title: Tonda languages
text: # Tonda languages
  
  The Tonda languages form a branch of the Yam language family of southern New Guinea. There are over 10 languages.
  
  Tonda languages share some areal features are shared with the Kolopom languages.
  
  ## Languages
  
  The Tonda languages are:
  
  ### Tonda / West Morehead River
  
  * Arammba
  * Central Morehead River: Anta, Kómnzo, Wára, Wérè, Kémä, Kánchá
  * Warta Thuntai
  * Bensbach River
     * Upper Bensbach River
        * Mblafe–Ránmo
        * Ngarna–Rema
           * Nggarna (Sota)
           * Rema
     * Kanum
        * Ngkolmpu: Ngkâlmpw/Ngkontar, Bädi
        * South Kanum: Bârkâli-Smärki, Tämer
  
  Notes (see Evans 2018: 681):
  
  * Each terminal bullet point lists a different dialect chain.
  * Ránmo is linguistically a dialect of Mblafe, but Ránmo speakers consider their language to be a separate, distinct language.
  * Wérè is linguistically a dialect of Wára, but Wèré speakers consider their language to be a separate, distinct language.
  
  ## Numeral typology
  
  Tonda languages are unique for their base-6 numeral systems, which likely originated from counting yams (rather than fingers or body parts as with most other languages).
  
  