Neha Patil (Editor)

Rai Coast languages

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Geographic distribution
  
New Guinea

Glottolog
  
raic1241

Linguistic classification
  
Trans–New Guinea Madang Rai Coast–Kalam Rai Coast

The Rai Coast languages are a family of languages in the Madang branch of the Trans–New Guinea languages (TNG) phylum of New Guinea.

Sidney Herbert Ray identified what was then known of the Rai Coast languages as a unit in 1919. They were linked with the Mabuso languages in 1951 by Arthur Capell in his Madang family.

Languages

Though the validity of Rai Coast is well established, there are ongoing adjustments to membership and internal classification. Malcolm Ross added two languages to Rai Coast, Tauya and Biyom, from the small erstwhile Brahman branch of Madang. He classifies the Kalam languages as the closest relatives of Rai Coast, and suggests that they may actually be an additional branch of the family.

  • Rai Coast family
  • Mindjim branch: Anjam (Bom), Bongu, Male, Sam (Songum)
  • Yaganon branch: Ganglau, Saep, Yabong, Dumun (extinct), ?Bai-Maclay (extinct)
  • Evapia
  • Kow: Asas, Sinsauru
  • Dumpu
  • Kesawai, Sausi
  • Peka: Danaru, Sumau, Urigina, Sop (Usino)
  • Nuru: Duduela (Uyajitaya), Ogea (Erima), Jilim, Kwato, Rerau, Uya (Usu), Yangulam
  • Kabenau: Arawum, Kolom (Migum), Lemio, Pulabu, Siroi

    • Unclassified within Rai Coast are Wasembo, Biyom, and Tauya.

    Ross (2000, 2005) reconstructs pronouns for proto-Sub-Rai, which is more-or-less synonymous with Rai Coast as a whole, proto-Mindjim, proto-Yaganon, and proto-Kow–Usino.

    References

    Rai Coast languages Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA