Rawa | Ethnologue

A language of Papua New Guinea

ISO 639: rwo
Alternate Names: Erawa, Erewa, Raua
Autonym: Rawa, Rawa mande
Population: 11,500 (1998 SIL), increasing. 7,000 Rawa and 4,500 Karo.
Location:: Madang province. Rai Coast district (Karo dialect), Upper Ramu district (Rawa dialect); dialects on opposite sides of Finisterre Range.
Language Status: 5 (Developing).
Classification: Trans-New Guinea, Finisterre-Huon, Finisterre, Gusap-Mot
Dialects: Rawa, Karo.
Typology: SOV.
Language Use: Due to migration, use of Tok Pisin [tpi] increasing. All domains with same dialect speaker. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Some also use English [eng]. Also use Tok Pisin [tpi], and are slowly shifting towards it, though it was formerly learned mostly by women through intermarriage.
Language Development: Literacy rate in L1: 20% (Rawa), below 10% (Karo). Literacy rate in L2: 10%–20% can read Tok Pisin [tpi]. Taught in primary schools. Literature. Dictionary. Texts. NT: 1992–2001.
Language Resources: OLAC resources in and about Rawa
Writing: Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments: People report Rawa and Karo dialects seem to be drifting apart. Christian, traditional religion.

Location: Madang province. Rai Coast district (Karo dialect), Upper Ramu district (Rawa dialect); dialects on opposite sides of Finisterre Range.