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In:The Documentarist Turn: From observable linguistic behaviour to typological generalizations
Edited by Sonja Riesberg, Uta Reinöhl and Birgit Hellwig
[Studies in Language Companion Series 240] 2026
► pp. 314–342

Chapter 13
Songs in Eipo, Yale, Awiakay and Meakambut, four Papuan languages

 | Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
ORCiD logo with link | The Australian National University
This content is being prepared for publication; it may be subject to changes.
Abstract
Songs are expressions of creativity and emotion that have great intrinsic value not only to the cultures that produced them, but also to academics from fields such as linguistics and anthropology, who seek to gain deep and meaningful insights into these cultures. Here, we analyse some fascinating aspects of the language of song and related speech acts in four languages of New Guinea. Both structural and semantic aspects of song language are discussed, in order to show the differences between it and everyday speech. Repetitions, metaphor, allusion and unintelligibility are deliberate and prominent features in song language, and this can pose difficult, but not insurmountable, challenges to outsiders who wish to understand (and by extension, translate) the text of the songs.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Setting the scene
    • 2.1The Mek languages
    • 2.2Awiakay and Meakambut land and language
  • 3.Personal journeys and research philosophies
    • 3.1Heeschen
    • 3.2Hoenigman
  • 4.Songs in Eipo, Yale, Awiakay, and Meakambut — overview
    • 4.1Eipo and Yale songs — overview
    • 4.2Awiakay and Meakambut songs — overview
  • 5.Parallelism in verbal art
  • 6.Song language in Eipo, Yale, Awiakay, and Meakambut
    • 6.1Symbolism, evocation and allegory in Mek and Yale songs
      • Dancing-songs
    • 6.2Language, metaphor and allusion in the Awiakay Kaunjambi
  • 7.Offence, criticism and avoidance in Eipo/Yale and Awiakay
  • 8.Conclusion: Engaging with song texts
  • Notes
  • References
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