A First Look at The Pahoturi River Family

A first look at the Pahoturi River Family
Kate L. Lindsey (Stanford) South Fly, Papua New Guinea

PAHOTURI RIVER LANGUAGE FAMILY: KAWAM, AGOB, TAEME, IDI, ENDE
Pahoturi River language knowledge pre-2011

● handful of pronoun
lists from the early
1900s
● 2 ethnologue codes
(kit and idi)
Pahoturi River language knowledge pre-2015

● handful of pronoun lists from the early 1900s
● 2 ethnologue codes (kit and idi)
● Pahoturi River language (Idi) is 2011 LSA summer
institute's field methods topic
● Volker Gast and Dineke Schokkin's (ANU) work on Idi
○ Highlights: verb morphology, vowel harmony, case.
● Philip Tama's (ANU) work on Taeme
○ few word lists and verb elicitations
Lessons learned in 2015 pilot trip

● There are five Pahoturi River languages not four.
● All five languages have very complex verb morphology.
● Besides early work based on pronouns, no information
available on family-wide characteristics or internal
structure.
● Two language surveys
○ Pahoturi River family survey (2015)
○ YamFinder database (2016)
Pahoturi River family survey (2015)

● 10 Pahoturi River speakers
● 125 lexical/grammatical questions
● Metalinguistic information
about language family and contact
YamFinder database survey (2016)

● 125 lexical/grammatical questions
● Metalinguistic information
about language family and contact
● 338 lexical items
Results
● Map of Pahoturi River languages
● Pahoturi River (PR) internal structure
○ PR phoneme inventory
○ PR pronominal system
○ PR lexicon
● Pahoturi River case marking
● Pahoturi River second-person-quirk
Map
Phoneme inventory - consonants

bilabial coronal retroflex palatal velar
stops */p/
affricates
nasals
fricatives
glides
liquids

stops */p/
affricates
English Agob Ende Kawam Idi Taeme
nasals
fricatives
thick pukoŋ puke pukepuke puki pukuŋ
glides
wet kəpət kopət kopot kəpət kəpət
liquids
heart tikop tikop tikop tikəp tikəp

stops */p/ */b/
affricates
nasals
fricatives
glides
liquids

stops */p/ */b/ */t/ */d/ */k/ */g/
affricates
nasals
fricatives
glides
liquids

stops */p/ */b/ */t/ */d/ */k/ */g/
affricates */ʈ͡ʂ/ */ɖ͡ʐ/

nasals
fricatives
glides
liquids

stops */p/ */b/ */t/ */d/ */k/ */g/

nasals */m/ */n/ */ɲ/ */ŋ/
fricatives
glides
liquids

stops */p/ */b/ */t/ */d/ */k/ */g/

nasals */m/ */n/ */ɲ/ */ŋ/
fricatives */s/
glides
liquids

stops */p/ */b/ */t/ */d/ */k/ */g/

nasals */m/ */n/ */ɲ/ */ŋ/
fricatives */s/
glides */w/ */j/
liquids

stops */p/ */b/ */t/ */d/ */k/ */g/

nasals */m/ */n/ */ɲ/ */ŋ/
fricatives */s/
glides */w/ */j/
liquids */l/ */ɹ/~/r/ */ɽ/~/r/~/l/ */l/~/ɹ/~/ʎ/
Liquids - word initial

Ende Agob Kawam Taeme Idi
blunt ɽəŋmɛɲ luŋmɪɲ ruŋmɪn lɪŋmɛɲ lɪŋgmənd
ear ɽɑn lɑn rɑn lɑn lɑnɖ͡ʐ
copulate liglig luglig liglig lɛlɛg ʎəʎəg
man ɽɑ ɹɑbo rɑ lɑ lɑ
tree ɽo ɽo ro lu lu
claw ɽɨpɨt ɹuput ruput ləpət ləbi
/ɽ/ /l/, /ɹ/ /r/ /l/ /l/

