Tor–Kwerba languages

Tor–Kwerba
Geographic distribution:	New Guinea
Linguistic classification:	a primary family of Papuan languages
Subdivisions:	Orya–Tor Mawes–Kwerba ? Sause
Ethnologue code:	17-1370

The Tor–Kwerba languages are an independent family of Papuan languages proposed in 2005 by Malcolm Ross. All the languages had been part of Stephen Wurm's 1975 Trans–New Guinea proposal, but he did not recognize them as a unit, retaining Kwerba within Capell's 1962 Dani–Kwerba proposal.

Classification

The Tor and Kwerba families are clearly established. When classified together two relative isolates are included, as well as two languages of more dubious relationship.

Tor–Kwerba	Orya–Tor  Orya (Uria) Tor family: Berik, Bonerif, Dabe–Keijar–Betaf, Itik, Jofotek-Bromnya, Kwesten, Kwinsu, Mander, Maremgi (Dineor), Vitou, Wares ? Sause  Greater Kwerba  Mawes  Kwerba  family Airoran–Samarokena: Airoran, Samarokena nuclear Kwerba: Bagusa, Kwerba (Sasawa), Trimuris, Kauwera, Kwerba Mamberamo ? Isirawa

In earlier classifications the Sause language had been included with these languages, but its classification is uncertain, and was not addressed by Ross. Ethnologue (2009) retains it as a third branch of Orya–Tor, and also retains Isirawa as a third branch of Greater Kwerba.

Pronouns

The pronouns Ross reconstructs for proto-Orya–Tor are,

I	*ai	exclusive we	?
		inclusive we	*ne
thou	*emei	you	*em
s/he	*je	they	?

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.