Guam and Moam Rivers
Timothy Usher, Santa Fe Institute
Situation
The Guam and Moam Rivers family consists of eight to eleven languages spoken along and around the Guam and Moam rivers, tributaries of the Ramu, in the Bogia and Middle Ramu subdistricts of Papua New Guinea's Madang province (Z'graggen 1971: 79-83) It is called the Goam Stock in the works of Z'graggen, who first recognized the unity of the family.
Subclassification
The internal classification of Guam and Moam Rivers is as follows:
Guam and Moam Rivers
Moam River
Kaje (Andarum)
Tanguat
Igom-Tangu
Igom
Tangu
Guam River
Chini (Akrukay)
Breri-Romkun
Breri
Romkun
Itutang-Midsivindi
Itutang
Midsivindi
Kominimung and Igana are listed as Tamolan (Guam River) languages in Z'graggen (1972, Laycock and Z'graggen 1975: 739-740) but no vocabularies were elicited. Also listed in Z'graggen (1972) is Isarikan, which according to Z'graggen (1971: 81) is a village in which Itutang is spoken. It might be asked if Itutang and Midsivindi aren't dialects of a single language.
Z'graggen (1971: 82-83) gives lexicostatistical relationships between languages of the Goam Stock as follows:
Andarum | Tanguat | Igom | Tangu | Akrukay | Breri | Romkun | Itutang | Midsivin. | |
Andarum | — | 37 | 39 | 36 | 20 | 15 | 10 | 24 | 17 |
Tanguat | 37 | — | 45 | 41 | 23 | 20 | 15 | 30 | 12 |
Igom | 39 | 45 | — | 65 | 23 | 17 | 13 | 28 | 14 |
Tangu | 36 | 41 | 65 | — | 11 | 15 | 13 | 32 | 11 |
Akrukay | 20 | 23 | 23 | 11 | — | 38 | 35 | 36 | 46 |
Breri | 15 | 20 | 17 | 15 | 38 | — | 71 | 38 | 42 |
Romkun | 10 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 35 | 71 | — | 34 | 41 |
Itutang | 24 | 30 | 28 | 32 | 36 | 38 | 34 | — | 73 |
Midsivin. | 17 | 12 | 14 | 11 | 46 | 42 | 41 | 73 | — |
The unexpectedly high figures between Itutang and the Moam River languages relative to those between Moam River and other Guam River languages, such as Itutang's nearest relative Midsivindi, do not match our observations.
Sources
Capell (1951-1952: 141-143) grammar sketches of and (pp. 198-200) 78 comparative terms for Igom and (pp. 201-209) 81 terms for Tanggum
Z'graggen (1969, 1971: 79-83) brief descriptions and (pp. 90-91) 20 comparative terms for Tangu, Igom, Tanguat, Andarum, Itutang, Midsivindi, Akrukay, Breri and Romkun
Z'graggen (1972) 431 comparative terms for Tangu, Igom, Tanguat, Andarum, Itutang, Midsivindi, Akrukay, Breri and Romkun
Burridge (1969) ethnography of Tangu
Lotterman (1992) sketch phonology of Tanggu (Nai)
Lotterman (2005) Tanggu (unobtained)
Foley (2005: 119-121) 59 comparative terms for Tangu and 60 terms for Igom drawn from Capell (1951-1952)
Brooks (2018) Chini of Andamang village
In addition to these, survey vocabularies of seven Inapang (Midsivindi) villages were provided to us in digitalized form by Paul Whitehouse via the Summer Institute of Linguistics, Ukarumpa; however they are undated and unattributed.
Historical phonology
[under construction]
Proto-Guam and Moam Rivers had 13 or 14 consonants and at least 4 vowels as follows:
*m | *n | *ŋ | |
*p | *t | [*s] | *k |
*mb | *nd | *ŋg | |
*w | *r | *j | *ɣ |
*i | *ʉ | *u |
*a |
Any consonant can occur medially.
