Berik

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A language of Indonesia

ISO 639-3
bkl
Alternate Names
Berick, Berrik, Sewan Teteris, Upper Tor
User Population

1,200 (1994 SIL).

Location

Papua province: Sarmi regency, Tor Atas sub-district, Beu, Bora Bora, Dangken, Doronta, Kondirjan, Safrontani, Sewan, Somanente, Taminambor, Tenwer, Togonfo, and Waf villages; north coast, mid and upper Tor river, inland from Sarmi peninsula.

Language Maps
Language Status

6b (Threatened).

Classification
Tor-Kwerba, Orya-Tor, Tor
Dialects

None known. Lexical similarity: 45% with Keijar [kdy], 13% with Orya [ury].

Typology

SOV; postpositions; 2 genders (masculine, feminine); dual number; verb affixes mark gender and number; nominative-accusative; 16 consonants and 6 vowels.

Language Use

Some young people, all adults. Also use Papuan Malay [pmy]. Used as L2 by Mander [mqr].

Language Development

Dictionary. NT: 1993.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Berik
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Formerly the trade language of Tor area. Christian, traditional religion.