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Which Papuan language families are found in the Sepik-Ramu basin?
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Papuan languages
Map of the languages found on the Doberai Peninsula of New Guinea.
In the Sepik-Ramu basin of the north coast of Papua New Guinea, the major language families identified are:
- Lower Sepik-Ramu family: Spoken along the lower reaches of the Sepik and Ramu rivers, as well as in adjoining riverine and coastal regions.1
- Sepik family: Found in the middle region of the Sepik River and surrounding areas to the north and south.1
- Sko family: Spoken along the north coast of New Guinea and near the border between Papua and Papua New Guinea.1
Additionally, the Torricelli family is spoken in the Torricelli Mountains, located between the north coast and the Sepik River; this family is noted for being highly divergent from other Papuan languages in the basin as well as from the Trans-New Guinea family.1