Reconstruction:Proto-Trans-New Guinea/nok

This Proto-Trans-New Guinea entry contains reconstructed words 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. Cf. Proto-Pama-Nyungan *nguku ~ *nguki (Alpher 2004).

Alternative reconstructions

*okV

Noun

*nok

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.