. (Pacific Linguistics, 610.) Canberra: Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University
  4. ^ Greenhill, Simon (2016). "TransNewGuinea.org - database of the languages of New Guinea". Retrieved 2020-11-05.
  5. ^ a b 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.

Further reading edit

  • Dutton, Tom. 2003. A dictionary of Koiari, Papua New Guinea, with grammar notes. Pacific Linguistics 534. Canberra: Australian National University.
  • Proto-Koiarian. TransNewGuinea.org. From Dutton, T.E. 2010. Reconstructing Proto Koiarian: The history of a Papuan language family, Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.
  • Proto-Koiariac. TransNewGuinea.org. From Dutton, T.E. 2010. Reconstructing Proto Koiarian: The history of a Papuan language family, Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.
  • Proto-Baraic. TransNewGuinea.org. From Dutton, T.E. 2010. Reconstructing Proto Koiarian: The history of a Papuan language family, Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.