Suau

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A language of Papua New Guinea

ISO 639-3
swp
Alternate Names
Iou, Suwau
Autonym
Suau
User Population

20,810, all users. L1 users: 7,810 (2000 census). L2 users: 13,000 (2021).

Location

Milne Bay province: southeasternmost Papua mainland.

Language Maps
Language Status

3 (Wider communication). A lingua franca around the south-eastern tip of Papua New Guinea.

Classification
Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Western Oceanic, Papuan Tip, Nuclear, Suauic
Dialects

Sinaki (Gadaisu, Gaidasu), Leileiafa, Bona Bona (Amoli, Bonabona, Teka), Dahuni, Suau, Bonarua, Lausaha (Daui, Fife Bay), Maisafana, Sagaho-Savaia.

Language Use

All also use English [eng] (Demian 2000). Also use Buhutu [bxh], especially Sinaki dialect speakers. Also use Hiri Motu [hmo], especially older adults (Demian 2000). Used as L2 by Bauwaki [bwk], Binahari [bxz], Buhutu [bxh], Bwanabwana [tte], Domu [dof], Haigwai [hgw], Magori [zgr], Maiwala [mum], Morawa [mze], Oya’oya [oyy], Saliba [sbe], Tawala [tbo], Wagawaga [wgb], Yaleba [ylb].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: High. Dictionary. NT: 1956–1998.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Suau
Writing

Latin script [Latn].