North Sarawakan languages

North Sarawakan
Geographic distribution:	Northern Sarawak, Borneo
Linguistic classification:	Austronesian Malayo-Polynesian Indo-Melanesian Bornean ? North Sarawakan
Subdivisions:	Kayan–Murik (incl. Kenyah) Melanau–Bintulu Kelabitic Berawan – Lower Baram

The North Sarawakan languages consist of several groups Austronesian languages spoken in the northeastern part of the province of Sarawak, Borneo.

A 2008 analysis of the Austronesian Basic Vocabulary Database found full support for the unity of the North Sarawakan languages. Blust (1991), cited in Adelaar & Himmelmann (2005), had specifically excluded the Kayan (Kayan-Murik) languages, though including the neighboring Kenyah languages. However, the 2008 study found Kenyah to fall within Kayan-Murik, and that all were North Sarawakan:

North Sarawakan languages

• Kayan–Murik (incl. Kenyah)
• Melanau–Bintulu
• Berawan–Kelabitic (90% support)
  • Kelabitic
  • Berawan – Lower Baram

In addition, the Punan–Nibong languages, not addressed by Adelaar & Himmelmann or the 2008 study, are suggested by Ethnologue 15 to be closest to Kenyah.

References

• K. Alexander Adelaar and Nikolaus Himmelmann, The Austronesian languages of Asia and Madagascar. Routledge, 2005.
• Austronesian Basic Vocabulary Database