Nai

Print

Primary tabs

A language of Papua New Guinea

ISO 639-3
bio
Alternate Names
Biaka, Nai-Biaka
User Population

750 (2010 SIL).

Location

Sandaun province: Amanab district, southeast of Angor [agg] language area. 3 large villages.

Language Maps
Language Status

5 (Developing).

Classification
Kwomtari, Nuclear Kwomtari
Dialects

Amini. Lexical similarity: 20% with nearby Kwomtari [kwo] based on 100 basic words; grammar vastly different in major features such as medial verbs and relative clauses.

Language Use

All children, except those in Amini, learn Nai first; vitality in Amini in decline. All domains. Used by all. Also use Tok Pisin [tpi].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: 50%. Literacy rate in L2: 5%–15%. Literature. Dictionary. Texts. Bible portions: 2004.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Nai
Writing

Latin script [Latn].