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Glite Dictionary
🌴 From Papua 🧑🏾 A native person 🧑🏾 Person from Papua 🗣️ Indigenous languages
Papuan

Papuan

9.9
A native language of New Guinea, New Britain, or the Solomon Islands not related to Pacific island languages
  • noun
  • /ˈpæp.ju.ən/
  • Specialized
: lengua papuana
  • Linguists have identified more than 800 distinct Papuan languages spoken in Papua New Guinea.

Examples

  • The grammar of a typical Papuan language can differ significantly from that of neighboring Austronesian tongues.

  • The Papuan languages are incredibly diverse.

  • Linguists have identified more than 800 distinct Papuan languages in Papua New Guinea alone.

  • Many Papuan languages are spoken by relatively small communities in remote areas.

  • Many Papuan dialects are spoken in the region.

  • Many Papuan languages are still actively used by small communities in remote areas.

  • The grammar of a typical Papuan language often contrasts with that of nearby languages.

Synonyms

Papuan language
vsPapuan
  • Specialized
9.9

A native language of Papua New Guinea, New Britain, or the Solomon Islands that is not Malayo-Polynesian

is a shorter label used as an adjective for the same group

Compounds

Papuan language
  • Specialized
9.9

A native language of Papua New Guinea, New Britain, or the Solomon Islands that is not Malayo-Polynesian

Surface Forms

Papuan singular
Papuan plural

Morphology

Papuan = Papua (transparent) = Papua + an

Denominal formation from 'Papua' with the productive suffix '-an' to name the languages or people associated with the place.

Etymology

Papuan comes from the island name Papua, which probably comes from a Malay word papuah meaning 'frizzy-haired' that early sailors used to describe the local people. So Papuan languages are the many native languages 'from Papua'.