View source for Social:Lower Sepik languages

{{Short description|Language family of Papua New Guinea}}
{{Infobox language family
|name=Lower Sepik
|altname='''Nor–Pondo'''
|region=East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea
|familycolor=Papuan
|family=a primary [[Social:Language family|language family]]
|glotto=lowe1423
|glottorefname=Lower Sepik
|child1=Nor
|child2=Pondo?
|map= Nor-pondo-languages.png
}}

The '''Lower Sepik''' a.k.a. '''Nor–Pondo''' languages are a small [[Social:Language family|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 [[Social:Sepik–Ramu languages|Sepik–Ramu]] family.

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

{{clade
|label1=&nbsp;Nor–Pondo&nbsp;
|1={{clade
  |label1='''&nbsp;Nor family'''&nbsp;
  |1={{clade
     |1=Murik (Nor)
     |2=Kopar
     }}
  |label2='''&nbsp;Pondo family'''&nbsp;
  |2={{clade
     |1=Chambri
     |2=Karawari (Tabriak), [[Social:Yimas language|Yimas]]
     |3=Angoram (Pondo)
     }}
}}
}}

Malcolm Ross (2005) broke up the Nor branch (and thus renamed the family ''Lower Sepik'') because Murik does not share the characteristic {{IPA|/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 [[Social:Ramu–Lower Sepik languages|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.<ref>[https://sites.google.com/site/newguineaworld/families/lower-sepik-river NewGuineaWorld - Lower Sepik River]</ref> Neither accept the connection to Ramu.

===Foley (2018) and Usher (2020)===
Foley (2018) and Usher (2020) agree on the following classification.<ref name="Foley-Sepik">{{cite book |last=Foley |first=William A. |editor1-last=Palmer |editor1-first=Bill |date=2018 |title=The Languages and Linguistics of the New Guinea Area: A Comprehensive Guide |chapter=The Languages of the Sepik-Ramu Basin and Environs |series= The World of Linguistics |volume=4 |location=Berlin |publisher=De Gruyter Mouton |pages=197–432 |isbn=978-3-11-028642-7}}</ref><ref>[https://sites.google.com/site/newguineaworld/families/lower-sepik-river Lower Sepik River], New Guinea World</ref>

;Lower Sepik family
*Kopar–Murik (Nor)
**Murik
**Kopar
*Angoram
*Chambri
*Karawari–Yimas 
**Karawari
**[[Social:Yimas language|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 [[Social:Yimas language|Yimas]]-Karawari, Lower Sepik languages typically have the following six-vowel system.<ref name="Foley-Sepik-Ramu"/>

:{| {{table}}
| i ||  || u
|-
| e || ə || o
|-
| a ||  || 
|}

[[Social:Yimas language|Yimas]]-Karawari has only four vowels.<ref name="Foley-Sepik-Ramu"/>

:{| {{table}}
| i || u
|-
| ə || 
|-
| a || 
|}

==Proto-language==<!---Proto-Lower Sepik redirects here--->
{{Infobox proto-language
| name             = Proto-Lower Sepik
| familycolor      = Papuan
| ancestor         = 
| child1 = 
| target          = Lower Sepik languages
}}

===Pronouns===
The pronouns reconstructed for the proto-language are,

;Proto–Lower Sepik (Ross)

:{| class=wikitable
|-
| '''I''' || ''*ama'' || '''we two''' || ''*ka-i, *ka-pia'' || '''we few''' || ''*(p)a-ŋk-i-t'' || '''we all''' || ''*a-i, *a-pia, *i-pi''
|-
| '''thou''' || ''*nɨmi'' || '''you two''' || ''*ka-u, *ka-pua'' || '''you few''' || ''*(p)a-ŋk-u-t'' || '''you all''' || ''*a-u, *a-pu, *i-pu(a)''
|-
| '''s/he''' || ''*mɨn'' || '''they two''' || ''*mɨnɨmp'' ? (M),<br>''*mpɨ'' ? (F) || '''they few''' || ''*mɨŋkɨ-t'' || '''they all''' || ''*mump'' (M),<br>''*pum'' (F)
|}

