Marienberg languages

Marienberg
Marienberg Hills
Geographic
distribution
Marienberg Hills, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea
Linguistic classificationTorricelli
  • Sepik Coast
    • Tayap–Marienberg
      • Marienberg
Language codes
Glottologmari1433
The Torricelli languages as classified by Foley (2018)

The Marienberg or Marienberg Hills languages are a branch of the Torricelli language family. They are spoken in a mountainous stretch of region located between the towns of Wewak and Angoram in the Marienberg Hills of East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea.

Kamasau is the best documented Marienberg language.[1]

Typology

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Marienberg languages distinguish masculine and feminine genders, with feminine being the default unmarked gender.[1]

Unlike all other Torricelli branches except for the Monumbo languages, word order in the Bogia languages is SOV, likely due to contact with Lower Sepik-Ramu and Sepik languages.[1]: 298 

Languages

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Foley (2018) provides the following classification, based primarily on morphological evidence.[1]

There is also Forok, labeled as a variety of Bungain in survey vocabularies.

Pronouns

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Pronouns in selected Marienberg Hill languages:[1]: 304 

pronoun Muniwara Bungain Buna
1SG ŋa ŋan ŋa
2SG nu nu no
3M.SG na neŋ den
3M.SG wo veŋ gwen
1PL ŋam ŋaŋ ŋam
2PL num nuŋ nom
3M.PL ma meŋ bon
3F.PL kwo ceŋ en

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e 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.
  • 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.