Word Classes in Timor–Alor–Pantar and The Papuan Region

Abstract

Abstract This chapter describes the word classes of the Timor–Alor–Pantar (TAP) family of Papuan languages, located 1,000 kilometres west of the New Guinea mainland. The TAP family comprises some 25 languages, and this study is based on a genealogically balanced sample of eight of these: Teiwa or Kaera of the Pantar-Straits subgroup, Adang and Abui of the Alor subgroup, Sawila or Wersing of the East Alor subgroup, and Bunaq or Makasae/Makalero of the Timor subgroup. Salient characteristics of the verbs, nouns, adjectives, adpositions, adverbs, and numerals are discussed, followed by a section on category-changing morphology and multifunctional words. It is pointed out that, despite the heavy dominance of the national language Indonesian, Indonesian influence on the lexicons of the TAP languages is still limited. Word classes in TAP languages share many features with other Papuan languages, in particular those of the Trans New Guinea family, though significant differences remain.