Namia

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A language of Papua New Guinea

ISO 639-3
nnm
Alternate Names
Edawapi, Lujere, Namie, Nemia, Yellow River
Population

6,000 (2007 SIL), increasing. 300 monolinguals. Ethnic population: 6,200.

Location

East Sepik province: Ameni, Edwaki, Iwane, Lawo, Pabei, Panewai village, and Wiyari areas; Sandaun province: Yellow River district, 19 villages.

Language Maps
Language Status

6b (Threatened).

Classification
Sepik, Yellow River
Dialects

None known. Reportedly most similar to Ak [akq] and Awun [aww]. Lexical similarity: 13% with Abau [aau], 12% with May River Iwam [iwm].

Typology

SOV; postpositions; consonant clusters; vowel glides; 6 phonemic vowels.

Language Use

Vigorous. Home, prep schools. All ages. Positive attitudes. Most also use Tok Pisin [tpi]. Also use English [eng].

Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 5%–15%. Literacy rate in L2: 50%–75% in Tok Pisin [tpi]. 4 government vernacular primary schools. Grammar. Bible portions: 1996–2009.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Namia
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

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