Kombio

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A language of Papua New Guinea

ISO 639-3
xbi
Alternate Names
Endangen
Population

2,970 (2003 SIL), decreasing. Very few monolinguals. Small groups in West New Britain, Vanimo and Lae areas; a few elsewhere. About 2,400 live in Kombio area.

Location

East Sepik Province, Dreikikir district, Torricelli mountains. 31 villages.

Language Maps
Language Status

7 (Shifting).

Classification
Torricelli, Kombio-Arapesh, Kombio
Dialects

East Kombio (Wampurun), North Kombio (Mwi), South Kombio (Yanimoi), West-Central Kombio (Wampukuamp). Mwi dialect is more distinct from the others and users have some difficulty in comprehension between dialects. 7–8 central villages each have unique idiolect versions.

Typology

SVO

Language Use

Shifting to Tok Pisin [tpi]; much mixing with L1. Kombio used by adults, but only used occasionally by those under 18.

Language Development
Literacy rate in L2: 25%–35%. Bible portions: 1999–2001.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Kombio
Writing
Latin script.