Dani languages

For the Dani language of Brazil, see Deni language.

The Dani or Baliem Valley languages are a family of clearly related Trans–New Guinea languages spoken by the Dani and related peoples in the Baliem Valley in the Highland Papua, Indonesia. Foley (2003)^{[citation needed]} considers their TNG status to be established. They may be most closely related to the languages of Paniai Lakes, but this is not yet clear. Capell (1962)^[1] had posited that their closest relatives were the Kwerba languages, which Ross (2005) rejects.

Dani
Baliem Valley
Ethnicity	Dani, Lani, Yali, etc
Geographic distribution	Baliem Valley in Highland Papua
Linguistic classification	Trans–New Guinea West Papuan Highlands (Irian Highlands) Dani
Subdivisions	Wano Dani proper Ngalik
Glottolog	dani1287

Languages

Larson (1977)^[2] divided the family into three branches based on lexicostatistics, and Nggem was later added as a fourth. The Ngalik languages are very poorly attested.

• Dani family
  • Wano
  • Nggem
  • Central Dani: Grand Valley Dani (upper, lower, and mid dialects), Hupla, Western Dani–Walak
  • Ngalik: Nduga, Silimo, Yali (dialect cluster)

Phonemes

Usher (2020) reconstructs the consonant inventory as follows.^[3] This is identical to the reconstruction of Bromley (1966-1967)^[4] apart from adding the rare consonants *pw, *mbw and the possible additional vowel *ɐ.

*m		*n
*p	*pʷ	*t		*k	*kʷ
*mb	*mbʷ	*nd		*ŋg	*ŋgʷ
*ɓ		*ɗ
*w		*l	*j

*i		*u
*ɪ		*ʊ
*e	[*ɐ]	*o
	*a

And the diphthongs *ei, *ou, *ai, *au.

Pronouns

Ross (1995)^{[citation needed]} reconstructs the independent pronouns and possessive/object prefixes of Central Dani as:

	singular	plural
1	*an, *n[a]	*ni-t, *nin[a]-
2	*ka-t, *k[a]	*ki-t, *kin[a]-
3	*a-t, *∅/w-	*i-t, *in[a]-

Vocabulary comparison

The following basic vocabulary words are from Bromley (1967)^[4] and Voorhoeve (1975),^[5] as cited in the Trans-New Guinea database:^[6]

gloss	Dani, Lower Grand Valley (Hitigima dialect)	Dani, Lower Grand Valley (Tangma dialect)	Dani, Lower Grand Valley	Dani, Mid Grand Valley	Dani, Upper Grand Valley	Dani, Western^[7]	Walak	Silimo (South Ngalik dialect)	Silimo	Yali, Angguruk	Yali, Pass Valley
head	mʊkkʊl-oak	mʊkkʊl-oak	nukul-oaq	nʊgʊl-oak	nanupah	aneb; anobak	nalupak	naŋgul	nagʊl	nʊgʊl	hou
hair	nesi	nesi	nesi	nesi	neeti	eeɾuwak; neti	niti	nenasu	nasu	notuk	hoŋ
ear	nesakko	nesakko		nasuk	natuk [nařuk]	aɾuk	natuk [nařuk]		nesago	nɪsago
eye	neil-ekken	neil-ekken	neil-eken	nel-egen	neneken	enegen; negen	nil	nələŋgen	nɪlegen	nɪl	həŋ
nose	nappisan	namisaŋ		nakouwak-oak	nakapak	ogobak	nokopak		nebijaŋ	nabijaŋ
tooth	naik	naik	naik	naik	nɪk	neik	naik	neniak	nɪak; neak	najek	si
tongue	nameli	namili		na∂i	namɪlɪ	amela	natði		nemake	nabilikagen
leg			nesoq			iyok; owak					yan saŋ
louse	napɪ	napɪ	navi	napɪ	napɪ	abee	napɪ		nekepɪ; pɪ	pɪ	am
dog	jekke	jekke	yake	jege	gewo	gewo; nggewo	gewo	yeŋge	mene	mene	kam
pig	wam	wam	wam	wam	wa:n	wam	wam	wam	wam	wam	meya
bird	sʊe	sʊe	sue	tʊe	tewe	tewe; towe	tewe	tuwe	sʊe	suwe	winaŋ
egg	sʊe-kken	sʊe-kken	sue-ken	tʊe-gen	tewe-gen	eko	tewe-gen	eŋgen	sʊe-egen	suwe-gen	winaŋ won
blood	mep	mep	mep	mep	mep	amiya; muya	mep		mep	gete; mep	iniŋ
bone	noak	noak	noaq	noak	nowakano	owak	nowak		nʊak	noak	yok
skin	noat	nakap	naxap	noatðo	nakatlo	agabelo	nakatðo		nakap	nakap	pok
breast	neilak	neilak		niðak	nelak	elak	neðak		nakamʊ	nak
tree	o	e	e	o	ejo	eyo	o	bene	e	e
man	ap	ap	ap		ap	ap		ap	ap	ap	nimnya
woman	he; hɪmɪ	he; hʊmɪ		he	kwe		kwe		kwamɪ	keap
sky						mbogut
sun	mo	mo	mo	mʊlɪgɪ	mo	oonegen; yawo	mo; o-il		mo	mo	hin
moon	tuki	tuki		tʊt	tʊt	tut	tʊt		duki	bikkalem
water	i	i	i	i	ji	mio; nio; niyo		i; ies	ik	ik	tin
fire	hettouk	ettu	etu	hɪdʊ [hɪtʊ]	ɪdʊ [ɪndʊ]	endo; kani	idu	enduk	odʊk	idok	uk
stone	helep	helep	helep	helegit [helekit]	jʊkum	yugum; yukum	git [ŋgit]	kəlip	kelep	kelep	kirik
road, path	ke; kwe	kwe		holak-aðem	tuwan		tuwan		epela	pʊgalem
name	ettake	ettake	eraxe	edaka [etaga]	edaka [endaga]	endage; etaxe	edaka		onuk	unuk	nimnya
eat					namen	namen!; ne-; nengge		nənəm-	emen	namɪn (ɪs ?)	(kwaniŋ) etiŋ
one	makke-at; pakke-at	oppakke-at	opake-at	bagɪ-at	abɪ	ambe; ambit	omagi-at	ambui	mesik	mɪsɪk	sendeik
two	pete; pɪte	p:ie	pere	bete [peře]	bete [mbeře]	bere; mbeɾe	bete	pere	biten	biten	phenep

