The Bulaka River languages are a pair of closely related Papuan languages, Yelmek and Maklew, on the Bulaka River in Indonesian South Papua. They are ethnically Yab (Jab); their speech is Yabga (Jabga).
Languages
Yelmek is spoken west of Merauke Regency, between the Digul River and Mbian River, (from north to south) in the villages of Wanam, Bibikem, Woboyo, and Dodalim. Maklew is spoken in Welbuti village. The former two villages are located in Ilwayab district, and the latter three in Tubang district. ==Classification==
Classification
The two languages are transparently related. Ross (2005) tentatively included them in the proposed Trans-Fly – Bulaka River family, but Usher, who reconstructs that family, does not connect Bulaka River to any other language family. ==Proto-language==
Proto-language
Phonology Usher (2014) reconstructs the consonant inventory as follows. : ==References==