Saposa

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A language of Papua New Guinea

ISO 639-3
sps
Autonym
Faa Saposa
User Population

2,000 (2015 BTA).

Location

Bougainville province: Buka district, island chain south of Buka Island off northwest coast of Bougainville.

Language Maps
Language Status

7 (Shifting).

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, Saposa-Tinputz
Dialects

Taiof, Saposa (Fa Saposa).

Typology

Taiof dialect: SVO; prepositions; noun classes (common 1, common 2, personal, place-name); articles; causatives; 17 consonants and 5 vowels; inclusive/exclusive pronouns; alienable/inalienable possession; verb serialization.

Language Use

Adults only. Positive attitudes. All shifting to Tok Pisin [tpi]. Many also use English [eng].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: 75%–100%. Literacy rate in L2: 75%–100%. NT: 2001.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Saposa
Writing

Latin script [Latn].