Only a restricted set of consonants occurs initially:
*m | *n | ||
*w | *r | *j | *ɣ |
Initial apical nasal /*n/ is uncommon, having been identified only in the roots of the first and second person dual pronouns as well as the first person singular object (below).
Only a restricted set of consonants occurs finally:
*m | *n | *ŋ | |
*p | *t | *s | *k |
*r | *j | *ɣ |
The majority of roots are of the form /*(C)VCVC(VC)/. Final vowels are not found on roots with more than two syllables. There are a small number of vowel-final roots /*(C)VCV/. Several pronouns are monosyllables /*CV *VC/. Consonant clusters do not occur.
Initial consonants correspond as follows:
G-M | Moam R. | Guam R. |
*m- | m | ø |
*n- | n | ø |
*w- | ||
*r- | *r | *ø |
*j- | ø | |
*ɣ₁- | *ɣ₁ | ø |
*ɣ₂- | *ɣ₂ | ø |
Medial consonants correspond as follows:
G-M | Moam R. | Guam R. |
*-m- | *m | *m |
*-n- | *n | *n |
*-ŋ- | *ŋ | *ŋ |
*-p- | *p | *p |
*-t- | *t | *t |
*-s- | *s | *s |
*-k- | *k | *k |
*-k-/_i | *k | *s |
*-mb- | *mb | *mb |
*-nd- | *nd | *nd |
*-ŋg- | *ŋg | *ŋg |
*-ŋg-/_i | *ŋg | *ndz |
*-w- | *w | *w |
*-r- | *r | *r |
*-j- | *j | *j |
*-ɣ- | *ɣ | *ɣ |
Final consonants correspond as follows:
G-M | Moam R. | Guam R. |
*-m | *m | *m |
*-n | *n | *n |
*-ŋ | *ŋ | *ŋ |
*-p | *p | *p |
*-t | *t | *r |
*-s | *s | *s |
*-k | *k | *k |
*-r | *r | *r |
*-j | *j | *j |
*-ɣ | *ɣ | *ɣ |
These correspondences are exemplified as follows. For clarity of presentation, the general dispositions of initial consonants will presented first, then those of medial consonants, then those of final cononants. Some details of the forms which follow are necessarily tentative.
Only a restricted set of consonants occurs initially, including nasals /*m *n/ and non-stops /*w *r *j *ɣ/. The most consequential phonological trend in Moam and Guam River languages is the loss of these initial consonants, which were invariably destressed on roots with more than one syllable..
This development is broadly shared with the Tomui River and West Sogeram River subgroups of Ramu Tributaries to the east and southeast as well as with Ruboni Range and South Ramu Coast to the north. In Guam River, this loss is nearly exceptionless, with only one clear example in which initial /*r/ is retained. In Moam River, Andarum and Tanguat also drop most initial consonants, such that most of the values given here are based upon Igom and Tangu forms as well as, in some instances, outcomparison.
Initial bilabial nasal /*m/ is dropped in Guam River:
Guam-Moam | Moam River | Guam River | |
*m- | *m | *ø | |
tongue | *… | *mimiaɣ | *imVɣ |
areca nut. | *… | *mindz[i]ak | |
3 sg. | *ma(-n) | *ma(-n) | *an |
cassowary | *mandʉkam | *mandVkVm | *andʉkam |
sea | *maŋar | *maŋar | |
heart | *mun[ʉ/u][a]k | *munuk | *unʉ[a]k |
testicles | *mVŋgʉan | *muŋgʉan | *Vŋgʉan |
The only clear examples of initial apical nasal /*n/ are found in the first person singular accusative pronoun, and in the first and second person duals which are likely to be compounds; here /*n/ is dropped in Guam River:
Guam-Moam | Moam River | Guam River | |
*n- | *n | *ø | |
1 sg. acc. | *na | *na | |
1 dl. | *naŋgV | *naŋgi | *aŋgʉ |
2 dl. | *nuŋgV | *nuŋgi | *uŋgʉ |
Velar nasal /*ŋ/ does not occur initially.
