The Manubaran languages are a small family of Trans–New Guinea languages spoken around Mount Brown in the "Bird's Tail" (southeastern peninsula) of New Guinea. They are classified within the Southeast Papuan branch of Trans–New Guinea.
Languages The languages are Doromu and Maria, and are 63% lexically similar.
Proto-language Phonemes Usher (2020) reconstructs the consonant inventory as follows:New Guinea World, Mount Brown
| *m || *n || || || |- | *p || *t || || *k || *ʔ |- | *b || *d || || *g || |- | || *s || || || [*h] |- | *w || *ɾ || *j || || |} Vowels are *a *e *i *o *u.
Pronouns Usher (2020) reconstructs the pronouns as:
! !!sg!!pl |- !1 |*na ||*[o/u]na |- !2 |colspan=2|*ja |- !3 |colspan=2|*ina
Basic vocabulary Usher (2020) Some lexical reconstructions of Proto-Mount Brown and Proto-Doromu-Koki, as well as Proto-Gebi and Proto-Maria, by Usher (2020) are:
{| class="wikitable sortable" ! gloss !! Proto-Mount Brown !! Proto-Doromu-Koki !! Proto-Gebi !! Proto-Maria |- ! head | *ada || *ada || ada || *ada |- ! hair/feather(s) | *u[w]e[t/k]a || *u[w]eta || uweta || *u[w]eʔa |- ! ear | *anema || *anema || anema || *anema |- ! eye | *ne || *ne || ne-una || ne[ʔ]una |- ! nose | *uɾuma || *uɾuma || uruma || *uɾuma |- ! tooth | *gade || *gade || gadi || *gade |- ! tongue | *api[j]e || *aɸi[j]e || api || *aɸi[j]e |- ! blood | *daweʔa || *dawaʔa || dawa || *daweʔa |- ! bone | *nena || *nena || nena || *nena |- ! skin/bark | *ɾoʔo || *ɾoʔo || lo-o || *ɾoʔo |- ! breast | *sisu || *sisu || sisu || *hihu |- ! louse | *gu[w]e || *gu[w]e || gu-e || *gu[w]e |- ! dog | *auna || *auna || auna || *auna |- ! pig | *dona || *dona || dona || *dona |- ! bird | *eɾena || *eɾena || eerma || *eɾena |- ! egg | *unema || *unema || unema || *unema |- ! tree | *jabo || *jabo || iabo || *jabo |- ! man/husband | *ami[j]e || *ami[j]e || amie || *ami[j]e |- ! woman/wife | *ɾema || *ɾema || lema || |- ! sun | *me[i]daʔa || *me[i]daʔa || meda || *me[i]daʔa |- ! moon | *ejoʔa || *ejoʔo || e-io || *ejoʔa |- ! water/river | *koɾu || *koɾu || oru ≈ koro- || *ʔoɾu |- ! fire | *ita || *ita || ita || *iha |- ! stone | *waʔiga || || waiga || *waʔiga |- ! path | *ida || *ida || ida || |- ! name | *ɾoka || *ɾoka || || *ɾoʔa |- ! eat/drink | *iɾi- || *iɾi- || || *iɾi- |- ! one | *jokohi || *jokoi || jokio || *joʔohi |- ! two | *[ɾ/j]ema || *[ɾ]ema || lema || *jema
Ross (2014) The following basic vocabulary words of Proto-Manubaran and lower-level reconstructions by Malcolm Ross (2014)Ross, Malcolm. 2014. Proto-Manubaran. TransNewGuinea.org.Ross, Malcolm. 2014. Proto-Maria. TransNewGuinea.org.Ross, Malcolm. 2014. Proto-Doromu. TransNewGuinea.org. are from the Trans-New Guinea database:
{| class="wikitable sortable" ! gloss !! Proto-Manubaran !! Proto-Doromu !! Proto-Maria |- ! head | *ada || *ada || *ada |- ! hair | *weʔia || *ue-ta || *ueʔa |- ! ear | *ane-ma || *ane-ma || *ane-ma |- ! eye | *ne(u) || *ne(-) || *ne- |- ! nose | *uru-ma || *uru-ma || *uru-ma |- ! tooth | *gade || *gade || *gade |- ! tongue | *afie || *afie || *ahie |- ! leg | *[n,y]u-ka || *yu-ka || *nu-ʔa; *one-ʔa |- ! louse | *gue || *gue || *gue |- ! dog | *auna || *auna || *auna |- ! pig | *Dona || *dona || *tona |- ! bird | *erena || *erena || *erena |- ! egg | *une-ma || *une-ma || *une-ma |- ! blood | || *tava || *tae(k,ʔ)a |- ! bone | *nena || *nena || *nena |- ! skin | *roʔ(o,a) || *ro(a) || *roʔ(o,a) |- ! tree | *yabo || *yabo || *yabo |- ! man | *amie || *amie || *amie |- ! woman | || *rema || *oue |- ! sky | *gure || *gure || *gure |- ! sun | *maida(ka) || *meida(ka) || *maidaʔa |- ! moon | *e(y)oʔa; *mohe- (?) || || *eoʔa |- ! water | *koru || *koru || *ʔoru |- ! fire | *ita || *ita || *ita |- ! stone | || *fore || *vaʔiga |- ! name | *roka || *roka || *roʔa-ba |- ! eat | *iri- || *iri || *iri- |- ! one | *yokohi || *yokoima || *yoʔohi |- ! two | *(ye)(ka)ma[nu] || *re-manu || *ye-ma
Evolution Maria reflexes of proto-Trans-New Guinea (pTNG) etyma are:
ama ‘mother’ < *am(a,i) baba(e) ‘father’ < *mbapa kuyau ‘cassowary’ < *ku(y)a ita(isa) ‘tree’ < *inda
References
Further reading Ross, Malcolm. 2014. Proto-Manubaran. TransNewGuinea.org. Ross, Malcolm. 2014. Proto-Maria. TransNewGuinea.org. Ross, Malcolm. 2014. Proto-Doromu. TransNewGuinea.org.
External links Timothy Usher, New Guinea World, Owen Stanley Range (ibid.) Proto–Mount Brown