Tanna, Southwest

NWI

developing

Alternate Names: Nafe, Naha, Nvhal, Yahurmene

Dialects: Narpaimene, Nowai, Siporo, Vaha. Complex dialect chain (Wurm and Hattori 1981).

Genealogy:

Austronesian

Malayo-Polynesian

Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian

Eastern Malayo-Polynesian

Oceanic

Central-Eastern Oceanic

South Vanuatu

Tanna

Demographics: 4,500 (2011 SIL), increasing.

Language Use: Home. Positive attitudes. 4,000 also use Southwest Tanna [nwi]. Used as L2 by Southwest Tanna [nwi].

Language Development: Poetry. Videos. Dictionary. NT: 2012.

Writing System: Latin

Nation of Origin: Vanuatu

Other Comments: Traditional religion, Christian.