/l/ /l/ /l/ /l/ /ʎ/
Liquids - word medial

straight ͡ ʈʂəʈ͡ʂle ͡ ʈʂoʈ͡ʂle ͡ ʈʂəʈ͡ʂəlɑ͡i ͡ ʈʂəʈ͡ʂli ͡ ʈʂəʈ͡ʂli
white pəɽəmpəɽəm poləmpoləm poromporom pələmpələm pələmpələm
leg ͡ ʈʂəle ͡ ʈʂule ͡ ʈʂule ͡ ʈʂəli ͡ ʈʂəli
woman məɽɑ moɹɑ mərɑ məlɑ məlɑ
jew's harp dɑɹombe dɑɹombe dɑrombe dɑrombi dɑɹombe
/ɽ/ /l/, /ɹ/ /r/ /l/ /l/

/l/ /l/ /l/ /l/ /l/
/ɹ/ /ɹ/ /r/ /r/ /ɹ/
Liquids - word final

bad gɑgəɽ gægol gɑrgɛr gogəl gwɪgəl
new sisoɹ sisoɹ sisor sisɪr sisɪɹ
bow bəgəl bogol bəgol bəgəʎ bəgəʎ
dig kəɽkəɽ kuɹkuɹ kurkur kəlkəl kwəl
jew's harp dɑɹombe dɑɹombe dɑrombe dɑɹombi dɑɹombe
/ɽ/ /l/, /ɹ/ /r/ /l/ /l/

/l/ /l/ /l/ /ʎ/ /ʎ/
/ɹ/ /ɹ/ /r/ /r/ /ɹ/
Liquids - summary
Agob Ende Kawam Idi Taeme
Initial 1/2. /l/, /ɹ/ 1. /ɽ/ 1. /r/ 1. /l/ 1. /l/
/l/ 2. /l/ 2. /l/ 2. /ʎ/ /l/
Medial /l/, /ɹ/ /ɽ/ /r/ /l/ /l/

/l/ /l/ /l/ /l/ /l/
/ɹ/ 3. /ɹ/ /r/ 3. /ɹ/ 2. /r/
Final /l/, /ɹ/ /ɽ/ /r/ /l/ /l/

/l/ /l/ /l/ /ʎ/ 3. /ʎ/
/ɹ/ /ɹ/ /r/ /ɹ/ /r/

stops */p/ */b/ */t/ */d/ */k/ */g/

nasals */m/ */n/ */ɲ/ */ŋ/
fricatives */s/
glides */w/ */j/
liquids */l/ */ɹ/ */r/ */ɽ/ */ʎ/

stops */p/ */b/ */t/ */d/ */k/ */g/ */kw/
affricates
English Agob Ende Kawam Idi Taeme
*/ʈ͡ʂ/ */ɖ͡ʐ/
nasals moon
*/m/ kwɑk
*/n/ kok kok */ɲ/ kwɑk kwɑk
*/ŋ/
fricatives */s/
glides */w/ */j/
liquids */l/ */ɹ/ */r/ */ɽ/ */ʎ/

stops */p/ */b/ */t/ */d/ */k/ */g/ */kw/

nasals */m/ */n/ */ɲ/ */ŋ/
fricatives */s/
glides */w/ */j/
liquids */l/ */ɹ/ */r/ */ɽ/ */ʎ/

stops */p/ */b/ */t/ */d/ */k/ */g/ */kw/

nasals */m/ */n/ */ɲ/ */ŋ/
fricatives */s/ */z/~/d͡ʒ/
glides English
*/w/ Agob Ende Kawam
*/j/ Idi Taeme
liquids enter zɑn
*/l/ */ɹ/~/r/ ɑd*/ɽ/~/r/~/l/
͡ ʒən d͡ʒæn
*/l/~/ɹ/~/ʎ/ɑzən ɑzən
Phoneme inventory - summary

● Overwhelming similarity
● Where the languages differ
○ Ende and Kawam pair together
○ Taeme and Idi pair together
○ Agob variably matches Ende/Kawam and Taeme/Idi
Pronouns - nominative (with Dineke Schokkin)

