Yagwoia

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A language of Papua New Guinea

ISO 639-3
ygw
Alternate Names
Kokwaiyakwa, Yeghuye
Population

10,000 (2005 R. Westerveld). 1,500 Iwalaqamalje, 1,500 Gwase, 7,000 Hiqwaye, Hiqwase, Yeqwangilje.

Location

Morobe Province, Hiqwaye, Hiqwase, and Yeqwangilje; Gulf Province, Gwase; Eastern Highlands Province, Iqwalaqamalje.

Language Maps
Language Status

5 (Developing).

Classification
Trans-New Guinea, Angan, Nuclear Angan
Dialects

Gwase, Hiqwase, Hiqwaye, Iwalaqamalje, Yeqwangilje. Similar to Chimbari [smb], Hamtai [hmt], Baruya [byr], and Menya [mcr] (most similar).

Typology

SOV

Language Use

All domains. Also use Tok Pisin [tpi] as trade language with outsiders.

Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 5% among Iwalaqamalje. Literacy rate in L2: 5%–15% in Tok Pisin. NT: 2009.
Writing
Latin script.
Other Comments

5 ethnic groups: Iwalaqamalje, Hiqwaye, Hiqwase, Gwase, Heqwangilye. Christian.