Suau | Ethnologue

A language of Papua New Guinea

ISO 639: swp
Alternate Names: Iou, Suwau
Autonym: Suau
Population: 20,810, all users. L1 users: 7,810 (2000 census). L2 users: 13,000 (2021).
Location:: Milne Bay province: southeasternmost Papua mainland.
Language Status: 3 (Wider communication). A lingua franca around the south-eastern tip of Papua New Guinea.
Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Western Oceanic, Papuan Tip, Nuclear, Suauic
Dialects: Sinaki (Gadaisu, Gaidasu), Leileiafa, Bona Bona (Amoli, Bonabona, Teka), Dahuni, Suau, Bonarua, Lausaha (Daui, Fife Bay), Maisafana, Sagaho-Savaia.
Language Use: All also use English [eng] (Demian 2000). Also use Buhutu [bxh], especially Sinaki dialect speakers. Also use Hiri Motu [hmo], especially older adults (Demian 2000). Used as L2 by Bauwaki [bwk], Binahari [bxz], Buhutu [bxh], Bwanabwana [tte], Domu [dof], Haigwai [hgw], Magori [zgr], Maiwala [mum], Morawa [mze], Oya’oya [oyy], Saliba [sbe], Tawala [tbo], Wagawaga [wgb], Yaleba [ylb].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L2: High. Dictionary. NT: 1956–1998.
Language Resources: OLAC resources in and about Suau
Writing: Latin script [Latn].

Location: Milne Bay province: southeasternmost Papua mainland.