Timothy Usher, Santa Fe Institute
The West Bomberai family consists of perhaps twenty four languages spoken along the west coast and islands off of the Bomberai peninsula in Indonesia's Papua province and across the Banda sea to the west on the islamds Timor, Alor and Pantar of the Lesser Sunda chain in East Nusa Tenggara province and in the independent state of East Timor. While the majority of member languages are spoken in the Lesser Sundas, the internal classification of West Bomberai as well as its relationship to other subfamilies of Trans New Guinea suggests the Bomberai peninsula to be its point of origin.
The internal classification of West Bomberai is as follows:
West Bomberai
Kalamang
Mbahaam-Iha
Timor-Alor-Pantar
Bunaq
East Timor
Alor-Pantar
Despite a tradition of placeing Kalamang (Karas) and Mbahaam-Iha together in a West Bomberai family which excludes Timor-Alor-Pantar (Cowan 1953: 33-36, Anceaux 1958: 118-119, Voorhoeve 1975: 432-437,) the most salient difference between these two on the one hand and the insular families on the other is cosmetic, namely that the former preserve initial velar stop /*k/ which is lost in Timor-Alor-Pantar. Additionally, the subfamilies of Timor-Alor-Pantar have been very significantly influenced by local Austronesian languages, which can only depress lexicostatistical counts. Other arguments for placing Kalamang immediately with Mbahaam-Iha would include the use of demonstratives /*mV/ for third persons and the encliticization of possessors in Kalamang and Iha, but the first must be archaic, as it's shared with both Mor and some South Bird's Head languages, while the second would seem to be an areal trait in imitation of Austronesian postposed possessive consructions.
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Proto-West Bomberai had perhaps 15 to 17 consonants and 6 vowels as follows:
| *m | *n | |||
| *p | *t | [*ts] | *k | *kʷ |
| *mb | *nd | [*ndz] | *ŋg | *ŋgʷ |
| *s | ||||
| *l | ||||
| *w | *r | *j |
| *i | *u | |
| *e | *o | |
| *a | *ɒ |
In addition to the simple vowels, at least one diphthong /*aⁱ/ is found.
Prenasalized stops /*mb *nd *ndz *ŋg *ŋgʷ/ do not occur initially, having apparently been merged with voiceless stops.
Only a limited set of consonants occurs finally:
| *n | *… |
| *… | *… |
| *l | |
| *r |
Consonant clusters do not occur.
Initial consonants correspond as follows:
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor |
| *m- | m | *m | *m |
| *n- | n | *n | *n |
| *p- | p | *p | *p |
| *t- | t | *t | *t |
| *s- | s | *s | *s |
| *k- | k | *k | *ø |
| *kʷ- | k | *kʷ | *w |
| *w- | w | *w | *w |
| *j- | … | *j | *j |
Medial consonants correspond as follows:
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor |
| *-m- | m | *m | *m |
| *-n- | n | *n | *n |
| *-p- | w | *p | *p |
| *-t- | r | *t | *t |
| *-s- | *s | *s | |
| *-k- | ø | *k | *k |
| *-kʷ- | k | *kʷ | *kʷ |
| *-mb- | b | *mb | *b |
| *-nd- | *nd | *d | |
| *-ndz- | *dz | ||
| *-ŋg- | g | *ŋg | *g |
| *-ŋgʷ- | gʷ | *ŋgʷ | *gʷ |
| *-w- | *w | *w | |
| *-l- | *r | *l | |
| *-r- | *r | *r | |
| *-j- |
Subfinal consonants correspond as follows:
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor |
| *-m- | m | ||
| *-n- | n | ||
| *-p- | |||
| *-t- | t | ||
| *-s- | |||
| *-k- | |||
| *-kʷ- | |||
| *-mb- | |||
| *-nd- | |||
| *-ndz- | |||
| *-ŋg- | ŋ | ||
| *-ŋgʷ- | |||
| *-w- | |||
| *-l- | |||
| *-r- | |||
| *-j- |
Final consonants correspond as follows:
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor |
| *… |
Vowels and diphthongs correspond as follows:
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor |
| *i |
These correspondences are exemplified as follows, with Kalamang attestations drawn from Visser (2016, p.c.) and Bunaq attestations from Bele (2009) and Schapper (2009, Schapper, Huber and van Engelhoven 2012, 2014.)
