Asmat is a Papuan language cluster in Indonesia.
Languages The principal varieties, distinct enough to be considered separate languages, are:
Asmat Kamrau Bay (Sabakor/Buruwai):New Guinea World, Kamrau Bay Casuarina Coast (Kaweinag), the most divergent North and Central Asmat Citak (Kaünak) North Asmat Central Asmat (dialects: Keenok, Sokoni, Keenakap, Kawenak)
Ethnically, speakers are either Asmat, Buruwai, or Citak.
Evolution
Below are some reflexes of proto-Trans-New Guinea proposed by Pawley (2012):
proto-Trans-New Guinea Asmat (Flamingo Bay) *maŋgat[a] ‘teeth, mouth’ me *(m,mb)elak ‘light, lightning’ mer *niman ‘louse’ (Kamoro namo) *na- ‘eat’ na- *ni, *nu ‘’ na ‘.’, na(r) ‘.’ *mun(a,i,u)ka ‘egg’ manaka *niman ‘louse’ (cf. Kamoro namo) *kasin ‘mosquito’ isi *mbena ‘arm’ man [ban] *mb(i,u)t(i,u)C ‘fingernail’ fit *imbi ‘name’ yipi *si(mb,p)at[V] ‘saliva’ (me)sep *(mb,p)ututu- ‘to fly’ (?) pimedial *kV(mb,p)(i,u)t(i,u) ‘head’ kuwus *inda ‘fire’ (Central Coast Asmat isi) *tututu[ku] ‘straight’ toror *k(i,u)tuma ‘night, morning’ iram *tututu[ku] ‘straight’ toror *ti, *titi ‘tooth’ ji *ata ‘excrement’ asa *(ŋg,k)atata ‘dry’ soso *kV(mb,p)(i,u)t(i,u) ‘head’ kuwus *kasin ‘mosquito’ (Citak Asmat isi) *inda ‘fire’ (Central Coast Asmat isi) *ke(nj,s)a ‘blood’ es *maŋgV ‘compact round object’ moko-per ‘navel’ *mun(a,i,u)ka ‘egg’ manaka *ke(nj,s)a ‘blood’ es *kasin ‘mosquito’ (Central Asmat isi) *k(i,u)tuma ‘night, morning’ yiram *kV(mb,p)(i,u)t(i,u) ‘head’ kuwus *(m,mb)elak ‘light, lightning’ (Flamingo Bay Asmat mer ‘lightning’) *ya ‘’ a
Verbs In Flamingo Bay Asmat, light verbs are combined with adjuncts to form predicative expressions.
e- ‘do’ atow e- /play do/ ‘play’ caj e- /copulate do/ ‘copulate’ yan e- /ear do/ ‘listen’ yi- ‘say’ po yi- /paddle say/ ‘paddle’ yan yi- /ear say/ ‘hear’ mesa yi- /saliva say/ ‘spit’ af- ‘hit’ yaki af- /sneeze hit/ ‘sneeze’ namir af- /death hit/ ‘die’ omop af- /blow hit/ ‘beat’
References
External links PARADISEC archive of Asmat language recordings Asmat. New Guinea World. Kamrau Bay. New Guinea World.