Bayono–Awbono is a recently discovered Papuan
language cluster
A dialect continuum or dialect chain is a series of language varieties spoken across some geographical area such that neighboring varieties are mutually intelligible, but the differences accumulate over distance so that widely separated vari ...
spoken in Papua Province, Indonesia, to the south of the
Somahai languages
Momuna (Momina), also known as Somahai (Somage, Sumohai), is a Papuan language spoken in the highlands of Papua province, Indonesia.
Varieties
Reimer notes two dialects, one on the Balim River and one on the Rekai. One of the differences is that ...
. All that is known of them is a few hundred words recorded in first-contact situations recorded in Wilbrink (2004) and Hischier (2006).
Languages
Wilbrink (2004) lists 4 distinct language varieties.
[Wilbrink, Ans (2004). ''The Kopkaka of Papua: Provisional notes on their language, its language affiliation and on the Kopkaka culture.'' MA thesis, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.]
*
Bayono (Enamesi, Swesu),
Kovojab (Kvolyab, Kopoyap)
*
Awbono,
Densar
Classification
Noting insufficient evidence, Pawley and Hammarström (2018) leave Bayono–Awbono as unclassified rather than as part of Trans-New Guinea.
However, according to
Dryer (2022), based on a preliminary quantitative analysis of data from the
ASJP
The Automated Similarity Judgment Program (ASJP) is a collaborative project applying computational approaches to comparative linguistics using a database of word lists. The database is open access and consists of 40-item basic-vocabulary lists f ...
database, Bayono–Awbono is likely to be a subgroup of Trans–New Guinea.
Timothy Usher finds enough evidence to classify Awbono–Bayono within the
Greater Awyu (Digul River) family.
[Usher, Timothy]
North Digul River
''New Guinea World''.
Wilbrink (2004) notes limited similarity with the neighboring
Ok languages
The Ok languages are a family of about a dozen related Trans–New Guinea languages spoken in a contiguous area of eastern Irian Jaya and western Papua New Guinea. The most numerous language is Ngalum, with some 20,000 speakers; the best known i ...
, and does not classify Bayono–Awbono with Ok.
Pronouns
The pronouns demonstrate resemblances to the neighboring Ok and Greater Awyu languages, and the pronouns are consistent with Bayono-Awbono belonging to the Trans–New Guinea family:
:
References
Further reading
*Hischier, Phyllis (2006). ''Exploration of the Remote Kopayap and Urajin Areas in West Papua, Indonesia: A First Contact in Kopayap and Urajin''. Manuscript.
*Wilbrink, Ans (2004). ''The Kopkaka of Papua: Provisional notes on their language, its language affiliation and on the Kopkaka culture.'' MA thesis, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.
External links
* Timothy Usher, New Guinea World
Proto–Awbono–Bayono
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bayono-Awbono languages
Languages of western New Guinea
Central and South New Guinea languages
Becking–Dawi languages