Melanau–Kajang languages

The Melanau–Kajang languages, or Central Sarawak languages, are a group of languages spoken in Kalimantan, Indonesia and Sarawak, Malaysia by the Kenyah, Melanau and related peoples.

Classification

Smith (2017)

Smith uses the term Central Sarawak, and puts it as an independent branch within the Greater North Borneo subgroup. He classifies the languages as follows.

Melanau
Kajang
Punan–Müller-Schwaner
*Punan
**Punan Bah, Punan Tubu, Sajau
**Punan Lisum, Punan Aput, Beketan, Ukit, Buket
*Müller-Schwaner
**Hovongan
**Kereho, Aoheng, Seputan

Austroasiatic influence

Kaufman notes that many Proto-Central Sarawak words are of likely Austroasiatic origin, including the following.

*siaw ‘chicken’
*tilaŋ ‘tiger leech’
*liŋ ‘saliva’

Proto-Kajang words of likely Austroasiatic origin:

*diə̯k ‘chicken’
*bəl ‘mute’

Proto-Müller-Schwaner words of likely Austroasiatic origin:

*ənap ‘fish scale’