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Susuami language

Endangered Papuan language

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Susuami
Native to	Papua New Guinea
Region	Upper Watut valley, Morobe Province
Native speakers	10 (2000)[1]
Language family	Trans–New Guinea Angan Northeast Susuami
Language codes
ISO 639-3	ssu
Glottolog	susu1251
ELP	Susuami
Susuami is classified as Critically Endangered by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger
Coordinates: 7°12′13″S 146°32′25″E / 7.203594°S 146.540389°E / -7.203594; 146.540389 (Manki)

The Susuami language is a heavily endangered Papuan language, spoken in the resettlement village of Manki (7°12′13″S 146°32′25″E / 7.203594°S 146.540389°E / -7.203594; 146.540389 (Manki)) along the upper Watut River, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea.

Demographics[edit]

In 1980, it was estimated at 50 speakers, and faced competition from the several other languages spoken in the village, including distantly-related Hamtai and Angaataha, as well as the usual use of Tok Pisin with outsiders.

In 1990, there are about a dozen speakers, and children were not learning the language, including the child of the only couple in the village who were both native speakers. Its continued survival is unlikely.

References[edit]

• Bernard Comrie, Stephen Matthews, and Maria Polinsky. The Atlas of Languages. New York: Facts on File. Page 109.
• Smith, Geoffrey P. 1990. Susuami: An Angan Language of the Upper Watut Valley, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea. Lae: Department of Language and Communication Studies, Papua New Guinea University of Technology.