Hanseman Languages

The Hanseman languages are a group of closely related languages in New Guinea.

The languages are Baimak–Gal, Bagupi, Nobonob (Garuh), Garus, Mawan, Matepi, Mosimo, Murupi, Nake, Rempi, Rapting, Saruga, Samosa, Utu, Wamas, Silopi, Yoidik, Wagi (Kamba).

"Closely related" is relative to the situation in New Guinea. Ethnologue notes that Wagi, for example, may be most closely related to Nobonob, yet they are only 30% lexically similar.

Malcolm Ross in his 2005 classification of TNG used them to help reconstruct the pronouns of the Mabuso family, saying that "the integrity of the Mabuso group is fairly obvious", suggesting that Mabuso is a recent development, but Ethnologue 16 placed the Hanseman languages directly under Croisilles.


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