[] =Chalmers 1903 (Book of Mark)
1SG ŋəna [ngana] ngäna (ŋəna) ngɨna ngn (ŋən) ngén (ŋən)
2SG boŋo [bea] bongo (boŋo) bɨngo bä (bæ) bä (bæ)
3SG bogo [bo] bogo bo bo bo
1NSG EXCL ŋəmi [ba] ngämi (ŋəmi) bi ngémi (ŋəmi)
1NSG INCL umi [yibi] ibi ibi ybi (jəbi) yébi (jəbi)
2NSG bibi bibi bibi bä (bæ) bä (bæ)
3NSG ubi [bo] ubi ubi bo/ubi bo/wébi (wəbi)

Pronouns - accusative
1SG ŋənam ngänäm bom ngénem (ŋənem)
2SG bæm bam bäm babom babom
3SG obom obom (o)bɨm obom obom ~ wobom
1NSG EXCL ngämim ngɨmim bim ngémim (ŋəmim)
1NSG INCL ibim ibim ybim ybim
2NSG bibim bibim bibim bibim
3NSG ubim ubim ubim ubim/wbim wébim (wəbim)

Pronouns - possessive
1SG ŋomo [mbo] ngämo ngɨmo bo/bænæ ŋmo
2SG bəne [bena] bäne bɨne bnæ bna
3SG [wobo] obo bo ~ abo ~ ɨbo obo/obænæ obo ~ wobo
1NSG EXCL ngäma ba ŋma
1NSG INCL [ba] iba iba yba yba
2NSG [benae] bina bina bna bna
3NSG [oba] oba oba oba oba ~ woba

Pronouns - benefactive
1SG ŋomle ~ ŋomre ŋəmɽe blæ
2SG bəre babɽe bäbɨre bæblæ
3SG obɽe obɨre oblæ
1NSG EXCL ŋəmiɹa bli
1NSG INCL ibɹa ibɨre ybli
2NSG bibɹa bibli
3NSG ubiɹa ubira ubli

Pronouns
Summary
Pronouns
● 15 comparable pronouns
● Ende/Kawam pair together
● Ende/Agob and Tame/Idi pair together
● Agob/Kawam pair together
Lexicon
Methodology
● Yamfinder
● 338 words
● 285 compar-
able words
● 10 speakers
● Limol village
Lexicon YF# English Agob Ende Kawam Idi Taeme
31 inside ik me ik me ik me gəp me gəp me
78 urine suwe suwe suwe si si
91 arrowhead (bullet) dompɑ dompɑ dompɑ dopɑ͡i dopɑ͡i
134 come wiɑ wiɑ wiɑ ɑbe ɑbe
254 flower popo popo ro popo mi mi
25 sweat (v) omomol memɹɑm memɹɑm ͡ ʈʂəʈ͡ʂəm ͡ ʈʂəʈ͡ʂəm
319 night kut iɖ͡ʐob iɖ͡ʐob kwɪt kwɪt

Lexicon - summary
Kawam 85% Ende 72% Ende 85% Idi 84% Taeme 84%
Agob 72% Kawam 66% Agob 66% Ende 71% Ende 61%
Taeme 71% Taeme 60% Taeme 63% Kawam 63% Agob 56%
Idi 61% Idi 56% Idi 54% Agob 60% Kawam 54%
Case
Pronoun (S)
Pronoun (A)
Pronoun (O) -m -m -(u)m -m -m
Noun (S) de (d)a da (d)a a
Noun (A) da (d)a da (d)a a
Noun (O) de ~ (d)a de (d)a e

Verbal morphology - second person quirk
Simplified verbal structure

object object/subject tense/subject
root/
tense agreement agreement agreement
aspect
(dual vs. ndl) (plural vs. npl) (singular vs. nsg)

