Petats

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A language of Papua New Guinea

ISO 639-3
pex
Alternate Names
Majugan
User Population

6,340 (2010 SIL).

Location

Bougainville province: Buka Passage district, Hitau, Petats, and Pororan islands off Buka island west coast.

Language Maps
Language Status

6b (Threatened).

Classification
Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Western Oceanic, Meso Melanesian, New Ireland, South New Ireland-Northwest Solomonic, Nehan-North Bougainville, Buka
Dialects

Hitau-Pororan, Matsungan, Sumoun. Reportedly similar to Solos [sol].

Language Use

Many children who live on Pororan Island grow up learning Tok Pisin [tpi] as their first language before learning to speak the vernacular (Schneider 2018). Arguing. Mixed use with Tok Pisin [tpi] in all other domains. Some young people, all adults. Positive attitudes. All also use Tok Pisin [tpi]. Most also use Solos [sol], especially adults. Some also use English [eng]. Some also use Hakö [hao]. Some also use Halia [hla]. Used as L2 by Solos [sol].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: 50%–75%. Literacy rate in L2: 75%–100%. Radio. Bible portions: 1934–1978.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Petats
Writing

Latin script [Latn].