Lelepa

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A language of Vanuatu

ISO 639-3
lpa
Alternate Names
Havannah Harbour
User Population

500 (Lacrampe 2014).

Location

Shefa province: west Efate island, Lelepa island, Mangaliliu and Napkoa.

Language Maps
Language Status

6a (Vigorous).

Classification
Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, North and Central Vanuatu, Northeast Vanuatu-Banks Islands, Central Vanuatu
Dialects

Formerly thought a dialect of North Efate [llp]. Also related to South Efate [erk]. 84% inherent intelligibility of Eton [etn], 88% of South Efate.

Typology

SVO; prepositions; noun head initial; indefinite and definite determiners; 14 consonants and 5 vowels, including 2 labiovelar consonants; stress typically on penultimate syllable; alienable/inalienable possession; inclusive/exclusive pronouns; serial verb constructions; mood and transitivity marking with stem initial mutation.

Language Use

Used by all. Also use Bislama [bis]. Also use English [eng]. Also use French [fra]. Also use North Efate [llp]. Also use South Efate [erk]. Used as L2 by Eton [etn].

Language Development

Grammar. Bible portions: 1877–1883.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Lelepa
Writing

Latin script [Latn], no longer in use.