Abom language
Abom is a nearly extinct language spoken in the Western Province of Papua New Guinea. According to a 2002 census, only 15 people still speak this language, all elderly.
All of the speakers are older adults. Middle-aged adults have some understanding of it, but no children speak or understand Abom.
Abom is spoken in Lewada, Mutam, and Tewara villages of Gogodala Rural LLG.Classification
Abom is not close to other languages. Pawley and Hammarström classify Abom as a divergent Tirio language on the basis of morphological evidence; Abom shares the same gender ablaut pattern as other Tirio languages. Evans, however, lists Abom as a separate branch of Trans-New Guinea. Suter & Usher find that it is not an Anim language, but does appear to be divergent Trans–New Guinea.
Part of the problem is many recorded Abom words are loans from the Inland Gulf languages, reducing the material needed for comparison.
