Abu

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A language of Papua New Guinea

ISO 639-3
ado
Alternate Names
Adjora, Adjoria, Azao
User Population

4,200 (2000 census). 820 Sabu, 3,380 Abu.

Location

Madang and East Sepik provinces: between Angoram, Ramu, and Sepik rivers; northwest of Madang. 22 villages.

Language Maps
Language Status

6a (Vigorous).

Classification
Ramu-Lower Sepik, Ramu, Grass
Dialects

Abu, Auwa, Sabu. Intelligibility among dialects sufficient to understand each other’s complex and abstract discourse. Most closely related to Waran [byz]. Sabu in northeast language region. Auwa may be a different language.

Typology

SOV; postpositions; genitives before noun heads; articles, adjectives, numerals, relatives after noun heads; word order distinguishes subjects, objects, indirect objects; CV, CVC, CCV, V, VC; nontonal.

Language Use

Used by all. Positive attitudes. Also use English [eng], especially educated young and middle-age adults. Also use Tok Pisin [tpi].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 3%–5% in Tok Pisin [tpi]. Literature. Bible portions: 2006.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Abu
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Christian.