Initial bilabial nasal /*m/ is retained as such in all descendants:
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| *m- | m | *m | *m | m | *m | *m | |
| 3 pl. | *m[i/u] | mu | *mi | ||||
| sit | *… | *mesen | *… | mit | *mi[t/r] | *mis | |
| come | *ma | *ma | man | *magu | *ma | ||
| that/there | *ma-i | me | *me | ||||
| python | *m[a]n[u] | *m[a]n[u] | *manu | ||||
| voice/speech | *maŋg[a] | maŋ | *mak | *mag[a] | *maga | *mag | |
| walk/go | *… | mar-mar | *ˈmara | mal | *mara | *mar[a] | |
| 3 sg. | *m[a/o] | ma | *m[a/o] | ||||
| banana | *muŋgʷol | *muŋgʷo | *mugʷol | mok | *muʔu | *mugol |
Intial apical nasal /*n/ is retained as such in both descendants:
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| *n- | n | *n | *n | n | *n | *n | |
| 1 pl. bound | *ni- | *ni- | *ni- | n- | *ni- | ||
| eat/drink | *na[wa] | na(n) | *nawa | *nawa | *nawa | *na: | |
| name | *naⁱ | *nⁱe | *naⁱ | *naⁱ | *naⁱ | ||
| man/male | *nam[ⁱɛ] | nam | *nam[ⁱɛ] | *nami | *nami | ||
| older brother | *nani | *nen [?*nani] | |||||
| older sister | *nana | *nan | *nana | nana | *nana | *nana | |
| stand (pl.) | *naCer | *na'nder | *naCer | net | *naser | *nater | |
| 1 sg. bound | *n[a/o]- | *n[a/o]- | *na- | n- | *na- | ||
| younger sibling | *n[a/o]k[a/o] | *naka | *n[o]k[o] | *noko |
Initial bilabial voiceless stop /*p/ …
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| *p- | p | *p | p | *p | *p | ||
| delicious | *pani | pen | *pani | *pani | |||
| spittle | *pVlVm | pa'lom | *pulum | puluk | *pulum | *purum |
Initual apical voiceless stop /*t/ …:
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| *t- | t | *t | *t | t | *t | *t | |
| hand/arm | *tana | tan | *tan | *tan[a] | ton | *tana | *tan[a] |
| grandparent | *tat[a] | ˈtata | *tat[e/a] | *tata | tata | ||
| heavy | *tVŋgVr | tagiᵉr | *taŋgⁱer | *tVgVr | tuek | *tigir | *tig[a/o]r |
| fence | *ta[l/r]i | tal | *tari | *tari | *… | ||
| mountain | *tVmber | *t[u]mber | *t[e]ber | *teber | |||
| woman | *tumbur | *tumbur | *tubur | *tubur | |||
| elbow | *tVŋgʷon | *tVŋgʷon |
Initial laminal voiceless /*s/ …:
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| *s- | *s | *s | s | *s | *s | ||
| plait/weave | *sina | *sina | *sina | sien | *sina | *sina |
Initial velar voiceless stop /*k/ …:
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| *k- | k | *k | *ø | ø | *ø | *ø | |
| 2 pl. | *ki | ki | *ki | *i | *i | *i | |
| eye | *kina | *kin-jep | *ina | *ina | *ina | ||
| water | *kira | *ki'ra | *ira | il | *ira | *ira | |
| die | *k[i/u]m[i/u] | *kimi | *… | -ume | *umu | *imu | |
| see | *kena[t] | *kena[t] | *ena | *ena | *en | ||
| wing | *kami[n/r] | *kamen | *ami[r] | *amir | |||
| kunai grass | *kamVn | kaˈman | *am[e]n | *amen | |||
| vagina | *kar[u] | kar | *kar | *aru | *aru | *aru | |
| rain | *kaja | *kⁱari (?) | *aja | *aja | *aja | ||
| 2 sg. | *k[a/o] | ka | *k[a/o] | *a | e-to/ø- | *a | *a |
| excrement | *katu | *k[o]t | ozoʔ ~ ozo | *atu | |||
| raw/green | *kV[ŋg/ŋgᵂ]Vr | kaŋguar | *k[o]ŋg[o]r | *uˈg[a]r | ugar | *ugur |
In one example …:
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| *k | ? | *k | *ø | ? | *ø | *ø | |
| sneeze | *kapasi[n] | *ka'pasi | *[ha]pasin | *pasin | *pasin |
