Kiwai, Northeast

A language of Papua New Guinea

ISO 639: kiw
Alternate Names: Urama-Kope
Population: 6,000 (2011 SIL).
Location:: Gulf province.
Language Status: 5 (Developing).
Classification: Trans-New Guinea, Kiwaian
Dialects: Gibaio, Kope (Era River, Gope), Urama, Anigibi (Arigibi), Fomomoto (Era). The differences between Urama and Kope, and Anigibi and Kope, are of a similar significance (2018 H. Schulz).
Typology: SOV; noun head final; dual and trial numbers; case-marking (5 cases); verb marks subject person and number; 6 tenses (2 past, present, 3 future); 12 consonants and 5 vowels (Urama dialect).
Language Use: Used by all. Some also use English [eng]. Some also use Tok Pisin [tpi], increasing among younger generations and those who have travelled for work. A few also use Hiri Motu [hmo], mostly spoken by the elderly generation.
Language Development: Literacy rate in L1: 15%–25%. Literacy rate in L2: 25%–50%. Literature. Videos. Dictionary. Texts. Bible portions: 1987.
Language Resources: OLAC resources in and about Kiwai, Northeast
Writing: Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments: Wurm and Hattori (1981) treat Arigibi dialect as a separate language.

Location: Gulf province.