Mwerlap language


Mwerlap is an Oceanic language spoken in the south of the Banks Islands in Vanuatu.
Its 1100 speakers live mostly in Merelava and Merig, but a fair proportion have also settled the east coast of Gaua island. Besides, a number of Mwerlap speakers live in the two cities of Vanuatu, Port Vila and Luganville.

Names

Mwerlap is the name of Merelava island in the language, phonetically. The language is sometimes referred to as Merelava or Merlav in the literature.
Merelava reflects the name of the island in Mota, another language of the Banks Islands. Merlav represents an earlier attempt at transcribing the vernacular name of the island.

Phonology

Mwerlap has 12 phonemic vowels. These include 9 monophthongs and 3 diphthongs.

Grammar

The system of personal pronouns in Mwerlap contrasts clusivity, and distinguishes three numbers.
Spatial reference in Mwerlap is based on a system of geocentric directionals, which is in part typical of Oceanic languages, and yet innovative.