In the classifications of
Malcolm Ross (2005) and Timothy Usher (2020), Sumeri forms an independent branch of the
Trans–New Guinea family, but Palmer (2018) classifies it as a
language isolate. It does not fit in with any of the established branches of TNG, but based on what little data there is, it would seem to be closest to either the Berau Gulf branches (i.e.
South Bird's Head,
West Bomberai etc.) or the
Asmat–Mombum languages and their relatives further east. Sumeri has previously been linked to the
Mairasi languages, but those do not share the TNG pronouns of Sumeri. The Sumeri pronouns are: : There are no 3rd-person personal pronouns, only demonstratives. The pronouns appear to reflect pTNG *na 1sg, *ga 2sg, and *gi 2pl. ==Vocabulary==