Sanio, or more precisely Saniyo-Hiyewe, is a Sepik language of Tunap/Hunstein Rural LLG in East Sepik Province, northern Papua New Guinea. It is also spoken in Telefomin Rural LLG, Sandaun Province.[1]

Sanio
Hiowe
Native toPapua New Guinea
RegionEast Sepik Province
Native speakers
1,300 (2000 census)[1]
Dialects
  • Saniyo
  • Hiyowe
Language codes
ISO 639-3sny
Glottologsani1270
ELPSaniyo-Hiyewe

Dialects

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Dialects are:[1][2]

Phonology

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Consonants[3]
Labial Alveolar Palatal Velar Glottal
Plosive p t k ʔ ⟨'⟩
Fricative ɸ ⟨f⟩ s h
Nasal m n
Approximant w r j
  • /r/ has the allophone [l] word-initially, which is written with the separate character ⟨l⟩.
  • /ʔ/ only appears intervocalically.
Vowels[3]
Front Central Back
High i u
Mid-high e ⟨ei⟩ o
Mid-low ɛ ⟨e⟩
Low a
  • /ɛ/ is pronounced [ei] before /j/. In this case it is written as ⟨ei⟩.

Additionally, the following diphthongs can be found: /ai/, /au/, /ou/.

References

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  1. ^ a b c Sanio at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)  
  2. ^ United Nations in Papua New Guinea (2018). "Papua New Guinea Village Coordinates Lookup". Humanitarian Data Exchange. 1.31.9.
  3. ^ a b Lewis, Ron (2002). Saniyo Hiyewe Organised Phonology Data. SIL International.