Asmat languages

Asmat is a Papuan language cluster in Indonesia.

Languages

The principal varieties, distinct enough to be considered separate languages, are:

• Asmat
• Kamrau Bay (Sabakor/Buruwai):
• Casuarina Coast (Kaweinag), the most divergent
• North and Central Asmat
• Citak (Kaünak)
• North Asmat
• Central Asmat (dialects: Keenok, Sokoni, Keenakap, Kawenak)

Ethnically, speakers are either Asmat, Buruwai, or Citak.

Evolution

Below are some reflexes of proto-Trans-New Guinea proposed by Pawley (2012):

Verbs

In Flamingo Bay Asmat, light verbs are combined with adjuncts to form predicative expressions.

• e- ‘do’
• atow e- /play do/ ‘play’
• caj e- /copulate do/ ‘copulate’
• yan e- /ear do/ ‘listen’
• yi- ‘say’
• po yi- /paddle say/ ‘paddle’
• yan yi- /ear say/ ‘hear’
• mesa yi- /saliva say/ ‘spit’
• af- ‘hit’
• yaki af- /sneeze hit/ ‘sneeze’
• namir af- /death hit/ ‘die’
• omop af- /blow hit/ ‘beat’

References

External links

• PARADISEC archive of Asmat language recordings
• Asmat. New Guinea World.
• Kamrau Bay. New Guinea World.