Molima

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A language of Papua New Guinea

ISO 639-3
mox
Alternate Names
Ebadidi, Fagululu, Morima, Salakahadi
Autonym
Molima
User Population

3,500 (2009 SIL), increasing.

Location

Milne Bay province: Esa’ala district, Ebadidi, Ni’ubuo, and Salakahadi area inland villages on west Fergusson island; central west coast, Fagululu; central south coast, Molima.

Language Maps
Language Status

5 (Developing).

Classification
Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Western Oceanic, Papuan Tip, Nuclear, North Papuan Mainland-D’Entrecasteaux, Bwaidoga
Dialects

Tola’ai, ’Ai’alu (Ai’alu), Tosila’ai. Tola’ai most prominent; Ai’alu mainly spoken in Fagululu; Tosila’ai is from remote mountains and is shifting to Tola’ai. Lexical similarity: 56% with Dobu [dob].

Typology

SOV (shifts to OSV or SVO depending on focus); mostly postpositions.

Language Use

All domains. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Some also use Dobu [dob], especially men, church and community leaders, traders, and travelers. Used as L2 by Boselewa [bwf], Minaveha [mvn].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: Adults 30%; children 7–12 yrs. 80%. Literacy rate in L2: 20%. Literature. NT: 2010.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Molima
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Molima refers to the south coast, but sometimes to the whole area; Ebadidi, Salakahadi, Ni’ubuo and Fagululu refer to local areas. Traditional religion, Christian.