Vurës

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A language of Vanuatu

ISO 639-3
msn
Alternate Names
Vetumboso, Vuras, Vureas
Autonym
Vurës
User Population

2,000 (Malau 2016).

Location

Torba province: Banks Islands group, Vanua Lava island, southeast.

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, East Vanuatu
Dialects

Mwesen (Mosin, Mosina). Mwesen has 10 speakers (2020 A. François). Lexical similarity: 88% with Mwesen.

Typology

SVO; prepositions; causatives; 15 consonant and 9 vowel phonemes; stress on final syllable; dual number; inclusive/exclusive pronouns.

Language Use

Vigorous. Most key domains. Positive attitudes. Also use Bislama [bis], especially at church and with outsiders (Malau 2016). Used as L2 by Vera’a [vra].

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Vurës
Writing

Latin script [Latn], limited usage.