Haruai | Ethnologue

A language of Papua New Guinea

ISO 639: tmd
Alternate Names: Harway, Taman, Waibuk, Wiyau, Wiyaw, Wovan
Autonym: Haruai
Population: 2,000 (2000 SIL). Many monolinguals.
Location:: Madang province: southwest Mid-Ramu district, west Schrader range, west of the Kobon [kpw] language area.
Language Status: 5 (Developing).
Classification: Piawi
Dialects: North Waibuk (Hamil), Central Waibuk (Mambar), South Waibuk (Arama). Word taboo practiced, but does not seem to impede intelligibility among related language varieties. Lexical similarity: 37% with Pinai-Hagahai [pnn], 35% with Kobon [kpw].
Typology: SOV; postpositions (few); genitives precede noun heads; possessives, adjectives, numerals, relative clauses follow noun heads; postclitic demonstratives; suffixes; V, CV, VC, CVC.
Language Use: Speeches and sermons by outsiders always translated into Haruai. Used by all. Also use Kobon [kpw]. Also use Tok Pisin [tpi]. Used as L2 by Pinai-Hagahai [pnn].
Language Development: NT: 2010.
Language Resources: OLAC resources in and about Haruai
Writing: Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments: Some similarities to Kalam languages due to borrowing (Comrie 1988). More loanwords from Kobon used in the northern area.

Location: Madang province: southwest Mid-Ramu district, west Schrader range, west of the Kobon [kpw] language area.