Page Type: languageUnua | Ethnologue

ONU ISO 639-3

Unua

Unua Autonym

A language of Vanuatu

ISO 639
onu
Alternate Names
Onua
Autonym
Unua
Population
1,050 (Pearce 2015), increasing.
Location:
Malampa province: east Malekula island. Batabbu, Batabong, Black Sands, Penamor, and Ruxbo villages (Unua dialect). Hemertabos, Pandeur, Rembe, Rerep, Retchar, and Tisman villages (Pangkumu dialect).
Language Status
6a (Vigorous).
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, Malekula Coastal
Dialects
Unua, Pangkumu.
Typology
SVO; noun head initial; dual number; 20 consonants and 5 vowels; stress on penultimate syllable; exclusive/inclusive pronouns.
Language Use
Use Bislama [bis] for church and meetings. Home, local activities. Used by all. All also use Bislama [bis] (Pearce 2015).
Language Development
Literature. Grammar. Texts. Bible portions: 1892–1950.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Unua
Writing
Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments
Christian.

Also Spoken in

Map

Location: Malampa province: east Malekula island. Batabbu, Batabong, Black Sands, Penamor, and Ruxbo villages (Unua dialect). Hemertabos, Pandeur, Rembe, Rerep, Retchar, and Tisman villages (Pangkumu dialect).