Neither plain stops /*p *t *s *k/ nor prenasalized stops /*mb *nd *ndz *ŋg/ occur initially.
Initial bilabial non-stop /*w/ …:
Guam-Moam | Moam River | Guam River |
*w- | ||
Initial apical non-stop /*r/ …:
Guam-Moam | Moam River | Guam River | |
*r- | *r | ||
*r- | *ø | ||
head | *[r]amban | *amban |
Initial non-stop /*j/ …:
Guam-Moam | Moam River | Guam River |
*j- | *ø | |
Initial velar non-stop /*ɣ/ …:
Guam-Moam | Moam River | Guam River | |
*ɣ₁- | *ɣ₁ | *ø | |
bone | *ɣ₁awaŋ | *ɣ₁awaŋ | *awaŋ |
*ɣ₂- | *ɣ₂ | *ø | |
tanget | *ɣ₂ambaŋ | *ɣ₂ambaŋ | *ambaŋ |
thigh | *ɣ₂[a]mbuan | *ɣ₂umbuan | *ambuan |
vine | *ɣ₂aŋgatʉk | *ɣ₂aŋgatʉk | *aŋgarʉk |
shoulder | *ɣ₂umbʉak | *ɣ₂umbʉak | |
ear | *ɣ₂ukuar | *ɣ₂ukuar | *ukuar |
Any consonant can occur medially.
Medial /*m/ is retained as such in both families:
Guam-Moam | Moam River | Guam River |
*-m- | ||
Medial apical nasal /*n/ is retained as such in both families:
Guam-Moam | Moam River | Guam River | |
*-n- | *n | *n | |
heart | *mun[ʉ/u][a]k | *munuk | *unʉ[a]k |
skin/bark | *… | *… | *inatʉk |
Medial velar nasal /*ŋ/ is retained as such in both families:
Guam-Moam | Moam River | Guam River | |
*-ŋ- | *ŋ | *ŋ | |
sea | *maŋar | *maŋar |
Medial bilabial plain stop /*p/ is retained as such in both families:
Guam-Moam | Moam River | Guam River | |
*-p- | *p | *p | |
group | *-Vpak | *-Vpak | |
mountain | *[C]upuɣ | *upuɣ | |
leaf | *rapar | *rapar | *rapar |
arm/hand | *Capar | *Capar | *apar |
Medial apical plain stop /*t/ is retained as such in both families when followed by non-high front vowels /*ʉ *a *u/:
Guam-Moam | Moam River | Guam River | |
*-t-/_ʉ a u | *t | *t | |
bamboo | *[C]itam | *[C]itam | |
shin | *itandaŋ | *itandaŋ | |
piece of wood | *[C]atʉap | *atʉap | |
path | *uta[k/ɣ] | *uta[k/ɣ] | |
kunai gress | *utuam[Vn] | *utuam[un] | *utumuan |
knee | *[ɣ₁]it[ʉ/u]ap | *[ɣ₁]utuap | *it[ʉ/u]ap |
skin/bark | *… | *… | *inatʉk |
vine | *ɣ₂aŋgatʉk | *ɣ₂aŋgatʉk | *aŋgatʉk |
stone | *[ɣ₂]aɣutuak | *[ɣ₂]aɣutuak | *aɣutuak |
Medial /*s/ is retained as such in both families:
Guam-Moam | Moam River | Guam River | |
*-s- | *s | *s | |
spirit sp. | *asiŋ | *asiŋ | *asiŋ |
crocodile | *asik | *asik | *asik |
Medial velar plain stop /*k/ is retained as such in both families when followed by non-high front vowels /*ʉ *a *u/:
Guam-Moam | Moam River | Guam River | |
*-k-/_ʉ a u | *k | *k | |
mouth | *akam | *akam | *akam |
rat | *ukat | *ukuat | *ukar |
1 sg. | *uku | *uku[aɣ] | *uku |
bamboo | *uk[u]am | *uk[u]am | |
smoke | *ukuaj | *ukuaj | *ukuaj |
cassowary | *mandʉkam | *mandVkVm | *andʉkam |
ear | *ɣ₂ukuar | *ɣ₂ukuar | *ukuar |
When followed by high front vowel /*i/, medial /*k/ is palatalized to /*s/ in Guam River:
Guam-Moam | Moam River | Guam River | |
*-k-/_i | *k | *s | |
snake | *ukiak | *ukiak | *usiak |
Medial prenasalized bilabial stop /*mb/ is retained as such in both families:
Guam-Moam | Moam River | Guam River | |
*-mb- | *mb | *mb | |
saliva | *imbasar | *imbasar | |
old (man) | *ambʉak | *ambʉak | *ambʉak |
chicken | *[a]mbuat | *umbuat | *ambuar |
house | *[C]ambʉɣ | *ambʉɣ | |
stick | *umbʉan | *umbʉan | *umbʉan |
upper leg | *umbuam | *umbuam | *umbuam |
head | *[r]amban | *amban | |
tanget | *ɣ₂ambaŋ | *ɣ₂ambaŋ | *ambaŋ |
thigh | *ɣ₂[a]mbuan | *ɣ₂umbuan | *ambuan |
shoulder | *ɣ₂umbʉak | *ɣ₂umbʉak |
Medial apical prenasalized stop /*nd/ is retained as such in both families:
Guam-Moam | Moam River | Guam River | |
*-nd- | *nd | *nd | |
shin | *itandaŋ | *itandaŋ | |
younger brother | *indʉaŋ | *indʉaŋ | *[i]ndʉaŋ |
tooth | *andar | *andar | *andar |
tree possum | *anduan | *anduan | *anduan |
spirit sp. | *anduar | *anduar | |
vein | *aŋgʉndʉŋ | *aŋgʉndʉŋ | |
stump | *unduam | *unduam | *unduam |
fence/wall | *unduaŋ | *unduaŋ | *unduaŋ |
male | *unduar | *unduar | |
cassowary | *mandʉkam | *mandVkVm | *andʉkam |
root | *ɣ₁undʉar | *ɣ₁undʉar | *ʉndʉar |
Medial velar prenasalized stop /*ŋg/ is retained as such in both families when followed by non-high front vowels /*ʉ *a *u/:
Guam-Moam | Moam River | Guam River | |
*-ŋg- | *ŋg | *ŋg | |
young/new | *iŋgam | *iŋgam | |
ground possum | *iŋgʉan | *iŋgʉan | |
ground possum | *iŋgʉan | *iŋgʉan | |
belly/stomach | *iŋguan | *iŋguan | *[u]ŋguan |
vein | *aŋgʉndʉŋ | *aŋgʉndʉŋ | |
leg | *aŋgar | *aŋgar | *aŋgar |
mosquito | *aŋguan | *aŋguan | *aŋguan |
crocodile | *uŋguam | *uŋguam | |
bird | *uŋgarak | *uŋguarak | *uŋgarak |
testicles | *mVŋgʉan | *muŋgʉan | *Vŋgʉan |
1 dl. | *naŋgV | *naŋgi | *aŋgʉ |
2 dl. | *nuŋgV | *nuŋgi | *uŋgʉ |
vine | *ɣ₂aŋgatʉk | *ɣ₂aŋgatʉk | *aŋgatʉk |
When followed by high front vowel /*i/, medial /*ŋg/ is palatalized to /*ndz/ in Guam River:
Guam-Moam | Moam River | Guam River | |
*-ŋg-/_i | *ŋg | *ndz | |
breast | *uŋgi[a]ɣ | *uŋgiaɣ | *undzuɣ |
sago | *jaŋgiaɣ | *jaŋgiaɣ | *andziɣ |
Medial /*w/ is retained as such in both families:
Guam-Moam | Moam River | Guam River | |
*-w- | *w | *w | |
bone | *ɣ₁awaŋ | *ɣ₁awaŋ | *awaŋ |
Medial /*r/ is retained as such in both families:
Guam-Moam | Moam River | Guam River | |
*-r- | *r | *r | |
bird | *uŋgarak | *uŋguarak | *uŋgarak |
Medial /*j/ …:
Guam-Moam | Moam River | Guam River |
*-j- | ||
Medial /*ɣ/ is retained as such in both families:
Guam-Moam | Moam River | Guam River | |
*-ɣ- | *ɣ | *ɣ | |
stone | *[ɣ₂]aɣutuak | *[ɣ₂]aɣutuak | *aɣutuak |
Only a restricted set of consonants occurs finally, including nasals /*m *n *ŋ/, plain stops /*p *t *s *k/ and non-stops /*r *j *ɣ/.