Initial rounded velar stop /*kʷ/ …
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| *kʷ- | k | *kʷ | *w | *w | *w | ||
| skin/bark | *kʷel[e] | kul | *wel[e] | *wele | |||
| ear | *kʷali | kel-'kam | *kʷⁱer | *wali | *wali | *wari | |
| nest | *kʷari | *kʷeri | *wari | -el | *wari | *wari |
Initial bilabial non-stop /*w/ …:
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar |
| *w- |
When followed by low central vowel /*a/ or diphthong /*aⁱ/ (below,) initial /*w/ …:
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| *w-/_a | w | *w | *w | ø | *w | *w | |
| coconut | *wata | wat | *wata | hoza | *wata | *wata | |
| day | *waŋg… | *waŋgis | *wag[a]dz₂i | *wagadz₂i | |||
| fresh/green | *wVlVn | weleŋ-gap | *walan | *walan | |||
| stone | *war | *war | *war | hol | *war | *w[a/o]r | |
| *w-/_aⁱ | ? | *w | *w | ø | *w | *w | |
| blood | *waⁱk | *wⁱek | *waⁱ[C] | ho | *waⁱ[s] | *waⁱ |
In one example, initial /*w/ followed by mid back rounded vowel /*o/ is lost in Bunaq and East Timor and the vowel is raised to high back /*u/:
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| *wo- | o | *wo | *w | u | *u | *o | |
| tail | *… | or | *wor | *w[o]ˈla | -uloʔ | *ula | *ora |
Apical non-stops /*l *r/ are not found initially.
Initial palatal non-stop /*j/ …:
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| *j- | *j | *j | z | *dz₂ | *j | ||
| dog | *jambar | bal | *ja'mbar | *jabar | zap | *dz₂ebar | *jabar |
Any consonant can occur medially.
Medial bilabial nasal /*m/ is retained as such in all descendants:
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| *-m- | m | *m | *m | m | *m | *m | |
| breast | *ami | am | *ami | -omoʔ (?) | *ami | *ami | |
| louse | *am[i/u]n | mun | *meⁱn | *amin | *amin | *amin | |
| man/male | *nami | nam | *nami | *nami | *nami | ||
| die | *k[i/u]m[i/u] | *kimi | *… | -ume | *umu | *imu | |
| wing | *kami[n/r] | *kamen | *ami[r] | *amir | |||
| kunai grass | *kamVn | kaˈman | *am[e]n | *amen |
Medial apical nasal /*n/ …:
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| *-n- | n | *n | *n | n | *n | *n | |
| one | *ukʷan[i] | kon | *[o]kʷo[no] | *uˈkani | uen | *ukani | |
| delicious | *pani | pen | *pani | *pani | |||
| older brother | *nani | *nen [?*nani] | |||||
| plait/weave | *sina | *sina | *sina | sien | *sina | *sina | |
| see | *kena[t] | *kena[t] | *ena | *ena | *en | ||
| *-n(-) | n | n | *n | n | n | n | |
| older sister | *nana | *nan | *nana | nana | *nana | *nana | |
| hand/arm | *tana | tan | *tan | *tan[a] | ton | *tana | *tan[a] |
| elbow | *tVŋgʷon | *tVŋgʷon | |||||
| eye | *kina | *kin-jep | *ina | - | *ina | *ina |
Medial bilabial voiceless stop /*p/ …
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| *-p- | *p | *p | w | *p | *p | ||
| worm/grub | *ipi | *ipi | iu | *ipi | *ipi | ||
| sneeze | *kapasi[n] | *ka'pasi | *pasin | *pasin | *pasin |
Medial apical voiceless stop /*t/ …:
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| *-t- | t r | *t | *t | z | *t | *t | |
| excrement | *katu | *k[o]t | ozoʔ ~ ozo | *atu | |||
| coconut | *wata | wat | *wata | hoza | *wata | *wata |
…/*t/ …:
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| *-t- | t | *t | *t | t | *t | ||
| grandparent | *tat[e/a] | ˈtata | *tat[e/a] | *tata | tata |
