The Chimbu–Wahgi languages are a language family of New Guinea. They are sometimes included in the Trans–New Guinea proposal; Usher links them with the Engan languages in a Central New Guinea Highlands family.

Languages

There is little doubt that the Chimbu–Wahgi family is valid. The languages are:

Chimbu–Wahgi family

Chimbu (Simbu) branch

• Kuman (Chimbu)

• Chuave

• Nomane

• Golin–Dom

• Salt-Yui

• Sinasina

Western Highlands

Jimi River

• Maring

• Narak–Kandawo

Wahgi Valley

• Nii

• Wahgi

• North Wahgi (= Yu We?)

Mount Hagen

• Melpa (Medlpa)

Kaugel River

• Imbo Ungu

• Umbu-Ungu

• Mbo-Ung (Bo-Ung)

Phonology

Several of the Chimbu–Wahgi languages, such as Nii, Wahgi, and Kuman, have uncommon lateral consonants.

Chimbu–Wahgi languages have contrastive tone.

Pronouns

The singular pronouns are:

1. {|

! !!sg |- !1 |*ná |- !2 |*nim |- !3 |*[y]é |}

Dual *-l and plural *-n reflect Trans–New Guinea forms.

Evolution

Middle Wahgi reflexes of proto-Trans-New Guinea (pTNG) etyma:

• ama ‘mother’ < *am(a,i)

• amu ‘breast’ < *amu

• numan ‘louse’ < *niman

• numan ‘thought, mind, will’ < *n(o,u)

• man, muŋ ‘fruit, nut, lump’

• muŋgum ‘kidney’ < *maŋgV ‘round object’

• mundmuŋ ‘heart’ < *mundun-maŋgV

• mokum, mokem ‘knuckle, joint’ < *mo(k,ŋg)Vm ‘joint’

• mundun mo- ‘be pot bellied’ < *mundun ‘internal organs, belly’

• ŋaŋ ‘small male child’ < *ŋaŋ[a] ‘baby’

• apa- ‘maternal uncle’ < *apa ‘father’

• embe(m) ‘name’ < *imbi ‘name’

• muk ‘blue’ < *muk

• tuk- ‘chop’ < *tVk- ‘cut, cut off’

• no- ‘eat’ < *na-

• mek si- ‘to vomit’

• mek ‘vomitus’ < *makV[C] + t(e,i)- ‘to vomit’

References

Further reading

• Ross, Malcolm. 2014. Proto-Chimbu-Wahgi. TransNewGuinea.org.

External links

• Kaipuleohone archive of Chimbu-Wahgi language recordings