Kenyah languages

The Kenyah languages are a group of half a dozen or so closely related languages spoken by the Kenyah peoples of Borneo. They are:

Kenyah proper (a dialect cluster, including Madang), Sebob, Tutoh (Long Wat), Wahau Kenyah, Uma’ Lung / Uma’ Lasan.

Ethnologue says that the Punan–Nibong languages are related to Uma’ Lasan, Glottolog that they are outside the Kenyah languages.

Classification

Soriente (2008) proposes a Kayan-Kenyah grouping.

• Proto–Kayan-Kenyah
• Kenyah
• Upper Pujungan
• Usun Apau
• Penan
• West Penan
• East Penan
• Kayanic
• Lebu Kulit
• Mboh
• Ngorek
• Kayan

However, Smith (2015) rejects Soriente's grouping, and argues that Kenyah and Kayan are separate groups. Smith (2015) proposes the following classification.

• Proto-Kenyah
• Highland
• Highland A dialects: Lepo Gah, Lepo Sawa, Lepo Laang, Lepo Baha, Lepo Maut, Lepo Ké, Bakung, Lepo Ndang
• Highland B dialects: Lepo Tau, Badeng, Uma Lasan, Uma Alim, Òma Lóngh
• Lowland
• Western Lowland dialects: Lebo' Vo'
• Eastern Lowland dialects: Lebu Kulit, Lebuq Timai, Uma Pawa, Uma Ujok, Uma Kelap/Kelep
• Penan-Sebop
• Penan
• Sebop

This classification of Kenyah languages was updated in a second publication, "Penan, Sebop, and Kenyah internal classification". There, it was shown that Penan and Sebop subgroup specifically with the Western-Lowland branch of Lowland Kenyah. This subgrouping was repeated in the dissertation, "The languages of Borneo: a comprehensive classification".

• Proto-Kenyah
• Highland
• Highland A dialects: Lepo Gah, Lepo Sawa, Lepo Laang, Lepo Baha, Lepo Maut, Lepo Ké, Bakung, Lepo Ndang
• Highland B dialects: Lepo Tau, Badeng, Uma Lasan, Uma Alim, Òma Lóngh
• Lowland
• Western Lowland dialects: Lebo' Vo', Eastern Penan, Western Penan, Sebop
• Eastern Lowland dialects: Lebu Kulit, Lebuq Timai, Uma Pawa, Uma Ujok, Uma Kelap/Kelep

Supposed Austroasiatic influence

Kaufman (2018) notes that many Proto-Kenyah words (Smith 2017) are of likely Austroasiatic origin, including the following (Note: The Austroasiatic branch reconstructions are from Paul Sidwell's reconstructions).

• *saləŋ ‘black’ (cf. Proto-Palaungic *laŋ; Proto-Bahnaric *sla(ː)ŋ ‘clear, transparent’)
• *makaŋ ‘brave’
• *dəŋ ‘deaf’ (cf. Proto-Katuic *tuŋ; Mon daŋ)
• *pətat ‘divorce’ (cf. Mon )
• *naʔ ‘give’ (cf. Proto-South-Bahnaric *ʔaːn; Khmu ʔan)
• *biləŋ ‘green’
• *mə-bÊ°uh ‘help, assist’
• *laʔu ‘hungry’
• *adaŋ ‘must’
• *iəŋ ‘mosquito’
• *kabiŋ ‘left (side)’
• *pilaw ‘smooth’ (cf. Proto-Katuic *phiil)
• *biʔən ‘time’ (cf. Proto-Palaungic *bən ‘(future) time’)
• *nəmbam ‘tomorrow’
• *ait ‘sand’
• *luaŋ ‘seed’
• *su ‘grandchild’ (cf. Proto-Palaungic *cuʔ)

Vo words of likely Austroasiatic origin include:

• ɟen ‘bring’
• pikəp ‘narrow’
• mamoŋ ‘pregnant’
• imaʔ ‘rain’ (cf. Proto-Austroasiatic *gmaʔ)
• lañaʔ ‘fast/quick’ (cf. Proto-Vietic *m-laɲ; Proto-North-Bahnaric *raɲ)
• məɲon ‘sit’ (cf. Proto-Palaungic *-ɟɔn)
• ʄap ‘ten’ (cf. Khmer < Chinese?)
• sah ‘seed’ (cf. Proto-Palaungic *ʄak)

References