1>2 1>3 2>1 2>3 3>1 3>2 3>3
Remote sg A d-√- d-√- d-√- d-√- d-√-ən d-√-ən d-√-ən

past
nsg A d-√-eya d-√-eya d-√-eya d-√-eya d-√-eyo d-√-eyo d-√-eyo
Recent
sg A
past
nsg A
Future
sg A
nsg A

1>2 1>3 2>1 2>3 3>1 3>2 3>3

past
Recent
sg A n-√-an n-√-an n-√-alle n-√-alle n-√-an n-√-an n-√-an
past
nsg A n-√-alla n-√-alla n-√-alla n-√-alla n-√-allo n-√-allo n-√-allo
Future
sg A
nsg A

1>2 1>3 2>1 2>3 3>1 3>2 3>3

past
Recent
past
Future
sg A b-√- b-√- n-√- n-√- b-√-ən n-√-ən b-√-ən
nsg A b-√-eya b-√-eya n-√-eyo n-√-eyo b-√-eyo n-√-eyo b-√-eyo


1>2 1>3 2>1 2>3 3>1 3>2 3>3

past
Recent
past
Future
sg A b-√- b-√- n-√- n-√- b-√-ən n-√-ən b-√-ən
nsg A b-√-eya b-√-eya n-√-eyo n-√-eyo b-√-eyo n-√-eyo b-√-eyo

Summary
● Phoneme inventory, pronouns, and lexicon indicate an
internal structure, in which Ende, Kawam, and Agob are
grouped closer than Idi and Taeme.
● In all aspects, Idi and Agob stand out as "odd-balls" in
the family.
● Pahoturi River verbal morphology is distinctly South Fly
Big thank you to:
● Pahoturi River speakers for sharing

your languages
● Pahoturi River linguists, especially
Dineke Schokkin, for sharing your data
● South Fly linguists, especially Nick
Evans and Matt Carroll for sharing
your knowledge and resources
● All of you for sharing your time and
attention
Pahoturi River family members

Agob Ende Kawam Taeme Idi
Ethnologue code kit kit kit idi idi
Speakers 1440 540 460 800 780
Spoken in Eight villages: Three villages: One village: Four villages: Three villages:
Kibuli, Kurunti, Limol, Malam, Wim. Kinkin, Dimsisi (428),
Sebe, Ngawo, and Kinkin. Kondoboll, Bok, Dimiri (217), and
Berr, Buzi, and Kwiwang. Sibidiri (134).
Wamorong, and
Sigabaduru.
Current Lindsey notes Book of Mark Tama notes Schokkin notes,

resources Book of Mark Gast notes,
2011 LSA notes

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A first look at the Pahoturi River Family

Kate L. Lindsey (Stanford) South Fly, Papua New Guinea

Pahoturi River language knowledge pre-2011

Pahoturi River language knowledge pre-2015

Lessons learned in 2015 pilot trip

Pahoturi River family survey (2015)

YamFinder database survey (2016)

