Lewo language

Lewo (Varsu) is an Oceanic language spoken on Epi Island, in Vanuatu.

Lewo
Varsu
Native to	Vanuatu
Region	Epi Island
Native speakers	2,200 (2001)[1]
Language family	Austronesian Malayo-Polynesian Oceanic Southern Oceanic Central Vanuatu Epi Lamenu–Baki Lamenu–Lewo Lewo
Language codes
ISO 639-3	lww
Glottolog	lewo1242

Phonology

Consonants

	Labio- velar	Labial	Alveolar	Palatal	Velar
Plosive	k͡pʷ	p	t		k
Nasal	ŋ͡mʷ	m	n		ŋ
Lateral			l
Rhotic			r
Fricative		β	s
Approximant	w			j

• /ŋ͡mʷ/ is heard as a non-labialized [ŋ͡m] before /a/ and word-final.
• /k͡pʷ/ is heard as non-labialized [k͡p] when word-final, and as a voiceless implosive affricate [ɠ̊͡ɓ̥] before /a/.
• /r/ is heard as [d͡r] when occurring after /n/.

Vowels

	Front	Back
Close	i	u
Mid	e	o
Open	a

• /a/ is heard as [æ] when occurring after labial consonants /p, m, β/. It is heard as [a] elsewhere.
• Vowels /e, o, u/ within the peak of closed syllables are heard as [ɛ, ɔ, ʊ].

External links

• Materials on Lewo are included in the open access Arthur Capell collections (AC1 and AC2) held by Paradisec

References

1. Lewo at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015)

• Early, Robert (1994). A grammar of Lewo, Vanuatu (PhD thesis). Australian National University. doi:10.25911/5D723CAC6B4A2. hdl:1885/132959.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)