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The Ndu languages are the best known language family of the Sepik languages of East Sepik Province in northern Papua New Guinea. Ndu is the word for 'man' in the languages that make up this group. The languages were first identified as a related family by Kirschbaum in 1922.
Along with the Arapesh languages, Ndu languages are among the best documented languages in the Sepik basin, with comprehensive grammars available for many languages.
A diagnostic innovative feature in the Ndu languages is the replacement of the proto-Sepik pronoun *wun ‘I’ with proto-Ndu *an ~ *na.
Also sometimes distinguished are Keak language (close to Iatmul or Sos Kundi), Kwasengen (or Hanga Hundi, close to Ambulas), Burui language (close to Gai Kundi), and Sengo language.
For Ndu languages, the glottalized low vowel is often written as . This does not signify followed by a glottal stop and another .
Ndu languages make use of the general locative case suffix - mb (- m in Manambu language):
Ndu languages have two dative-type case markers, with the forms and meanings varying across languages:
Examples of dative case markers in Abelam language and Manambu language:
Dative case markers are also used to mark animate objects of transitive verbs, which is a Sepik-Ramu areal feature. An example of the Abelam language allative case marker - t:
| ! !! sg !! du !! pl |
Note that there is a gender distinction for first-person pronouns.
| + Proto-Ndu reconstructions by Foley (2005) ! gloss !! proto-Ndu !! Manambu language !! Iatmul language !! Abelam language !! Sawos language !! Boiken language !! Ngala |
| nək |
| riw |
| ŋkɨw |
| mac |
| ya |
| ɲa |
| kamwɨ |
| ŋkəy |
| mɨwɲ |
| nɨmpɨy |
| ampɨ |
| tɨkan |
| mɨyl |
| tamwə |
| rawɨ |
| mɨy |
| cɨ |
| mpwal |
| pyəp |
| mapwɨcɨ |
| cɨvyə |
| təyf |
| kɨ |
| yɨ |
| ya |
| yəlkɨy |
|
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