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Sketch grammars of Wauyai Maˈya and Batta: Two underdocumented languages of Raja Ampat, northwest New Guinea

Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: This paper provides the first sketch analyses of Wauyai Maˈya and Batta, two undocumented Austronesian languages spoken in the Raja Ampat archipelago of northwest New Guinea. These sketches are based on survey data collected in 2019 and 2023. Both languages are endangered, in that the youngest fluent speakers are in their forties. The languages are closely related, and typologically similar. Wauyai has 14 consonants, 5 vowels, and a cross-linguistically unusual combination of contrastive stress and lexical tone; Batta has 15 consonants, 6 vowels, tone, and no contrastive stress but a largely sesquisyllabic profile. Both are head-marking, with head-initial NPs, an alienability distinction, and basic SV/AVO order which combines with clause-final aspect/mood and negative markers. The pronominal systems of Wauyai and Batta make a five- and a four-way number distinction, respectively; subjects of verbal clauses are marked with prefixes and infixes in both languages. After outlining and exemplifying these features and touching on several others, I conclude with a brief outlook on the future of the indigenous languages and cultures of Raja Ampat.
Language: English
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7142572932
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