mˈɪɹiˌæm wʌz klˈæsᵻfˌaɪd ɪnðɪ ˈiːstɚn tɹˈænzflˈaɪ fˈæmɪli ʌvðə tɹˈænz nˈuː ɡˈɪni fˈaɪləm baɪ stˈiːvən wˈɜːm, hˌuː haʊˈɛvɚ fˈɛlt ðæt ðiːz hæv ɹᵻtˈeɪnd ɹˈɛmnənts ʌv pɹˈiːtɹˈænz nˈuː ɡˈɪni lˈæŋɡwɪdʒᵻz; ðɪs ɪz fˈɑːloʊd baɪ ˈɛθnəlˌɑːɡ tˈuː θˈaʊzənd fˈaɪv.
Meriam was classified in the Eastern Trans-Fly family of the Trans–New Guinea Phylum by Stephen Wurm, who however felt that these have retained remnants of pre-Trans–New Guinea languages; this is followed by Ethnologue (2005).