Britannica Sources used in this answer

Which language families are possible members of the Trans-New Guinea group?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Papuan languages Map of the languages found on the Doberai Peninsula of New Guinea.

The Trans-New Guinea family is the largest group of Papuan languages, and while its core membership is well-established, several other language families are considered potential members. Their inclusion remains speculative and requires further rigorous comparative linguistic analysis to confirm genetic relationships.12

The list of language families that are possible members of the Trans-New Guinea group includes:

Enga family1
Chimbu family1
Binandere family1
Angan language family1
Ok family1
Awyu family1
Mek family1
Asmat family1
Koiarian family1
Goilalan family1

Additionally, the large Madang family is considered highly likely to be part of the Trans-New Guinea family. If these potential connections are ultimately verified, the Trans-New Guinea group would encompass nearly 300 languages and account for at least 50 percent of the total Papuan-speaking population.1