Medial laminal voiceless /*s/ …:
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| *-s- | *s | *s | *s | *s | |||
| sneeze | *kapasi[n] | *ka'pasi | *pasin | *pasin | *pasin | ||
| fruit/seed | *isu | *is | *isu | *isu | *isV |
Medial velar voiceless stop /*k/ …:
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| *-k- | *k | *k | *k | *k | |||
| mosquito | *kikin | *ikin | *nikin | *ikin | |||
| younger sibling | *n[a/o]k[a/o] | *naka | *n[o]k[o] | *noko |
Medial rounded velar stop /*kʷ/ …
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| *-kʷ- | k | *kʷ | *k | ø | *k | ? | |
| one | *ukʷan[i] | kon | *[o]kʷo[no] | *uˈkani | uen | *ukani |
Bilabial prenasalized stop /*mb/ …:
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| *-mb- | b | *mb | *b | p | *b | *b | |
| mountain | *tVmber | *t[u]mber | *t[e]ber | *teber | |||
| woman | *tumbur | *tumbur | *tubur | *tubur | |||
| dog | *jambar | bal | *ja'mbar | *jabar | zap | *dz₂ebar | *jabar |
Apical prenasalized stop /*nd/ …:
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar |
| *-nd- | *d | |||||
| *… | *… |
Laminal prenasalized /*ndz/ …:
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar |
| *-ndz- | *dz | |||||
| *… | *… |
Medial velar voiced prenasalized stop /*ŋg/ …:
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| *-ŋg- | g | *ŋg | *g | g | *g [ʔ] | *g | |
| day | *waŋg… | *waŋgis | *wag[a]dz₂i | *wagadz₂i |
… /*ŋg/ …:
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| *-ŋg- | *ŋg | ||||||
| body/skin | *aŋgin | *ŋgeⁱn |
… /*ŋg/ …:
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| *-ŋg- | g | *ŋg | *g | k | *g [ʔ] | *g | |
| heavy | *tVŋgVr | tagiᵉr | *taŋgⁱer | *tVgVr | tuek | *tigir | *tig[a/o]r |
| path | *[ja]ŋgal | *[ja]gal | hik | *iga[r] | *jagal |
… /*ŋg/ …:
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| *-ŋg- | ŋ | *k | *g | ? | *g [ʔ] | *g | |
| voice/speech | *maŋg[a] | maŋ | *mak | *mag[a] | *maga | *mag |
…:
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| *Vŋg- | ? | ? | *g | g | *g | *g | |
| 3 pl. | *Vŋgi | ||||||
| 3 pl. | *Vŋga |
Rounded velar prenasalized stop /*ŋgʷ/ …:
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| *-ŋgʷ- | ? | *ŋgʷ | *gʷ | k | *ʔ | *g | |
| banana | *muŋgʷol | *muŋgʷo | *mugʷol | mok | *muʔu | *mugol | |
| elbow | *tVŋgʷon | *tVŋgʷon |
Medial bilabial non-stop /*w/ …:
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| *-w- | *… | ||||||
| eat/drink | *… | *… |
Rather than a single apical non-stop /*ɾ/ as is most typical in New Guinea, we tentatively posit two liquids /*l *r/ to account for the distinction between these sounds in East Timor. It is conceivable that this distinction is secondary or admits another explanation.
Medial lateral non-stop /*l/ ….
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| *-l- | l | *r | *l | *l | *r | ||
| spittle | *pVlVm | pa'lom | *pulum | puluk | *pulum | *purum | |
| skin/bark | *kʷel[e] | kul | *wel[e] | *wele | |||
| ear | *kʷali | kel-'kam | *kʷⁱer | *wali | *wali | *wari | |
| fresh/green | *wVlVn | weleŋ-gap | *walan | *walan |
….
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| *-…- | l | *r | *r | ||||
| fence | *ta[l/r]i | tal | *tari | *tari |
Rhotic /*r/ ….