Evolution

Dani reflexes of proto-Trans-New Guinea (pTNG) etyma are:^[8]

Grand Valley Dani language:

• ap 'man' < *ambi
• meli 'tongue' < *me(l,n)e
• n-esi 'hair' < *iti[C] (n- is 1sg possessor)
• me(m) 'come' < *me-
• ket 'new' < *kVndak

Western Dani language:

• ap 'man' < *ambi
• (n)iti < *iti[C]
• meli 'tongue' < *me(l,n)e
• get 'new' < *kVndak
• okut 'leg' < *k(a,o)ndok[V]
• kat(lo) 'skin' < *(ŋg,k)a(nd,t)apu
• idu 'tree' < *inda

Ngalik language:

• idu(k)etu 'tree' < *inda
• (nak) amu 'breast' < *amu
• tokon 'full' < *tVkV[ti]
• kopu 'smoke' < *kambu

References

1. Capell, Arthur. 1962. Linguistic Survey of the South-Western Pacific (New and revised edition). (South Pacific Commission Technical Paper, 136.) Noumea: South Pacific Commission. 258pp.
2. Larson, Gordon F. 1977. Reclassification of Some Irian Jaya Highlands Language Families: A Lexicostatical Cross-Family Subclassification with Historical Implications. Irian VI: 3-40.
3. New Guinea World, Baliem Valley
4. Bromley, Myron H. 1966-1967. The Linguistic Relationships of Grand Valley Dani: A Lexico-statistical Classification. Oceania 37: 286-305.
5. Voorhoeve, C.L. Languages of Irian Jaya: Checklist. Preliminary classification, language maps, wordlists. B-31, iv + 133 pages. Pacific Linguistics, The Australian National University, 1975. doi:10.15144/PL-B31
6. Greenhill, Simon (2016). "TransNewGuinea.org - database of the languages of New Guinea". Retrieved 2020-11-05.
7. Clouse, Duane A. (1997). "Towards a reconstruction and reclassification of the Lakes Plain languages of Irian Jaya". In Karl Franklin (ed.). Papers in Papuan linguistics no. 2 (PDF). Vol. A-85. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics. pp. 133–236. ISBN 0858834421.
8. Pawley, Andrew; Hammarström, Harald (2018). "The Trans New Guinea family". 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. 21–196. ISBN 978-3-11-028642-7.

• Ross, Malcolm (2005). "Pronouns as a preliminary diagnostic for grouping Papuan languages". In Andrew Pawley; Robert Attenborough; Robin Hide; Jack Golson (eds.). Papuan pasts: cultural, linguistic and biological histories of Papuan-speaking peoples. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics. pp. 15–66. ISBN 0858835622. OCLC 67292782.