Siar-Lak

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A language of Papua New Guinea

ISO 639-3
sjr
Alternate Names
Lak, Lamassa, Lambom, Siar
Autonym
ep warwar anun dat
User Population

2,500 (Rowe 2005).

Location

New Ireland province: Namatanai district.

Language Maps
Language Status

6a (Vigorous).

Classification
Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Western Oceanic, Meso Melanesian, New Ireland, South New Ireland-Northwest Solomonic, Patpatar-Tolai
Dialects

East Coast Siar, West Coast Siar.

Typology

SVO; prepositions; noun head both initial and final; noun classes (common 1, common 2, proper); dual and trial numbers; articles; 15 consonants and 5 vowels; stress on final syllable; inclusive/exclusive pronouns; alienable/inalienable possession; verb serialization.

Language Use

Used by all. All also use Tok Pisin [tpi] (Rowe 2005). Some also use English [eng] (Rowe 2005). Used as L2 by Kandas [kqw], Konomala [koa], Label [lbb].

Language Development

Bible portions: 2007–2012.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Siar-Lak
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Christian, traditional religion.