Lewo

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A language of Vanuatu

ISO 639-3
lww
Alternate Names
Varsu
Population

2,200 (Lynch and Crowley 2001). Only very elderly and very young are monolingual.

Location

East Epi island, Varsu and Varmali regions.

Language Maps
Language Status

5 (Developing).

Classification
Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, North and Central Vanuatu, Northeast Vanuatu-Banks Islands, Epi, Lamenu-Baki, Lamenu-Lewo
Dialects

Mate-Nul-Filakara, Tasiko. Lexical similarity: borderline with Lamenu [lmu] but strong community perception that it is a different language.

Typology

Tripartite disjunctive negative construction

Language Use

Some use in religious domain. Positive attitudes. Near total knowledge of Bislama [bis].

Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 50%. Literacy rate in L2: 40%. Taught in primary schools. Poetry. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible portions: 1892–2002.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Lewo
Writing
Latin script.
Other Comments

Christian.