Mussau-Emira
PrintA language of Papua New Guinea
ISO 639-3
Alternate Names
Emira-Mussau, Musao, Musau-Emira, Mussau
Population
5,000 (2003 SIL), increasing. Ethnic population: 5,000, including 3,500 in the traditional area (2000 SIL).
Location
New Ireland Province, Saint Matthias Islands, Mussau and Emira northwest of Kavieng; Port Moresby, Lae, Goroka, and Madang.
Language Maps
Language Status
4 (Educational).
Classification
Dialects
Eastern Mussau, Emira, Southern Mussau, Western Mussau.
Typology
SVO
Language Use
Vigorous. Spoken by nearly all. Passed on to children in the traditional area, and some elsewhere, except in mixed marriages. Tenis ethnic group also uses Emira. Youth tend to prefer Tok Pisin [tpi] (2007). Most domains, local administration, commerce, education in early grades, oral and some written use in church, personal letters. All ages. Positive attitudes. All but the youngest use Tok Pisin [tpi]. Also use English [eng].
Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 80%–95%. Literacy rate in L2: 80%–95% Tok Pisin and English. Schooling declined since 1999 due to poor economy, and literacy rates then declined. Vernacular preparatory schools since 1994. Poetry. Dictionary. Bible portions: 2006–2008.
Language Resources
Writing
Latin script.
Christian.