Lewo | Ethnologue

A language of Vanuatu

ISO 639: lww
Alternate Names: Varsu
Autonym: Lewo
Population: 2,200 (Lynch and Crowley 2001). Only very elderly and very young are monolingual.
Location:: Shefa province: east Epi island, Varmali and Varsu regions.
Language Status: 5 (Developing).
Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, North and Central Vanuatu, Northeast Vanuatu-Banks Islands, Epi, Lamenu-Baki, Lamenu-Lewo
Dialects: Tasiko, Mate-Nul-Filakara. Lexical similarity: borderline with Lamenu [lmu] but strong community perception that it is a different language.
Typology: Tripartite disjunctive negative construction; 14 consonants and 5 vowels; length contastive for all vowels; stress mostly on penultimate syllable.
Language Use: Some use in religious domain. Used by all. Positive attitudes. All also use Bislama [bis]. Many also use Lamenu [lmu], especially adults (Early 2002). Used as L2 by Lamenu [lmu].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L1: 50%. Literacy rate in L2: 40%. Taught in primary schools. Literature. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. NT: 2016–2019.
Language Resources: OLAC resources in and about Lewo
Writing: Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments: Christian.

Location: Shefa province: east Epi island, Varmali and Varsu regions.