The Kenyah languages are a group of half a dozen or so closely related languages spoken by the Kenyah peoples of Borneo. They are:
| Kenyah | |
|---|---|
| Geographic distribution | Borneo |
| Linguistic classification | Austronesian |
| Language codes | |
| Glottolog | kaya1332 (partial match) |
- Kenyah proper (a dialect cluster, incl. Madang), Sebob, Tutoh (Long Wat), Wahau Kenyah, Uma’ Lung / Uma’ Lasan.
Ethnologue says that the Punan–Nibong languages are related to Uma’ Lasan, Glottolog that they are outside the Kenyah languages.
Classification
editSoriente (2008) proposes a Kayan-Kenyah grouping.[1]
- Proto–Kayan-Kenyah
- Kenyah
- Penan
- Kayanic
However, Smith (2015) rejects Soriente's grouping, and argues that Kenyah and Kayan are separate groups. Smith (2015) proposes the following classification.[2]
- Proto-Kenyah
- Highland
- Highland A dialects: Lepoʼ Gah, Lepoʼ Sawa, Lepoʼ Laang, Lepoʼ Baha, Lepoʼ Maʼut, Lepoʼ Ké, Bakung, Lepoʼ Ndang
- Highland B dialects: Lepoʼ Tau, Badeng, Umaʼ Lasan, Umaʼ Alim, Òma Lóngh
- Lowland
- Western Lowland dialects: Lebo' Vo'
- Eastern Lowland dialects: Lebuʼ Kulit, Lebuq Timai, Umaʼ Pawa, Umaʼ Ujok, Umaʼ Kelap/Kelep
- Penan-Sebop
- Highland
This classification of Kenyah languages was updated in a second publication, "Penan, Sebop, and Kenyah internal classification". There, it was shown that Penan and Sebop subgroup specifically with the Western-Lowland branch of Lowland Kenyah. This subgrouping was repeated in the dissertation, "The languages of Borneo: a comprehensive classification".
- Proto-Kenyah
- Highland
- Highland A dialects: Lepoʼ Gah, Lepoʼ Sawa, Lepoʼ Laang, Lepoʼ Baha, Lepoʼ Maʼut, Lepoʼ Ké, Bakung, Lepoʼ Ndang
- Highland B dialects: Lepoʼ Tau, Badeng, Umaʼ Lasan, Umaʼ Alim, Òma Lóngh
- Lowland
- Western Lowland dialects: Lebo' Vo', Eastern Penan, Western Penan, Sebop
- Eastern Lowland dialects: Lebuʼ Kulit, Lebuq Timai, Umaʼ Pawa, Umaʼ Ujok, Umaʼ Kelap/Kelep
- Highland
Supposed Austroasiatic influence
editKaufman (2018) notes that many Proto-Kenyah words (Smith 2017) are of likely Austroasiatic origin, including the following (Note: The Austroasiatic branch reconstructions are from Paul Sidwell's reconstructions).[3]
- *saləŋ ‘black’ (cf. Proto-Palaungic *laŋ; Proto-Bahnaric *sla(ː)ŋ ‘clear, transparent’)
- *makaŋ ‘brave’
- *dəŋ ‘deaf’ (cf. Proto-Katuic *tuŋ; Mon daŋ)
- *pətat ‘divorce’ (cf. Mon tɛt)
- *naʔ ‘give’ (cf. Proto-South-Bahnaric *ʔaːn; Khmu ʔan)
- *biləŋ ‘green’
- *mə-bʰuh ‘help, assist’
- *laʔu ‘hungry’
- *adaŋ ‘must’
- *iəŋ ‘mosquito’
- *kabiŋ ‘left (side)’
- *pilaw ‘smooth’ (cf. Proto-Katuic *phiil)
- *biʔən ‘time’ (cf. Proto-Palaungic *bən ‘(future) time’)
- *nəmbam ‘tomorrow’
- *ait ‘sand’
- *luaŋ ‘seed’
- *su ‘grandchild’ (cf. Proto-Palaungic *cuʔ)
Vo words of likely Austroasiatic origin include:
- ɟen ‘bring’
- pikəp ‘narrow’
- mamoŋ ‘pregnant’
- imaʔ ‘rain’ (cf. Proto-Austroasiatic *gmaʔ)
- lañaʔ ‘fast/quick’ (cf. Proto-Vietic *m-laɲ; Proto-North-Bahnaric *raɲ)
- məɲon ‘sit’ (cf. Proto-Palaungic *-ɟɔn)
- ʄap ‘ten’ (cf. Khmer dɑp < Chinese?)
- sah ‘seed’ (cf. Proto-Palaungic *ʄak)
References
edit- ^ Soriente, Antonia. 1997. The classification of Kenyah languages: A preliminary assessment. In SEALS XIV(2): Papers from the 14th meeting of the Southeast Asian Linguistics Society (2004), ed. by Wilaiwan Khanittana and Paul Sidwell, 49–62. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.
- ^ Smith, Alexander D. "On the Classification of Kenyah and Kayanic Languages." In Oceanic Linguistics, Volume 54, Number 2, December 2015, pp. 333-357.
- ^ Kaufman, Daniel. 2018. Between mainland and island Southeast Asia: Evidence for a Mon-Khmer presence in Borneo. Ronald and Janette Gatty Lecture Series. Kahin Center for Advanced Research on Southeast Asia, Cornell University. (handout / slides)
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