Meso-Melanesian languages

Meso-Melanesian
Geographic distribution:	Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands
Linguistic classification:	Austronesian Malayo-Polynesian Oceanic Western Oceanic Meso-Melanesian
Glottolog:	meso1253[1]

The Meso-Melanesian languages are a moderately supported group of Oceanic languages spoken in the large Melanesian islands of New Ireland and the Solomon Islands east of New Guinea.

Composition

The languages of New Ireland are part of the Meso-Melanesian linkage.

The languages group as follows:^[2]

• Willaumez linkage: Bola, Bulu, Meramera, Nakanai
• Bali–Vitu: Bali (Uneapa), Vitu (Muduapa) [may be a single language]
• New Ireland – Northwest Solomonic linkage
  • Tungag–Nalik family: Tigak, Tungag, Nalik, ?Laxudumau, Kara, Tiang
  • Tabar linkage: Madara (Tabar), Lihir, Notsi
  • Madak linkage: Barok, Lavatbura-Lamusong, Madak
  • Tomoip
  • St George linkage
    • Tangga
    • Sursurunga
    • Konomala
    • Patpatar–Tolai: Patpatar, Lungalunga (Minigir), Tolai (Kuanua)
    • Label–Bilur: Label, Bilur
    • Kandas–Ramoaaina: Kandas, Ramoaaina
    • Siar
    • Northwest Solomonic linkage

Ethnologue adds Guramalum to the St George linkage.

The Willaumez Peninsula on the north coast of New Britain was evidently the center of dispersal.

References

1. Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin; Bank, Sebastian, eds. (2016). "Meso-Melanesian linkage". Glottolog 2.7. Jena: Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.
2. Lynch, John; Malcolm Ross; Terry Crowley (2002). The Oceanic languages. Richmond, Surrey: Curzon. ISBN 9780700711284. OCLC 48929366. Cite uses deprecated parameter |coauthors= (help)