Mussau-Emira
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A language of Papua New Guinea
6,000 (2015 SIL), increasing. Ethnic population: 6,000 (2015 SIL). Includes 3,500 in the traditional area (2015 J. Brownie).
New Ireland province: Emira, Mussau, and Saint Matthias Islands northwest of Kavieng; Goroka, Kavieng, Lae, Madang, and Port Moresby.
5 (Developing).
Emira (Emirau), Western Mussau, Southern Mussau, Eastern Mussau.
SVO; noun head initial; dual, trial and paucal numbers; causatives; 11 consonants and 5 vowels; stress on penultimate syllable; inclusive/exclusive pronouns; alienable/inalienable possession.
Vigorous. Spoken by nearly all. Passed on to children in the traditional area, and some elsewhere, except in mixed marriages. Tenis ethnic group also uses Emira dialect. Most domains, local administration, commerce, education in early grades, oral and some written use in church, personal letters. Used by all. Positive attitudes. All also use Tok Pisin [tpi]. Most also use English [eng]. Used as L2 by Tenis [tns].
Christian.