Traditionally, the languages are classified into two geographic groups: •
South Halmahera languages (along the southeastern coast of
Halmahera, plus one language in the east of the
Bomberai Peninsula). • West New Guinea languages (on the
Raja Ampat Islands west of New Guinea, and the islands and shoreline of
Cenderawasih Bay). The unity of the South Halmahera and Raja Ampat languages is supported by phonological changes noted in Blust (1978) and Remijsen (2002). This results in the following structure: •
Cenderawasih Bay •
Raja Ampat–South Halmahera (RASH) (South Halmahera, in the sea between Halmahera and New Guinea, and Raja Ampat off the western tip of New Guinea) David Kamholz (2014) includes these languages as additional branches: • Irarutu–Nabi:
Irarutu,
Kuri (Nabi) • Bedoanas–Erokwanas:
Arguni,
Bedoanas,
Erokwanas Although the Kowiai language is considered part of SHWNG in Blust's Austronesian Comparative Dictionary, it is not listed as such by Kamholz (2024). Grimes & Edwards include Kowiai within the Seram Laut group. •
Kowiai Kamholz (2014, 2024) The SHWNG languages can be categorized as follows (Kamholz 2014: 136-141, Kamholz 2024: 183): •
South Halmahera–West New Guinea (SHWNG) •
Tandia •
Moor •
Waropen •
Warembori (sometimes considered
non-Austronesian) •
Yoke (sometimes considered
non-Austronesian) •
Raja Ampat–South Halmahera •
Ambel •
Biga •
Salawati (including the
Fiawat dialect) •
As • '''Ma'ya-Matbat''' •
Ma'ya •
Matbat •
South Halmahera •
Gebe •
Central-Eastern South Halmahera •
Buli •
Maba •
Patani •
Sawai •
Southern South Halmahera •
Gane •
Taba •
Nuclear Cenderawasih Bay •
Biakic •
Biak (Numfor) •
Dusner •
Meoswar •
Roon •
Yapen •
Western Yapen (
Central–Western Yapen) •
Ambai •
Ansus •
Marau •
Wandamen •
Woi •
Central Yapen •
Munggui •
Pom •
Papuma •
Serui-Laut •
Busami •
Eastern Yapen •
Kurudu •
Wabo •
Southwest Cenderawasih Bay •
Umar •
Yaur-Yerisiam •
Yaur •
Yerisiam Kamholz (2014) presumes the homeland of proto-SHWNG to be the southern coast of the
Cenderawasih Bay, around 3,500 years ago. Kamholz (2024) revises the tree shown above, separating
Ambel-
Biga into two primary branches of RASH. ==Typology==