Hiw language
| Hiw | |
|---|---|
| Native to | Vanuatu |
| Region | Hiw |
|
Native speakers
|
280 (2012) |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | |
| Glottolog | hiww1237 |
Hiw (sometimes spelled Hiu) is an Oceanic language spoken on the island of Hiw, in the Torres Islands of Vanuatu.
It is distinct from Lo-Toga, the other language of the Torres group.
Hiw has 280 speakers, and is considered endangered.
Hiw has 9 phonemic vowels. These are all short monophthongs /i ɪ e ɵ ə a ʉ o ɔ/.
Hiw has 14 consonants.
All plosives are voiceless. Hiw is the only Austronesian language whose consonant inventory includes a prestopped velar lateral approximant /ɡ͡ʟ/; this complex segment is Hiw's only liquid.
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