Final /*m/ is retained as such in both families:
Guam-Moam | Moam River | Guam River | |
*-m | *m | *m | |
bamboo | *[C]itam | *[C]itam | * |
mouth | *akam | *akam | *akam |
upper leg | *umbuam | *umbuam | *umbuam |
stump | *unduam | *unduam | *unduam |
bamboo | *uk[u]am | *uk[u]am | |
crocodile | *uŋguam | *uŋguam | |
cassowary | *mandʉkam | *mandVkVm | *andʉkam |
Final /*n/ is retained as such in both families:
Guam-Moam | Moam River | Guam River | |
*-n | *n | *n | |
ground possum | *iŋgʉan | *iŋgʉan | |
belly/stomach | *iŋguan | *iŋguan | *[u]ŋguan |
tree possum | *anduan | *anduan | *anduan |
banana | *aŋgʉ[a]n | *aŋgʉ[a]n | *aŋgʉ[a]n |
mosquito | *aŋguan | *aŋguan | *aŋguan |
stick | *umbʉan | *umbʉan | *umbʉan |
testicles | *mVŋgʉan | *muŋgʉan | *Vŋgʉan |
head | *[r]amban | *amban | |
thigh | *ɣ₂[a]mbuan | *ɣ₂umbuan | *ambuan |
Final /*ŋ/ is retained as such in both families:
Guam-Moam | Moam River | Guam River | |
*-ŋ | *ŋ | *ŋ | |
shin | *itandaŋ | *itandaŋ | |
younger brother | *indʉaŋ | *indʉaŋ | *[i]ndʉaŋ |
spirit sp. | *asiŋ | *asiŋ | *asiŋ |
vein | *aŋgʉndʉŋ | *aŋgʉndʉŋ | |
fence/wall | *unduaŋ | *unduaŋ | *unduaŋ |
bone | *ɣ₁awaŋ | *ɣ₁awaŋ | *awaŋ |
tanget | *ɣ₂ambaŋ | *ɣ₂ambaŋ | *ambaŋ |
Final /*p/ is retained as such in both families:
Guam-Moam | Moam River | Guam River | |
*-p | *p | *p | |
piece of wood | *[C]atʉap | *atʉap | |
knee | *[ɣ₁]it[ʉ/u]ap | *[ɣ₁]utuap | *it[ʉ/u]ap |
Final /*t/ is merged with /*r/ in Guam River:
Guam-Moam | Moam River | Guam River | |
*-t | *t | *r | |
chicken | *[a]mbuat | *umbuat | *ambuar |
rat | *ukat | *ukuat | *ukar |
Final /*s/ is retained as such in both families:
Guam-Moam | Moam River | Guam River |
*-s | *s | *s |
Final /*k/ is retained as such in both families:
Guam-Moam | Moam River | Guam River | |
*-k | *k | *k | |
group | *-Vpak | *-Vpak | |
old (man) | *ambʉak | *ambʉak | *ambʉak |
crocodile | *asik | *asik | *asik |
snake | *ukiak | *ukiak | *usiak |
bird | *uŋgarak | *uŋguarak | *uŋgarak |
areca nut. | *… | *mindz[i]ak | |
heart | *mun[ʉ/u][a]k | *munuk | *unʉ[a]k |
skin/bark | *… | *… | *inatʉk |
vine | *ɣ₂aŋgatʉk | *ɣ₂aŋgatʉk | *aŋgatʉk |
stone | *[ɣ₂]aɣutuak | *[ɣ₂]aɣutuak | *aɣutuak |
shoulder | *ɣ₂umbʉak | *ɣ₂umbʉak |
Prenasalized stops /*mb *nd *ŋg/ do not occur finally.
