Greater Binanderean languages

Binanderean
Guhu-Oro
Geographic distribution	New Guinea
Linguistic classification	Binanderean–Goilalan Binanderean
Subdivisions	Binandere proper Guhu-Samane
Glottolog	bina1276
Map: The Binanderean languages of New Guinea   The Binanderean languages   Trans–New Guinea languages   Other Papuan languages   Austronesian languages   Uninhabited

The Binanderean languages are a family and part of the Trans–New Guinea languages (TNG) family in the classifications of Stephen Wurm (1975) and Malcolm Ross (2005). They are found along the north/east coast of the "Bird's Tail" of New Guinea, and appear to be a recent expansion from the north. The Binandere family proper is clearly valid; Ross added the Guhu-Semane isolate based on pronominal evidence, and this has been confirmed by Smallhorn (2011). Proto-Binanderean has been reconstructed in Smallhorn (2011).

Classification

Smallhorn (2011:444) provides the following classification for Greater Binanderean. Individual languages are given in italics.

• Greater Binanderean
  • Guhu-Samane
  • Binanderean
    • Yekora
    • North Binanderean
      • Suena
      • Zia
    • Nuclear Binanderean
      • Binandere
      • South Binanderean
        • Orokaivic
          • Aeka (Northern Orokaiva)
          • Orokaiva
          • Hunjara (Mountain Orokaiva)
        • Coastal Binanderean
          • Notu-Yega
          • Gaena-Korafe
          • Baruga

According to Smallhorn (2011), there are two linkages, namely Central Binanderean and Nuclear Binanderean. Ross (2005) reconstructs both independent pronouns and verbal person prefixes:

sg.	PN	prefix
1	*na	*a-
2	*ni	*i-
3	*nu	*u-

Only 1sg continues the TNG set.

Demographics

Smallhorn (2011:3) provides population figures for the following Binanderean languages.

• Guhu-Samane: 12,800
• Suena: 3,000
• Yekora: 1,000
• Zia: 3,000
• Mawae: 943
• Binandere: 7,000 (including Ambasi)
• Aeka: 3,400
• Orokaiva: 24,000
• Hunjara: 8,770
• Notu: 12,900 (including Yega)
• Gaena: 1,410
• Baruga: 2,230
• Doghoro: 270
• Korafe: 3,630

Total

about 80,000

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.
• Smallhorn, Jacinta Mary (2011). The Binanderean languages of Papua New Guinea: reconstruction and subgrouping. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.
• Bradshaw, Joel (2017). Evidence of contact between Binanderean and Oceanic languages. Oceanic Linguistics 56:395–414.

External links

• Doregari Kotopu Anglican Holy Communion in Binandere, digitized by Richard Mammana and Charles Wohlers
• Benunu tepo ae sakrament da kandoari ae ekalesia da jimbo nenei ainda book England da ekalesia da jimbo ango (1959) Book of Common Prayer digitized by Richard Mammana
• King, Copland. 1927. Grammar and Dictionary of the Binandere Language, Mamba River, North Division, Papua. Sydney: D.S. Ford. [1]