Unua

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A language of Vanuatu

ISO 639-3
onu
Alternate Names
Onua
Autonym
Unua
Population

1,050 (Pearce 2015), increasing.

Location

Malampa province: east Malekula island. Batabbu, Batabong, Black Sands, Penamor, and Ruxbo villages (Unua dialect). Hemertabos, Pandeur, Rembe, Rerep, Retchar, and Tisman villages (Pangkumu dialect).

Language Maps
Language Status

6a (Vigorous).

Classification
Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, North and Central Vanuatu, Northeast Vanuatu-Banks Islands, Malekula Coastal
Dialects

Unua, Pangkumu.

Typology

SVO; noun head initial; dual number; 20 consonants and 5 vowels; stress on penultimate syllable; exclusive/inclusive pronouns.

Language Use

Use Bislama [bis] for church and meetings. Home, local activities. Used by all. All also use Bislama [bis] (Pearce 2015).

Language Development

Literature. Grammar. Texts. Bible portions: 1892–1950.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Unua
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Christian.

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