Word Order Facts
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The Trans-New Guinea languages

Language family · Papunesia

WALS includes 98 Trans-New Guinea languages in 46 branches; all of them are in Papunesia.

All 68 members coded for basic word order are subject-object-verb (SOV).

The most solid shared trait: all 73 members coded for Order of Subject and Verb have subject precedes verb (SV).

Of these, 14 have a full page on this site.

Every Trans-New Guinea language in WALS, placed at the point the atlas gives for it.

Word order against the world

Members with at least 30 coded features, compared with every language WALS codes for each pairing.

dependent before the headboth or otherafter the head

  • Subject and verb
    Trans-New Guineabefore: 24100% · none of 24
    All WALSbefore: 1192both or other: 110after: 19480% · 13% of 1,496
  • Object and verb
    Trans-New Guineabefore: 24100% · none of 24
    All WALSbefore: 712both or other: 101after: 70547% · 46% of 1,518
  • Noun phrase and adposition
    Trans-New Guineabefore: 23100% · none of 23
    All WALSbefore: 577both or other: 96after: 51149% · 43% of 1,184
  • Genitive and noun
    Trans-New Guineabefore: 22100% · none of 22
    All WALSbefore: 685both or other: 96after: 46855% · 37% of 1,249
  • Adjective and noun
    Trans-New Guineabefore: 5after: 1723% · 77% of 22
    All WALSbefore: 373both or other: 115after: 87927% · 64% of 1,367
  • Demonstrative and noun
    Trans-New Guineabefore: 6after: 1430% · 70% of 20
    All WALSbefore: 551both or other: 84after: 59045% · 48% of 1,225
  • Numeral and noun
    Trans-New Guineabefore: 2both or other: 2after: 199% · 83% of 23
    All WALSbefore: 479both or other: 67after: 60842% · 53% of 1,154
  • Relative clause and noun
    Trans-New Guineabefore: 4both or other: 5after: 627% · 40% of 15
    All WALSbefore: 141both or other: 104after: 57917% · 70% of 824
  • Degree word and adjective
    Trans-New Guineabefore: 3after: 925% · 75% of 12
    All WALSbefore: 227both or other: 62after: 19247% · 40% of 481

Shared and split traits

Where the family agrees most
FeatureMost frequent valueMembers
Order of Subject and VerbSubject precedes verb (SV)73 of 73
Order of Object and VerbObject precedes verb (OV)73 of 73
Order of Subject, Object and VerbSubject-object-verb (SOV)68 of 68
Order of Adposition and Noun PhrasePostpositions53 of 53
Front Rounded VowelsNone23 of 23
Passive ConstructionsThere is no passive construction18 of 18
Comitatives and InstrumentalsDifferentiation18 of 18
Number of Possessive NounsNone reported17 of 17
Where it is most divided
FeatureLargest groupMembers
Occurrence of Nominal PluralityNo nominal plural3 of 10
Locus of Marking in Possessive Noun PhrasesPossessor is head-marked5 of 15
Definite ArticlesNeither definite nor indefinite article8 of 22
Order of Relative Clause and NounRelative clause precedes noun (RelN)8 of 22
Order of Adverbial Subordinator and ClauseSuffixal adverbial subordinators7 of 19

Members

LanguageBranchBasic orderFeatures coded
AgarabiGauwanot coded21
AmeleMabusoSOV134
BaraiKoiarianSOV31
DagaDaganSOV96
Dani (Lower Grand Valley)DaniSOV101
EipoMeknot coded23
EkariPaniai LakesSOV67
FasuFasunot coded27
ForeFore-Giminot coded24
GadsupGauwanot coded29
GolinChimbu-Wahginot coded20
HamtaiNuclear AnganSOV62
HuaSiane-YagariaSOV42
KewaEnga_Kewa-HuliSOV109
Kiwai (Southern)KiwaianSOV40
KobonKalam-KobonSOV115
KoiariKoiariannot coded31
KombaiNdeiramSOV38
KorowaiBecking-Dawinot coded24
KunimaipaCore GoilalanSOV31
KyakaEnga_Kewa-Hulinot coded20
MarindMarind-YaqaySOV63
MianOknot coded23
NabakHuonnot coded24
Salt-YuiChimbu-WahgiSOV39
SelepetHuonnot coded36
SiroiRai CoastSOV30
SuenaBinandereanSOV84
TauyaRai CoastSOV57
TelefolOknot coded26
UnaMekSOV70
UsanNorth AdelbertSOV91
WahgiChimbu-WahgiSOV37
WambonDumutSOV31
WaskiaKowanSOV44
YagariaSiane-YagariaSOV47
YarebaYarebanSOV36

Not listed: 61 further Trans-New Guinea languages with fewer than 20 coded features.