Endangered Languages Project

ALSO KNOWN AS		Village X, Biak-Numfor, Noefoor, Mafoor, Mefoor, Nufoor, Mafoorsch, Myfoorsch, Noefoorsch
CLASSIFICATION		Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, South Halmahera-West New Guinea
CODE AUTHORITY		ISO 639-3
LANGUAGE CODE		bhw
VARIANTS & DIALECTS		Korim Mandusir Bosnik Samberi Warsa Monoarfu Jenures Vogelkop Mios Num Wadibu Sundei Mapia Sorido Sampori Mofu Opif Wardo Sorendidori Kamer Ariom Bo'o Fairi Penasifu Padoa Rumberpon Korido Dwar Wari Sor
DOWNLOAD		As csv
MORE RESOURCES		OLAC search

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Information from: “Biak: description of an Austronesian language of Papua” . Heuvel, Wilco van den (2006) LOT

Severely endangered

100 percent certain, based on the evidence available
70,000
Native speakers worldwide

DATE OF INFO: 2003

DOMAINS OF USE

SPEAKER NUMBER TRENDS

TRANSMISSION

MORE ON VITALITY

In Biak town, the language is actively used by the generation of 50 years old and older, and even this generation frequently code switches to Malay. The generation of 20-50 has passive knowledge of the language, and hardly ever uses the language actively. Younger people do not have even a passive knowledge of the language.

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

No government support.

INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT

No institutional support.

OTHER LANGUAGES USED BY THE COMMUNITY

Most of the community speaks Indonesian

LANGUAGE CONTEXT COMMENTS

Indonesian (Malay) is used in church service, in daily life, and most domains. Biak is only used by older generations and generally only at home. There are discussions of Biak schools and Biak church services, but nothing substantial has been done.

PLACES: Indonesia

LOCATION DESCRIPTION: Spoke in Papua province, on the islands of, Biak (Superiori), Numfor, and along the coast of Yapen. The language is also spoken in various locations (mainly large cities) along the eastern coast of Bird's Head Peninsula.

Vulnerable

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
30,000
Native speakers worldwide
MORE ON SPEAKER NUMBERS
Data for the number of native speakers comes from S. Wurm (2000).

PLACES: Indonesia;

Vulnerable

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
30,000
Native speakers worldwide

Vulnerable

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
30,000
Native speakers worldwide

Endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available
40,000
Native speakers worldwide

DATE OF INFO: 1981, 1991

SPEAKER NUMBER TRENDS
TRANSMISSION
OTHER LANGUAGES USED BY THE COMMUNITY
More on Orthography: Fairly widespread literacy in it.

PLACES: Indonesia: Irian Jaya

LOCATION DESCRIPTION: Spoken on Biak and Numfor to the north of Cenderawasih Bay and east of the Bird’s Head Peninsula, and also on numerous small islands east and west of the Bird’s Head, including Mapia Island to the north of the eastern Bird’s Head.

			2006	Biak: description of an Austronesian language of Papua				LOT	Utrecht		Heuvel, Wilco van den	Heuvel, Wilco van den. 2006. "Biak: Description of An Austronesian Language of Papua." LOT.	WALS	70,000	2003	10000-99999			Most of the community speaks Indonesian	No government support.	Indonesian (Malay) is used in church service, in daily life, and most domains. Biak is only used by older generations and generally only at home. There are discussions of Biak schools and Biak church services, but nothing substantial has been done.	No institutional support.		Severely Endangered (100 percent certain, based on the evidence available)	14	In Biak town, the language is actively used by the generation of 50 years old and older, and even this generation frequently code switches to Malay. The generation of 20-50 has passive knowledge of the language, and hardly ever uses the language actively. Younger people do not have even a passive knowledge of the language.	14	13	Indonesia	Spoke in Papua province, on the islands of, Biak (Superiori), Numfor, and along the coast of Yapen. The language is also spoken in various locations (mainly large cities) along the eastern coast of Bird's Head Peninsula.	-1.036, 136.01; -0.731, 135.558; -1.041, 134.892; -1.765, 136.164; -0.861, 134.062
0199255911			2005	The World Atlas of Language Structures			Bernard Comrie and David Gil and Martin Haspelmath and Matthew S. Dryer	Oxford University Press	New York			2005. "The World Atlas of Language Structures." edited by Bernard Comrie et al. Oxford University Press.																			-1.0,136.0
		16	2009	Ethnologue: Languages of the World, 16th Edition (2009)			M. Paul Lewis	SIL International	Dallas, TX	http://www.ethnologue.com/		Lewis, M. Paul (ed.). 2009. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, 16 edn. http://www.ethnologue.com/home.asp. (15 February, 2011.)	ll_pub	30,000		10000-99999	Data for the number of native speakers comes from S. Wurm (2000).							Vulnerable (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)					Indonesia;
		3rd	2010	Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger				UNESCO Publishing	Paris	http://www.unesco.org/culture/en/endangeredlanguages/atlas	Christopher Moseley (ed.)	Moseley, Christopher (ed.). 2010. Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger, 3rd edn. http://www.unesco.org/culture/en/endangeredlanguages/atlas. (03 June, 2011.)	ll_pub	30,000		10000-99999								Vulnerable (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)							-.3076,131.2207
070071197X	3	1	2007	Australia and the Pacific	Encyclopedia of the World's Endangered Languages	424-557		Routledge	Abingdon		Stephen A Wurm	Wurm, Stephen A. 2007. Australia and the Pacific. In Christopher Moseley, Encyclopedia of the World's Endangered Languages, 1 edn., 424-557. Abingdon: Routledge. ISBN 070071197X	ll_pub	40,000	1981, 1991	10000-99999		100000	Indonesian				Almost all	Endangered (80 percent certain, based on the evidence available)	13			12	Indonesia: Irian Jaya	Spoken on Biak and Numfor to the north of Cenderawasih Bay and east of the Bird’s Head Peninsula, and also on numerous small islands east and west of the Bird’s Head, including Mapia Island to the north of the eastern Bird’s Head.
				World Oral Literature Project						http://www.oralliterature.org		"World Oral Literature Project." Online: http://www.oralliterature.org.		30,000		10000-99999								Vulnerable (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)

Biak

Language metadata

Language information by source

Severely endangered

100 percent certain, based on the evidence available

70,000

Vulnerable

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

30,000

Vulnerable

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

30,000

Vulnerable

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

30,000

Endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available

40,000

Discussion

Biak

Language metadata

Language information by source

Severely endangered

100 percent certain, based on the evidence available

70,000

Vulnerable

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

30,000

Vulnerable

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

30,000

Vulnerable

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

30,000

Endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available

40,000

Discussion

Suggest information or improvement

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Sources of information

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