Aikhenvald, A.Y., and Laki, P.Y.L. (2006) Manambu. In: Brown, Keith, (ed.) Encyclopedia of Languages and Linguistics. Elsevier, Oxford, UK, pp. 475-476.

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Abstract

Manambu belongs to the Ndu language family, and is spoken by about 2500 people in five villages: Avatip, Yawabak, Malu, Apa:n and Yuanab (Yambon) in East Sepik Province of Papua New Guinea. Between 200 and 400 speakers live in the towns of Port Moresby, Wewak, Lae, and Madang. Most Manambu speakers are proficient in Tok Pisin, the lingua franca of Papua New Guinea; many know English. In terms of number of speakers, the Ndu family is the largest in the Sepik area, comprising 32% of the Sepik basin dwellers (Roscoe, 1994). It consists of at least eight languages spoken by over 100 000 people along the course of the middle Sepik River and to the north of it. Other documented languages in the family are: Abelam or Ambulas (ca. 40 000; this number includes speakers of a variety of dialects under the names of Maprik, Wosera, West Wosera, and Hanga Kundi); Boikin (ca. 30 000); Iatmul (ca. 12 000); Sawos (ca. 9000); Yelogu (ca. 200); and Ngala (ca. 130). No genetic links between Ndu and other languages of the Sepik area have been proved. The origins, protohome, and the internal classification of the Ndu languages remains a matter for debate. Manambu’s closest relatives are Iatmul and Ngala. The trade relationship and marriage exchange with the Iatmul contributed to a large amount of lexical diffusion between the two groups in close contact.

Item ID:	9366
Item Type:	Book Chapter (Reference)
ISBN:	978-0-08-044299-0
Additional Information:	This publication does not have an abstract. The first paragraph of the publication is displayed as the abstract.
Date Deposited:	06 Jul 2010 02:57
FoR Codes:	20 LANGUAGE, COMMUNICATION AND CULTURE > 2004 Linguistics > 200407 Lexicography @ 100%
SEO Codes:	95 CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING > 9502 Communication > 950201 Communication Across Languages and Culture @ 100%
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