Reconstruction:Proto-Trans-New Guinea/nok

This Proto-Trans-New Guinea entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Trans-New Guinea

Etymology

**ok is one of Joseph Greenberg's (1971) Indo-Pacific etymologies. Wanderwort that is widespread in Sahul; also widespread in Australian languages. Compare Proto-Pama-Nyungan *nguku (Alpher 2004).

Alternative reconstructions

• *okV

Noun

*nok

1. water

Descendants

• Madang: *yaŋgu (Proto-Madang)
• Kainantu–Goroka:
  • Gende: nogoi
• Yareban:
  • Yareba: ogo
• Greater Awyu:
  • Wambon: ok ‘water, river’
  • Mandobo Atas: ok ‘water, river’

References

• Pawley, Andrew; Hammarström, Harald (2018). "The Trans New Guinea family". In Palmer, Bill (ed.). The Languages and Linguistics of the New Guinea Area: A Comprehensive Guide. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. pp. 21–196. →ISBN.