Dobu

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A language of Papua New Guinea

ISO 639-3
dob
Alternate Names
Dobuan
Population

10,000 (1998 SIL). 60% monolingual.

Location

Milne Bay Province, Esa’ala district, Sanaroa, Dobu, parts of Fergusson and Normanby islands. 500 villages.

Language Maps
Language Status

3 (Wider communication).

Classification
Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Western Oceanic, Papuan Tip, Nuclear, North Papuan Mainland-D’Entrecasteaux, Dobu-Duau
Dialects

Central Dobu, Galubwa, Loboda (Dawada-Siausi, Roboda), Sanaroa, Ubuia. Lexical similarity: 56% with Molima [mox] (most similar).

Typology

SOV

Language Use

Lingua franca for 100,000 (1987 SIL). Also use some Motu [meu], English [eng], or adjacent languages.

Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 90%. Literacy rate in L2: 90%. Dictionary. Bible: 1928.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Dobu
Writing
Latin script.
Other Comments

Many schools.