Asmat is a Papuan

language cluster A dialect is a variety of language spoken by a particular group of people. This may include dominant and standardized varieties as well as vernacular, unwritten, or non-standardized varieties, such as those used in developing countries or iso ...

South Papua South Papua, officially the South Papua Province (), is an Indonesian Provinces of Indonesia, province located in the southern portion of Western New Guinea, Papua, following the borders of the Papuan customary region of Anim Ha. Formally establ ...

Languages

The principal varieties, distinct enough to be considered separate languages, are: *Asmat ** Kamrau Bay (Sabakor/Buruwai):New Guinea World, Kamrau Bay
/ref> ** 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 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 o
Asmat language recordingsAsmat
New Guinea World.
Kamrau Bay
New Guinea World. {{Languages of Indonesia Asmat-Kamoro languages Languages of Western New Guinea