Lewo

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A language of Vanuatu

ISO 639-3
lww
Alternate Names
Varsu
Autonym
Lewo
User Population

2,200 (Lynch and Crowley 2001). Only very elderly and very young are monolingual.

Location

Shefa province: east Epi island, Varmali and Varsu regions.

Language Maps
Language Status

5 (Developing).

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, Epi, Lamenu-Baki, Lamenu-Lewo
Dialects

Tasiko, Mate-Nul-Filakara. Lexical similarity: borderline with Lamenu [lmu] but strong community perception that it is a different language.

Typology

Tripartite disjunctive negative construction; 14 consonants and 5 vowels; length contastive for all vowels; stress mostly on penultimate syllable.

Language Use

Some use in religious domain. Used by all. Positive attitudes. All also use Bislama [bis]. Many also use Lamenu [lmu], especially adults (Early 2002). Used as L2 by Lamenu [lmu].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: 50%. Literacy rate in L2: 40%. Literature. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. NT: 2016–2019.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Lewo
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Christian.