Left May languages

Left May
Arai
Geographic
distribution
Left May River, eastern Sandaun Province and western East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea
Linguistic classificationArai–Samaia or independent language family
  • Left May
Language codes
Glottologleft1242

The Left May or Arai languages are a small language family of half a dozen closely related but not mutually intelligible languages in the centre of New Guinea, in the watershed of the Left May River. There are only about 2,000 speakers in all. Foley (2018) classifies them separately as an independent language family,[1] while Usher (2020) links them with the Amto–Musan languages.[2]

The Left May languages are spoken at the extreme western end of East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea.

Ama is the best documented Left May language.[1]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Foley-Sepik was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "NewGuineaWorld, Arai and Samaia Rivers". Retrieved 2017-12-09.