Kuman
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A language of Papua New Guinea
185,000, all users. L1 users: 115,000 (2000 census). L2 users: 70,000 (2021). Few monolinguals.
Chimbu province: northern third; Eastern Highlands province: Daulo, Lufa and Unggai-Benna Lufa districts.
6b (Threatened). Major area language used as a trade language for all the other Chimbu languages.
Kuman, Nagane (Genagane, Genogane), Yongomugl.
SOV; clause chaining, auxiliary verbs with adjuncts.
Vigorous in villages farther from highways and towns, while vitality is lower in the villages closer to the highways and towns (2015 SIL). In all villages, there is mixed use with Tok Pisin [tpi] in church. All domains except church in some villages, mixed use in all domains with Tok Pisin [tpi] in other villages (2015 SIL). Some young people, all adults. Positive attitudes. Most also use Tok Pisin [tpi] (Hardie 2003). Some also use English [eng]. Used as L2 by Chuave [cjv], Dom [doa], Golin [gvf], Kandawo [gam], Nomane [nof], Sinasina [sst], Yui [sll].
Literacy rate in L1: 15%. Literacy rate in L2: 35%–40%. Used in first 3 grades in school. 20,000 can read and write Kuman. Dictionary. Grammar. NT: 2008.
Christian, traditional religion.