Phoneme inventory - consonants

Phoneme inventory - consonants

Phoneme inventory - consonants

stops */p/ */b/

Phoneme inventory - consonants

stops */p/ */b/ */t/ */d/ */k/ */g/

Phoneme inventory - consonants

stops */p/ */b/ */t/ */d/ */k/ */g/

affricates */ʈ͡ʂ/ */ɖ͡ʐ/

Phoneme inventory - consonants

stops */p/ */b/ */t/ */d/ */k/ */g/

affricates */ʈ͡ʂ/ */ɖ͡ʐ/

Phoneme inventory - consonants

stops */p/ */b/ */t/ */d/ */k/ */g/

affricates */ʈ͡ʂ/ */ɖ͡ʐ/

Phoneme inventory - consonants

stops */p/ */b/ */t/ */d/ */k/ */g/

affricates */ʈ͡ʂ/ */ɖ͡ʐ/

Phoneme inventory - consonants

stops */p/ */b/ */t/ */d/ */k/ */g/

affricates */ʈ͡ʂ/ */ɖ͡ʐ/

Liquids - word initial

blunt ɽəŋmɛɲ luŋmɪɲ ruŋmɪn lɪŋmɛɲ lɪŋgmənd

ear ɽɑn lɑn rɑn lɑn lɑnɖ͡ʐ

copulate liglig luglig liglig lɛlɛg ʎəʎəg

claw ɽɨpɨt ɹuput ruput ləpət ləbi

/ɽ/ /l/, /ɹ/ /r/ /l/ /l/

Liquids - word medial

straight ͡ ʈʂəʈ͡ʂle ͡ ʈʂoʈ͡ʂle ͡ ʈʂəʈ͡ʂəlɑ͡i ͡ ʈʂəʈ͡ʂli ͡ ʈʂəʈ͡ʂli

white pəɽəmpəɽəm poləmpoləm poromporom pələmpələm pələmpələm

leg ͡ ʈʂəle ͡ ʈʂule ͡ ʈʂule ͡ ʈʂəli ͡ ʈʂəli

woman məɽɑ moɹɑ mərɑ məlɑ məlɑ

jew's harp dɑɹombe dɑɹombe dɑrombe dɑrombi dɑɹombe

/ɽ/ /l/, /ɹ/ /r/ /l/ /l/

Liquids - word final

bad gɑgəɽ gægol gɑrgɛr gogəl gwɪgəl

new sisoɹ sisoɹ sisor sisɪr sisɪɹ

bow bəgəl bogol bəgol bəgəʎ bəgəʎ

dig kəɽkəɽ kuɹkuɹ kurkur kəlkəl kwəl

jew's harp dɑɹombe dɑɹombe dɑrombe dɑɹombi dɑɹombe

/ɽ/ /l/, /ɹ/ /r/ /l/ /l/

Medial /l/, /ɹ/ /ɽ/ /r/ /l/ /l/

Final /l/, /ɹ/ /ɽ/ /r/ /l/ /l/

Phoneme inventory - consonants

stops */p/ */b/ */t/ */d/ */k/ */g/

affricates */ʈ͡ʂ/ */ɖ͡ʐ/

Phoneme inventory - consonants

stops */p/ */b/ */t/ */d/ */k/ */g/ */kw/

Phoneme inventory - consonants

stops */p/ */b/ */t/ */d/ */k/ */g/ */kw/

affricates */ʈ͡ʂ/ */ɖ͡ʐ/

Phoneme inventory - consonants

stops */p/ */b/ */t/ */d/ */k/ */g/ */kw/

affricates */ʈ͡ʂ/ */ɖ͡ʐ/

Phoneme inventory - summary

Pronouns - nominative (with Dineke Schokkin)

stops /p/ /b/

stops /p/ /b/ /t/ /d/ /k/ /g/

stops /p/ /b/ /t/ /d/ /k/ /g/

affricates /ʈ͡ʂ/ /ɖ͡ʐ/

stops /p/ /b/ /t/ /d/ /k/ /g/

affricates /ʈ͡ʂ/ /ɖ͡ʐ/

stops /p/ /b/ /t/ /d/ /k/ /g/

affricates /ʈ͡ʂ/ /ɖ͡ʐ/

stops /p/ /b/ /t/ /d/ /k/ /g/

affricates /ʈ͡ʂ/ /ɖ͡ʐ/

stops /p/ /b/ /t/ /d/ /k/ /g/

affricates /ʈ͡ʂ/ /ɖ͡ʐ/

stops /p/ /b/ /t/ /d/ /k/ /g/

affricates /ʈ͡ʂ/ /ɖ͡ʐ/

stops /p/ /b/ /t/ /d/ /k/ /g/ */kw/

stops /p/ /b/ /t/ /d/ /k/ /g/ */kw/

affricates /ʈ͡ʂ/ /ɖ͡ʐ/

stops /p/ /b/ /t/ /d/ /k/ /g/ */kw/

affricates /ʈ͡ʂ/ /ɖ͡ʐ/