Siawi

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A language of Papua New Guinea

ISO 639-3
mmp
Alternate Names
Musa, Musan, Musian, Siafli, Siwai
Population

220 (2007 NTM), increasing.

Location

Sandaun Province, between Amto and Ama near the Papua, Indonesia border. 1 village.

Language Maps
Language Status

6b (Threatened).

Classification
Amto-Musan
Dialects

Lexical similarity: 29% with Amto [amt]. Amto [amt] and Siawi 3% lexical similarity with Odiai [bhf]. Both average 7% lexical similarity with Arai (Left May) languages.

Typology

SOV; postpositions, genitives before noun heads; adjectives after noun heads; relatives without noun heads; question word final; maximum prefixes: 1, maximum suffixes: 3, causatives; comparatives; CV, CVV, CVVV, CCV, CCCV; nontonal

Language Use

Endangered (2000 S. Wurm). All ages. Positive attitudes. Also use Amto [amt] (adult men) or Tok Pisin [tpi].

Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 50%. Literacy rate in L2: 50% in Tok pisin [tpi]. Most children literate. Bible portions: 1992–1998.
Writing
Latin script.
Other Comments

Christian, traditional religion.