Endangered Languages Project - Sowa

Sowa

Classification: Austronesian

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dormant

CLASSIFICATION		Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central Vanuatu
CODE AUTHORITY		ISO 639-3
LANGUAGE CODE		sww
DOWNLOAD		As csv
MORE RESOURCES		OLAC search

Compare Sources (5)

Information from: “The Languages of Pentecost Island” . Andrew Gray (2010)

Dormant
MORE ON SPEAKER NUMBERS
"The last fluent Sowa speaker died in 2000. Many people in the former Sowa area view the language as part of their cultural heritage and lament its loss, and several local enthusiasts dream of reviving it."

PLACES: Vanuatu

LOCATION DESCRIPTION: Sowa was spoken on central Pentecost Island. On the west coast, Melsisii River formed Sowa's northern boundary with Apma, and a creek near Levizendam (there is disagreement about exactly which one) formed its southern boundary with Ske. The language's area extended across the island to parallel areas on the east coast.

Severely endangered

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

Severely endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
<20
Native speakers worldwide
MORE ON SPEAKER NUMBERS
In 1971, twenty speakers were reported. Now there will be considerably less.

OTHER LANGUAGES USED BY THE COMMUNITY
LANGUAGE CONTEXT COMMENTS: Speakers shifting to Apma
More on Orthography: No literacy in language

PLACES: Pentecost Island, Vanuatu

LOCATION DESCRIPTION: West coast of central southern Pentecost Island.

Severely endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
20
Native speakers worldwide
Ethnic population
30
MORE ON SPEAKER NUMBERS
Speaker number data: (Tryon 1971)

PLACES: Vanuatu;

LOCATION DESCRIPTION: Central Raga Island

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LOCATION INFORMATION

COORDINATES

-15.775905, 168.185812

COORDINATES

-15.797347,168.174972

Compare Sources (2)

Information from: “The Languages of Pentecost Island” . Andrew Gray (2010)