Kanum_language

Tonda languages

Tonda languages

Branch of the Yam language family of southern New Guinea

The Tonda languages form a branch of the Yam language family of southern New Guinea. There are over 10 languages.[1]

Quick Facts Geographic distribution, Linguistic classification ...

Tonda languages share some areal features are shared with the Kolopom languages.[2]

Languages

The Tonda languages are:[1][3]

Tonda / West Morehead River

Notes (see Evans 2018: 681):

  • Each terminal bullet point lists a different dialect chain.
  • Ránmo is linguistically a dialect of Mblafe, but Ránmo speakers consider their language to be a separate, distinct language.
  • Wérè is linguistically a dialect of Wára, but Wèré speakers consider their language to be a separate, distinct language.

Numeral typology

Further information: Senary § Natural languages

Tonda languages are unique for their base-6 numeral systems, which likely originated from counting yams (rather than fingers or body parts as with most other languages).[2]

References

  1. [1]
    Evans, Nicholas (2018). "The languages of Southern New Guinea". In Palmer, Bill (ed.). The Languages and Linguistics of the New Guinea Area: A Comprehensive Guide. The World of Linguistics. Vol. 4. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. pp. 641–774. ISBN 978-3-11-028642-7.
  2. [2]
    Hammarström, Harald. (2009) Whence the Kanum Base-6 Numeral System?. Linguistic Typology 13(2). 305-319.
  3. [3]
    West Morehead River
  • Evans, Nicholas (2018). "The languages of Southern New Guinea". In Palmer, Bill (ed.). The Languages and Linguistics of the New Guinea Area: A Comprehensive Guide. The World of Linguistics. Vol. 4. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. pp. 641–774. ISBN 978-3-11-028642-7.

Further reading
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