Dobu

A language of Papua New Guinea

ISO 639-3

Alternate Names

Dobuan

Autonym

Dobu

Population

110,000, all users. L1 users: 10,000 (1998 SIL). L2 users: 100,000 (1987 SIL). 6,000 monolinguals.

Location

Milne Bay province: Esa’ala district, Dobu, parts of Fergusson, Normanby, and Sanaroa islands. 500 villages.

Language Status

3 (Wider communication). Lingua franca in D’Entrecasteaux Islands.

Classification

Dialects

Galubwa, Sanaroa, Ubuia, Central Dobu, Loboda (Dawada-Siausi, Roboda). Lexical similarity: 56% with Molima [mox] (most similar).

Typology

SOV.

Language Use

Also use English [eng], Hiri Motu [hmo]. Used as L2 by ’Auhelawa [kud], Boselewa [bwf], Bunama [bdd], Bwaidoka [bwd], Bwanabwana [tte], Duau [dva], Galeya [gar], Gumawana [gvs], Iamalele [yml], Kilivila [kij], Koluwawa [klx], Molima [mox], Muyuw [myw], Mwatebu [mwa], Sewa Bay [sew], Tawala [tbo].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: 90%. Literacy rate in L2: 90%. Dictionary. Bible: 1928.

Language Resources

Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Many schools.