Dagan languages
The Dagan or Meneao Range languages are a small family of Trans-New Guinea languages spoken in the Meneao Range of the "Bird's Tail" of New Guinea, the easternmost Papuan languages on the mainland. They are the most divergent of the several small families within the Southeast Papuan branch of Trans-New Guinea.
Languages
The languages are:- Onjob
- Southwest
- * Daga
- * Maiwa language, Mapena
- East
- * Southeast: Ginuman, Kanasi
- * Northeast: Dima, Umanakaina, and the nearly extinct Turaka
Pronouns
Usher reconstructs the pronouns as:Vocabulary comparison
The following basic vocabulary words are from SIL field notes, as cited in the Trans-New Guinea database.The words cited constitute translation equivalents, whether they are cognate or not.
Evolution
Dagan reflexes of proto-Trans-New Guinea etyma:Daga language:
- ama 'breast' < *amu
- meri 'tongue' < *mee
- ira 'tree' < *inda
- asi 'ear' < *kandkaapu 'skin'
- obosa 'wind' < *kumbutu
- oman 'stone' < *kau
- nene 'bird' < *ni