Abau
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A language of Papua New Guinea
ISO 639-3
Alternate Names
Green River
Population
7,270 (2000 census), increasing. No monolinguals.
Location
Sandaun province: Green River district, Sepik and Green rivers.
Language Maps
Language Status
5 (Developing).
Classification
Dialects
Central Abau, Downriver Abau, Downriver border Abau, Upriver Abau.
Typology
SOV; nominative-accusative orientation.
Language Use
Dialect differences are such that (especially young) people from different dialects use Tok Pisin [tpi] between them. Tok Pisin is favored if non-Abau speakers are present. Family, village disputes, cultural events. All ages, but increasingly youth prefer Tok Pisin [tpi]. Most also use Tok Pisin [tpi].
Language Development
Literacy rate in L2: 60% (children higher, adults lower). Vernacular education mostly effective. Taught in primary schools. Poetry. Grammar. NT: 2006.
Language Resources
Writing
Latin script [Latn].