;Proto-Nor–Pondo (Foley)
:{| class=wikitable
|-
| '''I''' || ''*ama'' || '''we two''' || ''*ka-i, *ka-pa-i'' || '''we few''' || ''*(pa)ŋk-it'' || '''we all''' || ''*a-i, *a-pa-i, *(y)i-i, *(y)i-pa-i''
|-
| '''thou''' || ''*mi'' || '''you two''' || ''*ka-u, *ka-pa-u'' || '''you few''' || ''*(pa)ŋk-ut'' || '''you all''' || ''*a-u, *a-pa-u, *(y)i-u, *(y)i-pa-u''
|-
| '''s/he''' || ''*mən'' || '''they two''' || ? || '''they few''' || ''*mɨŋkɨ'' || '''they all''' || ''*mump'' ?
|}

===Lexicon===
A phonological reconstruction of proto-Lower Sepik has been proposed by Foley (2005).<ref name="Foley-Sepik-Ramu">{{cite book | last = Foley | first = William A. |  year = 2005 | chapter = Linguistic prehistory in the Sepik-Ramu basin | title = Papuan pasts: cultural, linguistic and biological histories of Papuan-speaking peoples | location = Canberra | publisher = Pacific Linguistics | isbn = 0858835622 | oclc = 67292782 | editor = Andrew Pawley |  editor2 = Robert Attenborough | editor3 = Robin Hide | editor4 = Jack Golson | pages = 109&ndash;144 }}</ref> Foley's (2005) lexical reconstructions are provided below.

;Proto-Lower Sepik reconstructions by Foley (2005)

