Eleman languages

Eleman
Geographic distribution:	New Guinea
Linguistic classification:	Trans–New Guinea Eleman
Subdivisions:	Eleman proper Kaki Ae ? Purari

The Eleman languages are a family of Trans–New Guinea languages (TNG) in the classification of Malcolm Ross. The five languages of Eleman proper are clearly related. They were identified as a family by Sidney Herbert Ray in 1907, and would later be incorporated in the Trans–New Guinea classifications of Stephen Wurm (1975) and of Malcolm Ross (2005). Ross states that the Kaki Ae isolate links Eleman proper within TNG. The Purari isolate was tentatively added by Ross.

• Eleman family
  •  ? Purari isolate
  • Kaki Ae (Tate) isolate (links Eleman proper with TNG)
  • Eleman proper: Keuru, Opao, Orokolo, Toaripi, Tairuma (Uaripi)

References

• Ross, Malcolm (2005). "Pronouns as a preliminary diagnostic for grouping Papuan languages". In Andrew Pawley, Robert Attenborough, Robin Hide, Jack Golson, eds. Papuan pasts: cultural, linguistic and biological histories of Papuan-speaking peoples. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics. pp. 15–66. ISBN 0858835622. OCLC 67292782.