The Ottilien or Watam-Awar-Gamay languages languages are a small

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

of clearly related languages, : Watam– Kaian, Gamei (Mbore), and Bosman–

Awar Awar ( ar-at, اعور) is one of the five sons of Iblis, mentioned by Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj. He is a devil who encourages debauchery. His four brothers are named: Dasim (داسم), Zalambur (زلنبور), Sut In Islamic demonology, Sut (مس� ...

. They are generally classified among the

Ramu languages The Ramu languages are a family of some thirty languages of Northern Papua New Guinea. They were identified as a family by John Z'graggen in 1971 and linked with the Sepik languages by Donald Laycock two years later. Malcolm Ross (2005) classi ...

of northern

Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ho, Papua Niu Gini), officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea ( tpi, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niugini; ho, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niu Gini), is a country i ...

. The Ottilien languages are all spoken in

Yawar Rural LLG Yawar Rural LLG is a local-level government (LLG) of Madang Province, Papua New Guinea. The Lower Ramu languages (Ottilien–Misegian) are all spoken in this LLG. Wards *01. Marangis ( Marangis language speakers) *02. Kaiyan (Kaian language spe ...

, in locations mostly along the coast of

Madang Province Madang is a province of Papua New Guinea. The province is on the northern coast of mainland Papua New Guinea and has many of the country's highest peaks, active volcanoes and its biggest mix of languages. The capital is the town of Madang. ...

. Watam and Bosman share plural morphology with Lower Sepik (Nor–Pondo), supporting the Ramu – Lower Sepik language-family proposal. The family is named for the mouth of the Ottilien River, now known as the

Ramu The Ramu River is a major river in northern Papua New Guinea. The headwaters of the river are formed in the Kratke Range from where it then travels about northwest to the Bismarck Sea. Along the Ramu's course, it receives numerous tributaries ...

Phonemes

Usher (2020) reconstructs the consonant inventory as follows:New Guinea World, Ramu Coast
/ref> : :

Pronouns

Pronouns in proto-Watam-Awar-Gamay (proto-Ottilien) reconstructed by Foley (2005) are: : See also Lower Ramu languages#Pronouns. Usher (2020) reconstructs the pronouns as: :

Proto-Ottilien

A phonological reconstruction of proto-Watam-Awar-Gamay (proto-Ottilien) has been proposed by Foley (2005). ;proto-Watam-Awar-Gamay reconstructions (Foley 2005) : Below, proto-Watam-Awar-Gamay is listed in comparison with four other

that are closely related to, but not part of, Watam-Awar-Gamay: the

Misegian languages The Misegian, also known as Mikarew or Ruboni Range languages, are a small family of clearly related languages, : Giri, Sepen, and Mikarew (Aruamu). They are generally classified among the Ramu languages of northern Papua New Guinea. The Mis ...

Kire and Mikarew, and the Tanggu languages Tangu and Igom. ;Proto-Watam-Awar-Gamay and Ramu comparisons (Foley 2005) :

References

External links

* Timothy Usher, New Guinea World
Proto–Ramu Coast
{{Ramu–Lower Sepik languages Lower Ramu languages Languages of Madang Province