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| *-r- | r | *r | *r | l | *r | *r | |
| water | *kira | *ki'ra | *ira | il | *ira | *ira | |
| vagina | *kar[u] | kar | *kar | *aru | *aru | *aru | |
| nest | *kʷari | *kʷeri | *wari | -el | *wari | *wari | |
| *-r | *r | *r | l | *r | *r | ||
| stone | *war | *war | *war | hol | *war | *w[a/o]r | |
| *-r | … | *r | *r | *r | *r | ||
| heavy | *tVŋgVr | tagiᵉr | *taŋgⁱer | *tVgVr | tuek | *tigir | *tig[a/o]r |
| mountain | *tVmber | *t[u]mber | *t[e]ber | *teber | |||
| woman | *tumbur | *tumbur | *tubur | *tubur | |||
| raw/green | *kV[ŋg/ŋgᵂ]Vr | kaŋguar | *k[o]ŋg[o]r | *uˈg[a]r | ugar | *ugur | |
| dog | *jambar | bal | *ja'mbar | *jabar | zap | *dz₂ebar | *jabar |
Medial palatal non-stop /*j/ …:
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| *-j- | *j | j | j | ||||
| rain | *kaja | *kⁱari (?) | *aja | *aja | *aja |
…
…
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar |
| *… | *… | |||||
| *… | *… | |||||
| *… | *… | |||||
| *… | *… |
…
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar |
| *… | *… | |||||
| *… | *… | |||||
| *… | *… | |||||
| *… | *… |
…
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar |
| *… | *… | |||||
| *… | *… | |||||
| *… | *… | |||||
| *… | *… |
…
…
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar |
| *… | *… | |||||
| *… | *… |
…
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar |
| *… | *… | |||||
| *… | *… |
…
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar |
| *… | *… | |||||
| *… | *… |
…
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar |
| *… | *… | |||||
| *… | *… |
… roots of the form /*aCiC/ …
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| *aCiC | *CeⁱC | ||||||
| body/skin | *aŋgin | *ŋgeⁱn |
…
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| *aC[i/u]C | CuC [CʊC] | *CeⁱC | *aCiC | *aCiC | *aCiC | ||
| louse | *am[i/u]n | mun | *meⁱn | *amin | *amin | *amin |
… roots of the form /*(C)aCi/ …
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| *(C)aCi | (C)aC | *(C)aCi | *(C)aCi | *(C)aCi | *(C)aCi | ||
| breast | *ami | am | *ami | -omoʔ (?) | *ami | *ami | |
| man/male | *nami | nam | *nami | *nami | *nami | ||
| older brother | *nani | *nen [?*nani] | |||||
| fence | *ta[l/r]i | tal | *tari | *tari | *… | ||
| ear | *kʷali | kel-'kam | *kʷⁱer | *wali | *wali | *wari | |
| nest | *kʷari | *kʷeri | *wari | -el | *wari | *wari |
…
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar |
| *… | *… | |||||
| *… | *… |
Diphthong /*aⁱ/ …:
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| *aⁱ | ? | *ⁱe | *aⁱ | o | *aⁱ | *aⁱ | |
| name | *naⁱ | *nⁱe | *naⁱ | *naⁱ | *naⁱ | ||
| blood | *waⁱk | *wⁱek | *waⁱ[C] | ho | *waⁱ[s] | *waⁱ |
[under construction]
…
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| 1 sg. | *[a/o]n | an | *[a/o]n | *an | ne-to | *an | *na |
| 2 sg. | *k[a/o] | ka | *ka | *a | e-to | *a | *a |
| 3 sg. | *… | *ga | *ga | ||||
| 1 pl. excl | *… | in | *in | *… | *in | *ni | |
| 1 pl. incl. | *… | pi | *… | *… | *pi | ||
| 2 pl. | *ki | ki | *ki | *i | *i | *i | |
| 3 pl. | *… | *… | |||||
| 1 dl. excl. | *… | *… | — | ||||
| 1 dl. incl. | *… | *… | — | ||||
| 2 dl. | *… | *… | — | ||||
| 3 dl. | *… | *… | — |
…
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| 1 sg. | *… | *… | |||||
| 2 sg. | *… | *… | |||||
| 3 sg. | *… | *… | |||||
| 1 pl. excl. | *… | *… | |||||
| 1 pl. incl. | *… | *… | |||||
| 2 pl. | *… | *… | |||||
| 3 pl. | *… | *… |
…
| West Bomberai | Kalamang | Mbahaam-Iha | Timor-Alor | Bunaq | East Timor | Alor-Pantar | |
| 1 sg. | *… | *… | |||||
| 2 sg. | *… | *… | |||||
| 3 sg. | *… | *… | |||||
| 1 pl. excl. | *… | *… | |||||
| 1 pl. incl. | *… | *… | |||||
| 2 pl. | *… | *… | |||||
| 3 pl. | *… | *… |
…
[under construction]
…