Torricelli languages

Torricelli languages
Torricelli languages
Geographic
distribution:
New Guinea
Linguistic classification: a primary family of Papuan languages
Subdivisions:
Maimai
West Wapei
Monumbo
Marienberg
Wapei
Palei

The Torricelli languages are a language family of about fifty languages of the northern Papua New Guinea coast, spoken by only about 80,000 people. Named after Torricelli Mountains. The most populous and best known Torricelli languages are the Arapesh, with about 30,000 speakers.

The most promising external relationship for the Torricelli family is the Sepik languages. In reconstructions of both families, the pronouns have a plural suffix *-m and a dual suffix *-p.

The Torricelli languages occupy three geographically separated areas, evidently separated by migrations of Sepik-language speakers several centuries ago.

Contents

Classification

Wilhelm Schmidt linked the Wapei and Monumbo branches, and the coastal western and eastern extremes of the family, in 1905. The family was more fully established by David Laycock in 1965. Most recently, Ross broke up Laycock and Z’graggen's (1975) Kombio branch, placing the Kombio language in the Palei branch and leaving Wom as on its own, with the other languages (Eitiep, Torricelli (Lou), Yambes, Aruek) unclassified due to lack of data.

  • Wom
  • Arapesh languages (see)
  • Maimai branch: Nambi (Nabi), Wiaki (Minidien), Siliput, Yahang, Heyo, Beli
  • West Wapei branch: Seti, Seta, One (a dialect cluster)
  • Monumbo branch: Monumbo, Lilau
  • Marienberg branch: Bungain, Wiarumus (Mandi), Muniwara (Juwal), Urimo, Kamasau, Elepi, Buna
  • Wapei branch: Gnau, Yis, Yau, Olo, Elkei, Au, Yil, Dia (Alu), Ningil, Sinagen (Galu), Yapunda, Valman
  • Palei branch: Urim, Urat, Kombio, Agi, Aruop, Wanap (Kayik), Amol (Alatil, Aru), Aiku (Ambrak, Yangum)

Typological overview

The Torricelli languages are unusual among Papuan languages in having a basic clause order of SVO (subject–verb–object). (In contrast, most Papuan languages have SOV order.) It was previously believed that the Torricelli word order was a result of contact with Austronesian languages, but it is now thought more likely that SVO order was present in the Torricelli proto-language (Donohue 2005).

Pronouns

The pronouns Ross reconstructs for proto-Torricelli are,

I *ki we two *ku-p we *ku-m, *əpə
thou *yi, *ti you two *ki-p you *ki-m, *ipa
he *ətə-n, *ni they two (M) *ma-k they (M) *ətə-m, *ma, *apa-
she *ətə-k, *ku they two (F) *kwa-k they (F) *ətə-l

See also

References

  • Donohue, Mark (2005). "Word order in New Guinea: dispelling a myth." Oceanic Linguistics 44: 527-536.
  • Ross, Malcolm (2005). "Pronouns as a preliminary diagnostic for grouping Papuan languages." In: Andrew Pawley, Robert Attenborough, Robin Hide and Jack Golson, eds, Papuan pasts: cultural, linguistic and biological histories of Papuan-speaking peoples, 15-66. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Torricelli — may refer to:People* Evangelista Torricelli, an Italian physicist * Robert Torricelli, a former United States politician * Moreno Torricelli, a former Italian football player * Giuseppe Antonio Torricelli, an Italian sculptorOther* Torricelli… …   Wikipedia

  • Papuan languages — The distribution of the Papuan languages, in red. Tan is Austronesian, and grey the historical range of Australian. The Papuan languages are those languages of the western Pacific which are neither Austronesian nor Australian. The term does not… …   Wikipedia

  • Sepik languages — Infobox Language family name=Sepik region=New Guinea familycolor=Papuan family=a primary family of Papuan languages child1=Walio child2=Biksi child3=Upper Sepik child4=Ram child5=Tama child6=Yellow River child7=Middle Sepik child8=Sepik HillThe… …   Wikipedia

  • Arapesh languages — Infobox Language family name=Arapesh region=Papua New Guinea familycolor=Papuan fam1=Torricelli child1=Bukiyip child2=Bumbita child3=MufianThe Arapesh languages are several closely related Torricelli languages of the 32,000 Arapesh people of… …   Wikipedia

  • Senagi languages — Infobox Language family name=Senagi region=New Guinea familycolor=Papuan family=a possible primary family of Papuan languagesThe Senagi languages are a small independent family of Papuan languages in the classification of Malcolm Ross, that had… …   Wikipedia

  • Papuan languages — Group of about 750 languages spoken by indigenous peoples of New Guinea and parts of some neighbouring islands, including Alor, Bougainville, Halmahera, New Britain, New Ireland, and Timor. Spoken by perhaps five million people, Papuan languages… …   Universalium

  • Langues torricelli — Les langues torricelli sont une famille de langues papoues parlées en Papouasie Nouvelle Guinée, dans les montagnes Torricelli, et dans la région du fleuve Sepik[1]. Sommaire 1 Classification 2 Liste des langues …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Dravidian languages — For other uses, see Dravidian (disambiguation). Dravidian Geographic distribution: South Asia Linguistic classification: Dravidian Proto language: Proto Dravidian Subdivisions: Northern Cen …   Wikipedia

  • Indo-European languages — Indo European redirects here. For other uses, see Indo European (disambiguation). See also: List of Indo European languages Indo European Geographic distribution: Before the 16th century, Europe, and South, Central and Southwest Asia; today… …   Wikipedia

  • Sino-Tibetan languages — Sino Tibetan Geographic distribution: East Asia Linguistic classification: One of the world s major language families. Subdivisions: Sinitic Tibeto Burman ISO 639 …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”