Information concerning the « Eastern Trans-Fly » languages

Where are these languages spoken?

These languages are spoken in Papua New Guinea.

Total number of speakers (estimates) :

Roughly 7 000 according to the SIL web site www. ethnologue.com

Classification

Bine 2000 speakers according to SIL

Gizrra 1050 speakers according to SIL

Meriam Mir 320 speakers according to SIL

Wipi 3,500 speakers according to SIL

Comments on the classification:

These languages are sometimes classified in the « Trans New Guinea » group. However, there is no consensus on the subject. We have adopted the Ross (2005) classification.

Sources :

Ross, Malcolm, (2005). «Pronouns as a preliminary diagnostic for grouping Papuan languages ». in Andrew Pawley, Robert Attenborough, Robin Hide, Jack Golson, (eds).. Papuan pasts: cultural, linguistic and biological histories of Papuan-speaking peoples. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics. .

Dedicated page on SIL’s ethnologue.com

http://www.ethnologue.com/show_family.asp?subid=183-1