Page Type: languageBugawac | Ethnologue

BUK ISO 639-3

Bugawac

Bugawac Autonym

A language of Papua New Guinea

ISO 639
buk
Alternate Names
Bukaua, Bukawa, Bukawac, Kawa, Kawac, Yom Gawac
Autonym
Bugawac
Population
12,000 (2011 W. Eckermann). 4,800 monolinguals. Ethnic population: 12,500.
Location:
Morobe province: Huon gulf coast. Central-Western dialect: Buhalu, Cape Arkona, Hec, Tikeleng, Wideru villages; Eastern dialect: Bukawasip, Ulugidu; South Western dialect: Asini, Busamang; Western dialect: Lae city villages.
Language Status
5 (Developing).
Classification
Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Western Oceanic, North New Guinea, Huon Gulf, North
Dialects
Eastern Bugawac, Central-Eastern Bugawac, Central Bugawac, Central-Western Bugawac, Western Bugawac, South-Western Bugawac. Reportedly similar to Yabem [jae].
Typology
Tonal.
Language Use
Vigorous. Yabem [jae] decreasingly used in religious services, being replaced by Bugawac or Tok Pisin [tpi]. Home, community. Used by all. Most also use Tok Pisin [tpi]. Also use Yabem [jae], decreasingly. Used as L2 by Aribwatsa [laz].
Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 80%. Literacy rate in L2: 80% in Tok Pisin [tpi], 15%–25% in Yabem [jae]. Taught in primary schools, in about half the villages. Grammar. NT: 2001.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Bugawac
Writing
Latin script [Latn], used since 2000.

Also Spoken in

Map

Location: Morobe province: Huon gulf coast. Central-Western dialect: Buhalu, Cape Arkona, Hec, Tikeleng, Wideru villages; Eastern dialect: Bukawasip, Ulugidu; South Western dialect: Asini, Busamang; Western dialect: Lae city villages.