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Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Pacific > Papua New Guinea > Kuman

Kuman

A language of Papua New Guinea

ISO 639-3: kue

Population	115,000 (2000 census), increasing. Few monolinguals.
Region	Simbu Province, northern third, into Western Highlands Province, Minj SubProvince.
Language maps	Papua New Guinea, Map 10, reference number 423 Papua New Guinea, Map 9, reference number 423
Alternate names	Chimbu, Simbu
Dialects	Kuman, Nagane (Genagane, Genogane), Yongomugi.
Classification	Trans-New Guinea, Chimbu-Wahgi, Chimbu
Language use	Language of wider communication. Vigorous. Major area language. All domains. Oral use in local administration, first 3 grades in school, religion, local commerce. All ages. Positive attitude. Almost all also use Tok Pisin [tpi]. 40,000 can also use English or neighboring languages.
Language development	Literacy rate in L1: 15%. Literacy rate in L2: 35%–40%. 10,000 can read and write Kuman. Taught in primary schools. Dictionary. Bible portions: 1968–2003.
Writing system	Latin script.
Comments	SOV; clause chaining, auxiliary verbs with adjuncts. Swidden agriculturalists: coffee. Christian, traditional religion.

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

Anonymous. 1974. Review of: a comparative study of Kuman and Pawaian: Non-Austronesian languages of New Guinea, by David Trefry.

PARKER, Stephen G., editor. 2005. Phonological descriptions of Papua New Guinea languages.

PFANTZ, Daryl; PFANTZ, Mary, facilitators. 2005. "Kuman language [Simbu province]."  

TREFRY, David, author. 1965. A comparative study of Kuman and Pawaian: Non-Austronesian languages of New Guinea.

TREFRY, David, author. 1969. A comparative study of Kuman and Pawaian: Non-Austronesian languages of New Guinea.

TREFRY, David; TREFRY, Judith F., authors. 1967. Kuman language course.