Bunama

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A language of Papua New Guinea

Alternate Names

Kelelegeia

Bunama

User Population

4,000 (1993 SIL).

Milne Bay province: Esa’ala district, south Normanby island.

Language Maps

Papua New Guinea, Map 17

Language Status

5* (Developing).

Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Western Oceanic, Papuan Tip, Nuclear, North Papuan Mainland-D’Entrecasteaux, Dobu-Duau

Bunama, Barabara, Sawatupwa, Lomitawa, Sipupu, Weyoko, Meudana, Kerorogea, Kumalahu, Kasikasi, Sawabwala. Lexical similarity: 66% with Mwatebu [mwa], 75% with most Dobu [dob] dialects.

Also use Dobu [dob]. Used as L2 by ’Auhelawa [kud], Duau [dva].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: 85%. Literacy rate in L2: 85%. NT: 1991.

Language Resources

OLAC resources in and about Bunama

Latin script [Latn].

Traditional religion, Christian.