Teop

TIO

developing

Alternate Names: Teapu

Dialects: Coastal Teop, Kosina Mohina, Manava, Rausara (Rausiara), Taunita. Coastal Teop speakers understand other dialects, and vice versa. Coastal Teop is 84% cognate with Rausara, 73% with Taunita dialects.

Genealogy:

Austronesian

Malayo-Polynesian

Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian

Eastern Malayo-Polynesian

Oceanic

Western Oceanic

Meso Melanesian

New Ireland

South New Ireland-Northwest Solomonic

Nehan-North Bougainville

Saposa-Tinputz

Demographics: 5,000 (1991 SIL). L2 users: Some who intermarry with Teop.

Language Use: Some dislike borrowed words entering Teop. Daily life, village meetings, some in church, market. All ages. Positive attitudes. 90% also use Tok Pisin [tpi].

Language Development: Literacy rate in L1: 75%–100%. Literacy rate in L2: 75%–100%. Taught in primary schools, 3 years in some schools. Poetry. Dictionary. Bible portions: 1958–1966.

Typology: SVO; 3 noun classes.

Writing System: Latin

Nation of Origin: Papua New Guinea

Other Comments: Christian.