Yamben language

Yamben
Yaben
RegionYambarik village, Sumgilbar Rural LLG, Madang Province, Papua New Guinea
Language codes
ISO 639-3(ynb is proposed[2])
Glottologyamb1257

Yamben (Yaben) is a Trans–New Guinea language of Madang Province, Papua New Guinea. It was first documented by Andrew Pick in the 2010s and classified by Pick (2019) as a probable primary branch of Madang, though its precise classification is still pending further research.[1] Although surrounded by Croisilles languages, Yamben is not one of them.

Yamben (Yaben) was not previously noticed by other scholars due to confusion with the nearby language of the same name.[1]

Yamben is spoken in the single village of Yambarik (4°46′16″S 145°34′12″E / 4.771029°S 145.570102°E / -4.771029; 145.570102 (Yambrik)) in Imbab ward, Sumgilbar Rural LLG, and is reachable via a few hours' hike into the Adelbert Mountains from Tokain village.[3][4]

Phonology

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Unlike other languages belonging to the Madang branch, Yamben has a palatal nasal consonant (/ɲ/) and a labiovelar consonant series.[1]

Basic vocabulary

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Basic vocabulary in Yamben and nearby Croisilles languages:[1]

gloss Yamben Yaben Manep Gabak Barem
man dambu munanu munu mur mamunden
name buɲim uɲim(u) unim vin unim
fire aŋgaji muta andup akut munduv
tree aŋgan namu mundu ŋam wam
louse aŋgun gunu gunu igun gun
bird akiem malʌgwanu nambe liweŋ munuŋgan
house mʷan muɲi amun kaven amun
tooth ananji nʌna nanaŋ anek nanaŋ
head kumu tazi kumu daut sa
eye mambudum magiɲo musaŋ mek muaŋ

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Pick, Andrew (2019). "Yamben: A previously undocumented language of Madang" (PDF). 5th Workshop on the Languages of Papua. Universitas Negeri Papua, Manokwari, West Papua, Indonesia.
  2. ^ "2023-006". SIL International. 31 January 2024. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  3. ^ United Nations in Papua New Guinea (2018). "Papua New Guinea Village Coordinates Lookup". Humanitarian Data Exchange. 1.31.9.
  4. ^ Pick, Andrew (2019). "Gildipasi language project: tumbuna stories and tumbuna knowledge". Endangered Languages Archive at SOAS, University of London.