Bieria

BRJ

threatened

Alternate Names: Bieri, Vovo, Wowo

Dialects: Bieria, Vovo (Wowo). Wurm and Hattori (1981) treat Bieria and Vovo as separate languages.

Genealogy:

Austronesian

Malayo-Polynesian

Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian

Eastern Malayo-Polynesian

Oceanic

Central-Eastern Oceanic

Remote Oceanic

North and Central Vanuatu

Northeast Vanuatu-Banks Islands

Epi

Bieria-Maii

Demographics: 70 (Early 2006), decreasing. Ethnic population: 100. L2 users: Some older residents use it as L2.

Language Use: Some domains. No one under 20 regarded as a good speaker. Positive attitudes. Desire for maintenance and revival. Baki [bki] use as L2 declining.

Language Development: Literacy rate in L1: Below 1%. Literacy rate in L2: 40%. Bible portions: 1898.

Writing System: Latin

Nation of Origin: Vanuatu

Other Comments: Christian.