Bilabial non-stop /*w/ does not occur finally.
Final /*r/ is retained as such in both families:
Guam-Moam | Moam River | Guam River | |
*-r | *r | *r | |
tooth | *andar | *andar | *andar |
spirit sp. | *anduar | *anduar | |
leg | *aŋgar | *aŋgar | *aŋgar |
male | *unduar | *unduar | |
sea | *maŋar | *maŋar | |
leaf | *rapar | *rapar | *rapar |
arm/hand | *Capar | *Capar | *apar |
root | *ɣ₁undʉar | *ɣ₁undʉar | *ʉndʉar |
ear | *ɣ₂ukuar | *ɣ₂ukuar | *ukuar |
Final /*j/ is retained as such in both families:
Guam-Moam | Moam River | Guam River | |
*-j | *j | *j | |
smoke | *ukuaj | *ukuaj | *ukuaj |
Final /*ɣ/ is retained as such in both families:
Guam-Moam | Moam River | Guam River | |
*-ɣ | *ɣ | *ɣ | |
house | *[C]ambʉɣ | *ambʉɣ | |
mountain | *[C]upuɣ | *upuɣ | |
breast | *uŋgi[a]ɣ | *uŋgiaɣ | *undzuɣ |
tongue | *… | *mimiaɣ | *imVɣ |
sago | *jaŋgiaɣ | *jaŋgiaɣ | *andziɣ |
Pronouns
Guam and Moam Rivers nominative pronouns are reconstructed as follows:
Guam-Moam | Moam River | Guam River | |
1 sg. | *uku | *uku[aC] | *uku |
2 sg. | *un | *unu[aC] | *un |
3 sg. | *ma(-n) | *ma(-n) | *an |
1 pl. | *ani | *ani | *ani |
2 pl. | *uni | *uni[aC] | *uni |
3 pl. | *… | *… | *… |
1 dl. | *naŋgV | *naŋgi | *aŋgʉ |
2 dl. | *nuŋgV | *nuŋgi | *uŋgʉ |
3 dl. | *ma-ni | *ma-ni | *… |
In addition to these, Capell (1951-1952: 142) gives Tanggum first person singular object /na/, the only person in which this distinction is drawn. The originality of /*na/ is demonstrated by outcomparison to Ruboni Range /*na/ with the same meaning (q.v. Capell 1951-1952: 139, Stanhope 1972: 57-58.)
Loans from Ramu Tributaries
[under construction]
… shared with the Tomui River and Sogeram River subgroups of the Ramu Tributaries subfamily of Madang. While some are demonstrably loans as evidenced by otherwise irregular correspondences, it cannot at this point be ruled out that others are legitimate genetic retentions:
Tomui River | Sogeram River | Moam River | Guam River | |
female | ||||
water | *… | — | *… | *… |
sago | — | *ajaŋga | *jaŋgiaɣ | *andziɣ |
bird | *[o/u]ŋgara | — | *uŋguarak | *uŋgarak |
areca nut | *… | *… | *mindzak | |
cassowary | *… | — | *mandVkVm | *andʉkam |
penis/testicles | *mVŋgVn | *mVŋgVn | *muŋgʉan | *Vŋgʉan |
meat/flesh | *muruk | — | *m₂ʉrʉk | *m₂ʉrʉk |
cassowary | — | *mujam | *m₂ajaum | — |
mosquito | *… | *… | *aŋguan | *aŋguan |
bone | *kawaŋ | — | *ɣ₁awaŋ | *awaŋ |
root | *… | *… | *ɣ₁undʉar | *ʉndʉr |