Hewa

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A language of Papua New Guinea

ISO 639-3
ham
Alternate Names
Sisimin, Taduaguay, Yoliapi
User Population

4,800 (2014 SIL). 1,600 monolinguals (2001 UNESCO). Ethnic population: 4,800 (2014 SIL).

Location

Enga province: Lagaip district; Sandaun province: Telefomin district; Hela province: Koroba district; Lagaip river area, mountains north of Duna [duc] and Ipili [ipi] language areas; south of Lagaip river northward to Central range high peaks (boundary between Sepik region and the highlands).

Language Maps
Language Status

6a (Vigorous).

Classification
Sepik, Sepik Hill, Sanio
Dialects

Upper Lagaip, Central Lagaip, Lower Lagaip, North Hewa. Potentially 7–8 dialects. Some are mutually intelligible, while others are highly divergent from the others (2014 SIL).

Typology

SOV.

Language Use

Vigorous. Use of Hewa is the norm (2014 SIL). All domains except church, where there is mixed use with Tok Pisin [tpi] (2014 SIL). Used by all. Some also use Duna [duc]. Some also use Tok Pisin [tpi]. Also use English [eng]. Also use Ipili [ipi]. Also use Oksapmin [opm].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: Below 2%. Literacy rate in L2: 5%–15%. 25 or fewer can read it, 10 or fewer can write it. Bible portions: 1985–2019.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Hewa
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Seminomadic. Traditional religion, Christian.