kids encyclopedia robot

Paman languages facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Paman
Geographic
distribution:
Cape York Peninsula, Queensland
Linguistic classification: Pama–Nyungan
  • Paman
Subdivisions:
Paman languages.png
Paman languages (green) among other Pama–Nyungan (tan)

The Paman /ˈpæmən/ languages are an Australian language family spoken on Cape York Peninsula, Queensland. First noted by Kenneth Hale, Paman is noteworthy for the profound phonological changes which have affected some of its descendants.

Classification

Various classifications of the Paman languages exist. The one outlined below is that of R. M. W. Dixon, though he does not accept that these branches are necessarily related to each other.

Geographically, running down the east coast, they are:

Down the west coast, they are:

In the interior, south of Wik, they are:

The name Gugu Mini means 'good speech', and has been applied to several languages in the Thaypan area. 'Possum language' (Koko-Possum, Gugu Yawa) is another generic name of this area.

The unclassified Marrett River language (†) was presumably Paman, though distinct from its neighbors, as presumably was Wik Paach (†). The Mayabic languages (†) to the southwest were once classified as Paman, but have been excluded in Bowern (2011). Alodja may have been another Thaypan / Rarmul Pama language.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Lenguas pama para niños

kids search engine
Paman languages Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.