The structure of Karam: a grammar of a New Guinea Highlands language

Abstract

Karam is spoken in the Bismarck-Schrader Ranges on the northern border of the Western Highlands District of Australian New Guinea. Karam speakers, numbering some 10,000 to 14,000, occupy several valleys both on the Ramu and the Jimi falls of these ranges. On the Ramu fall they occuPY the AiomeRamu slopes, the Asai Valley, and the Upper Simbai Valley as far east as Songuvak on the northern side and Tembiamp on the southern side. On the Jimi fall they occupy the Aunjang and Kaiment Valleys, and the Upper Kaironk Valley as far west as Aynong Resthouse. 1.2 External relationships of Karam. Wurm states that Karam is related to but is not a member of his East New Guinea Highland? Stock, a stock to which he assigns 50 of the 60-odd languages spoken in the three Highlands districts of Australian New Guinea. On the basis of lexicostatistical and typological evidence (see Appendix A) Wurm claims that Karam, together with the East New Guinea Highlands Stock and several other languages spoken in Australian Highlands form a micro-phylum which he calls the East New Guinea Highlands