Lower Sepik languages
# Lower Sepik languages

The Lower Sepik a.k.a. Nor–Pondo languages are a small language family of East Sepik Province in northern Papua New Guinea. They were identified as a family by K Laumann in 1951 under the name Nor–Pondo, and included in Donald Laycock's now-defunct 1973 Sepik–Ramu family.

## Classification

The original conception of the family, under the name Nor–Pondo, is as follows:

Malcolm Ross (2005) broke up the Nor branch (and thus renamed the family Lower Sepik) because Murik does not share the characteristic /p/s of the first- and second-person pronouns of Kopar and the Pondo languages, so the latter may form a group: Murik vs Kopar–Pondo. Ross classified Lower Sepik as one branch of a Ramu–Lower Sepik language family.

Foley (2005) tentatively proposes that Chambri and Angoram may be primary branches: Nor, Chambari, Karawari–Yimas, Angoram. Usher, following Foley, keeps Nor together and breaks up Pondo. Neither accept the connection to Ramu.

### Foley (2018) and Usher (2020)

Foley (2018) and Usher (2020) agree on the following classification.

**Lower Sepik family**

* Kopar–Murik (Nor)
   * Murik
   * Kopar
* Angoram
* Chambri
* Karawari–Yimas
   * Karawari
   * Yimas

Foley notes that Angoram appears to be closer to Murik–Kopar, and Chambri to Karawari–Yimas, but Foley (2018: 213) leaves them as separate branches pending further evidence.

## Phonology

Except for Yimas-Karawari, Lower Sepik languages typically have the following six-vowel system.

    iu eəo a

Yimas-Karawari has only four vowels.

    iu ə a

## Proto-language

### Pronouns

The pronouns reconstructed for the proto-language are,

**Proto–Lower Sepik (Ross)**


    I*amawe two*ka-i, *ka-piawe few*(p)a-ŋk-i-twe all*a-i, *a-pia, *i-pi thou*nɨmiyou two*ka-u, *ka-puayou few*(p)a-ŋk-u-tyou all*a-u, *a-pu, *i-pu(a) s/he*mɨnthey two*mɨnɨmp ? (M), *mpɨ ? (F)they few*mɨŋkɨ-tthey all*mump (M), *pum (F)

**Proto-Nor–Pondo (Foley)**


    I*amawe two*ka-i, *ka-pa-iwe few*(pa)ŋk-itwe all*a-i, *a-pa-i, *(y)i-i, *(y)i-pa-i thou*miyou two*ka-u, *ka-pa-uyou few*(pa)ŋk-utyou all*a-u, *a-pa-u, *(y)i-u, *(y)i-pa-u s/he*mənthey two ?they few*mɨŋkɨthey all*mump ?

### Lexicon

A phonological reconstruction of proto-Lower Sepik has been proposed by Foley (2005). Foley's (2005) lexical reconstructions are provided below.

**Proto-Lower Sepik reconstructions by Foley (2005)**


    glossproto-Lower SepikYimasKarawiChambriAngrmMurikKopar one*mb(w)ia-mpa-mba-mbwia-mbia-abembatep two*ri-pa--rpalripay-ri-(lɨ)parkobokombari three*-ram-ramnaw-rianmaw-ram-elɨmkeroŋgokeremɨŋ person*nornar-maŋyarmasɨnarnoranannornor male*ponpanmalpanmaripondopuin woman*ŋayŋayasaykayenuŋorŋainana water*arɨmarɨmarɨmarɨmalɨmarɨmarɨm fire*awrawtawiayɨraluŋawrawr suntɨmalsɨmarisɨnmarimbwinoakɨnakɨn moon*m(w)il ?mɨlatuŋkwimwɨlmɨlekarewankarep starawaksuŋkwiɲcirimsuŋgwiareɲjomoaikinaŋ canoe*kaykaykaykekegainkain housenamyamkurɨrnamiranindan village*numnumimuŋkanumnumnomotnumot breast*nɨŋgaynɨŋayɲjaynɨŋkeŋgeniŋgenniŋgin tooth*sisiŋk ?tɨrɨŋsɨsɨŋsraŋksisiŋasarapasirap blood*ya-yatyayyariayakoneyaranyuwaran bone*sariŋamptanɨmtanɨmanampsalɨŋsariŋib̩sarekimp tongue*minɨŋmɨɲɨŋmumɨɲɨŋtɨbulaniŋkmɨnɨŋmenɨŋmimiŋ eye*tambrituŋkuruŋsampɨssɨsiŋktamblinabrinnambrin nosetɨkayipunwambusunaŋɨmdaurimbot leg*namuŋkpamuŋpamuŋnamaŋknamuŋnamɨŋ hairwapwiwampiyawimbwikmaleydwarruar ear*kwand-kwantumuŋkwandukaskukunamkwandumkarekepkundot egg*awŋawŋyawŋawŋkawŋgaugawŋ leaf*nɨmprampnɨmprɨmyimprɨmnɨmprampnamblumnabirɨknɨmbiraŋ yesterday / tomorrow*ŋarɨŋŋarɨŋarɨŋnamasɨnɨŋnakɨmɨnŋarɨŋrari oar*(mɨ)naŋmuraŋmɨnaŋnaŋkinapinaŋnaŋ betelnut*poruŋpatnpaynmuntɨkɨnparɨŋporogpuruŋ lime*awi(r)awiasayɨrawerairair pig*numprannumpranimpiannumpranimbarnɨmbrennɨmbren crocodilemanpamanpoayiwalamioramenuri snake*wakɨnwakɨnwakɨnwanparuŋwakɨnikun mosquito*naŋgunnaŋkunyaŋkunnaŋgunwawarɨnnauknangɨt ground*andiantiantinɨŋkrumpandiaginandin feces*mɨndimɨlɨmmɨntimuɲjarmɨndimɨndɨnmɨndɨ hear*and-andɨanduandɨandɨdɨnnda hit*ditupulkurardɨɨtidinɨŋ eat*am(b)am(b)am(b)am(b)am(b)mɨnma go*wawakuriakalwaonwa come*yayakurapiayayayaya sit*sataysandasanda big*kupakɨpakupawupakupaapokapu cold*sarV-tarɨksarɨksarukpopantsarapakin

For comparisons with the language isolate Tayap, see Tayap language#Classification.

## Footnotes

* ↑ NewGuineaWorld - Lower Sepik River
* ↑ Foley, William A. (2018). "The Languages of the Sepik-Ramu Basin and Environs". 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. 197–432. ISBN 978-3-11-028642-7.
* ↑ Lower Sepik River, New Guinea World
* 1 2 3 Foley, William A. (2005). "Linguistic prehistory in the Sepik-Ramu basin". 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. 109–144. ISBN 0858835622. OCLC 67292782.
