A Comparative Linguistic Study on Ambai, Ansus, Menawi and Biak Languages in Papua

This study is historical-comparative linguistic research of the languages indigenous peoples in Saireri Bay, Papua province, namely Ambai, Ansus, Menawi, and Biak languages. These are classified as non-Austronesian (SIL, 2000) hypothesized to be closely related. aims find accurate evidence reveal genetic relationship level between these four The study's data consisted Swadesh list's 200 basic words. method applied this a comparative method, supported by observation, interview, documentation techniques. Based on lexicostatistics technique, it was found that quantitative indicated highest related cognates reach 47% lower-level 38%, based from Swedish’s vocabularies. percentage vocabulary higher than other regency. qualitative exclusive shared phonological lexical innovation, strengthening evidence. innovation phoneme PAAMB *j turns into/z/and/d/, *h into/O/on Biak. Besides that, metathesis, omission, addition. In addition, after reconstruction, system Proto-language Ansus-Ambai-Menawi (PAAMB) with segmental phonemes five vowels 15 consonant phonemes. *i, *e, *a, *o, *u, which have complete distribution, consonants (1) distribution *p, *m, *h, (2) initial middle words *b, *w, *f, *t, *d, *n, *s *r, *j, *k, *g, *y, dan *h.