Asmat languages

Asmat is a Papuan language cluster of South Papua.

Languages
The principal varieties, distinct enough to be considered separate languages, are:


 * Asmat
 * Kamrau Bay (Sabakor/Buruwai):
 * Casuarina Coast (Kaweinag), the most divergent
 * North and Central Asmat
 * Citak (Kaünak)
 * North Asmat
 * Central Asmat (dialects: Keenok, Sokoni, Keenakap, Kawenak)

Ethnically, speakers are either Asmat or Citak.

Evolution
Below are some reflexes of proto-Trans-New Guinea proposed by Pawley (2012):

Verbs
In Flamingo Bay Asmat, light verbs are combined with adjuncts to form predicative expressions.


 * e- ‘do’
 * atow e- /play do/ ‘play’
 * caj e- /copulate do/ ‘copulate’
 * yan e- /ear do/ ‘listen’
 * yi- ‘say’
 * po yi- /paddle say/ ‘paddle’
 * yan yi- /ear say/ ‘hear’
 * mesa yi- /saliva say/ ‘spit’
 * af- ‘hit’
 * yaki af- /sneeze hit/ ‘sneeze’
 * namir af- /death hit/ ‘die’
 * omop af- /blow hit/ ‘beat’