Tama languages
Introduction The '''Tama languages''' are a small family of three clusters of closely related languages of northern Papua New Guinea, spoken just to the south of Nuku town in eastern Sandaun Province. They are classified as subgroup of the Sepik languages. ''Tama'' is the word for 'man' in the languages that make up this group.Yessan-Mayo and Mehek are the best documented Tama languages.
Languages Usher (2020) classifies the Tama languages as follows,;Tama*Pasi–Yamano: Ayi, Pasi, Yamano (Yessan-Mayo)*Mehek–Pahi: Pahi, Mehek*Wogamus: Wogamusin, ChenapianFoley (2018), following Donald Laycock, provides the following classification. ;Tama*Kalou*Ayi*Pahi, Mehek (Makru)*Pasi, Yessan-Mayo (Yamano)Kalou is actually related to Amal.
Phonology The Tama languages distinguish /r/ and /l/, unlike many other Papuan languages that have only one liquid consonant.
Vocabulary comparison The following basic vocabulary words are from Laycock (1968), as cited in the Trans-New Guinea database:: gloss  Mehek  Pahi  Yessan-Mayo  Yessan-Mayo (Warasai dialect) head terfa  taraʔwey  tara   ear namra  wapray  wan  wan eye lakwo  niaʔwey  la; lə  la nose wiliŋki  fikihinwi  raŋkɨ; raŋki  haŋki tooth mpi  piaʔwey  lər; lir  rir tongue tawul  tafəki  tawlə  kawul leg suwa  huwa  towa; warə  sowa louse nunum  nunum  nɨ; ni  niʔ dog wala  waʔay  wala  wale pig     for   bird fenre  feydey  ap  apu egg lakwo  yaʔwey  yen; yɨn  yan blood kefu  nefum  nap  nap bone yefa  yefa  yaha   skin liki  fuhum  was   breast muku  muwi  mu; mukw  mukw tree moː  muy  me  meʔ man tama  tama  tama; tamə  kama woman tawa  tawa  taː  ka sun nampul  napuy  yabəl; yampəl  yampəl moon nekwa  nefʔa  lup; lɨyf  lüp water okwu  oʔwi  ok; okw  okw fire kiri  irʔi  k-er; kər  kər stone arkwo  hijopey  pa  papə eat     a(m)   one     wurɨ   two lisifu    fes  kes
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