:{| class="wikitable sortable"
! gloss !! proto-Lower Sepik !! [[Social:Yimas language|Yimas]] !! Karawi !! Chambri !! Angrm !! Murik !! Kopar
|-
| one || *mb(w)ia- || mpa- || mba- || mbwia- || mbia- || abe || mbatep
|-
| two || *ri-pa- || -rpal || ripay || -ri || -(lɨ)par || kobo || kombari
|-
| three || *-ram || -ramnaw || -rianmaw || -ram || -elɨm || keroŋgo || keremɨŋ
|-
| person || *nor || nar-maŋ || yarmasɨnar || noranan ||  || nor || nor
|-
| male || *pon || panmal || panmari ||  || pondo || puin || 
|-
| woman || *ŋay || ŋay || asay || kaye || nuŋor || ŋai || nana
|-
| water || *arɨm || arɨm || arɨm || arɨm || alɨm || arɨm || arɨm
|-
| fire || *awr || awt || awi || ayɨr || aluŋ || awr || awr
|-
| sun ||  || tɨmal || sɨmari || sɨnmari || mbwino || akɨn || akɨn
|-
| moon || *m(w)il ? || mɨla || tuŋkwi || mwɨl || mɨle || karewan || karep
|-
| star ||  || awak || suŋkwiɲcirim || suŋgwi || areɲjo || moai || kinaŋ
|-
| canoe || *kay || kay || kay || ke || ke || gain || kain
|-
| house ||  || nam || yam || kurɨr || nam || iran || indan
|-
| village || *num || num || imuŋka || num || num || nomot || numot
|-
| breast || *nɨŋgay || nɨŋay || ɲjay || nɨŋke || ŋge || niŋgen || niŋgin
|-
| tooth || *sisiŋk ? || tɨrɨŋ || sɨsɨŋ || sraŋk || sisiŋ || asarap || asirap
|-
| blood || *ya- || yat || yay || yari || ayakone || yaran || yuwaran
|-
| bone || *sariŋamp || tanɨm || tanɨm || anamp || salɨŋ || sariŋib̩ || sarekimp
|-
| tongue || *minɨŋ || mɨɲɨŋ || mumɨɲɨŋ || tɨbulaniŋk || mɨnɨŋ || menɨŋ || mimiŋ
|-
| eye || *tambri || tuŋkuruŋ || sampɨs || sɨsiŋk || tambli || nabrin || nambrin
|-
| nose ||  || tɨkay || ipun || wambusu || naŋɨm || daur || imbot
|-
| leg || *namuŋk || pamuŋ || pamuŋ || namaŋk || namuŋ ||  || namɨŋ
|-
| hair ||  || wapwi || wampi || yawi || mbwikmaley || dwar || ruar
|-
| ear || *kwand- || kwantumuŋ || kwandukas || kukunam || kwandum || karekep || kundot
|-
| egg || *awŋ || awŋ || yawŋ || awŋk || awŋ || gaug || awŋ
|-
| leaf || *nɨmpramp || nɨmprɨm || yimprɨm || nɨmpramp || namblum || nabirɨk || nɨmbiraŋ
|-
| yesterday / tomorrow || *ŋarɨŋ || ŋarɨŋ || arɨŋ || namasɨnɨŋ || nakɨmɨn || ŋarɨŋ || rari
|-
| oar || *(mɨ)naŋ || muraŋ || mɨnaŋ || naŋk || inap || inaŋ || naŋ
|-
| betelnut || *poruŋ || patn || payn || muntɨkɨn || parɨŋ || porog || puruŋ
|-
| lime || *awi(r) || awi || as || ayɨr || awer || air || air
|-
| pig || *numpran || numpran || impian || numpran || imbar || nɨmbren || nɨmbren
|-
| crocodile ||  || manpa || manpo || ayi || walami || oramen || uri
|-
| snake || *wakɨn || wakɨn || wakɨn || wan || paruŋ || wakɨn || ikun
|-
| mosquito || *naŋgun || naŋkun || yaŋkun || naŋgun || wawarɨn || nauk || nangɨt
|-
| ground || *andi || anti || anti || nɨŋkrump || andi || agin || andin
|-
| feces || *mɨndi || mɨlɨm || mɨnti || muɲjar || mɨndi || mɨndɨn || mɨndɨ
|-
| hear || *and- || andɨ || andu || andɨ || andɨ || dɨn || nda
|-
| hit || *di || tupul || kurar || dɨɨ || ti || di || nɨŋ
|-
| eat || *am(b) || am(b) || am(b) || am(b) || am(b) || mɨn || ma
|-
| go || *wa || wa || kuria || kal || wa || on || wa
|-
| come || *ya || ya || kurapia || ya || ya || ya || ya
|-
| sit || *sa || tay || sa || nda ||  || sa || nda
|-
| big || *kupa || kɨpa || kupa || wupa || kupa || apo || kapu
|-
| cold || *sarV- || tarɨk || sarɨk || saruk || popant ||  || sarapakin
|}

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

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*[http://transnewguinea.org/language/proto-lower-sepik Proto-Lower-Sepik]. ''TransNewGuinea.org''. From (1) Foley, W.A. 1986. The Papuan languages of New Guinea, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ; (2) Foley, W.A. 1986. The Papuan languages of New Guinea, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
*Abbott, S. "[http://dx.doi.org/10.15144/PL-A63.313 Nor-Pondo lexicostatistical survey]". In Adams, K., Lauck, L., Miedema, J., Welling, F., Stokhof, W., Flassy, D., Oguri, H., Collier, K., Gregerson, K., Phinnemore, T., Scorza, D., Davies, J., Comrie, B. and Abbott, S. editors, ''Papers in New Guinea Linguistics'' No. 22. A-63:313-338. Pacific Linguistics, The Australian National University, 1985. {{doi|10.15144/PL-A63.313}}

==References==
*{{Malcolm Ross Pronouns}}

{{language families}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lower Sepik languages}}
[[Category:Language families]]

{{Sourceattribution|Lower Sepik languages}}