Saweru language explained

Saweru language should not be confused with Yapen languages (Austronesian).

Saweru
Nativename:	Sarwar Use
States:	Indonesia
Region:	Cenderawasih Bay
Speakers:	300
Date:	1991
Ref:	e18
Familycolor:	Papuan
Fam1:	West Papuan ?
Fam2:	Yawan
Iso3:	swr
Glotto:	sawe1240
Glottorefname:	Saweru

Saweru is a Papuan language closely related to Yawa of central Yapen Island in Geelvink (Cenderawasih) Bay, Indonesia, of which it is sometimes considered a dialect. It is spoken on Serui Island just offshore.

Unlike Yawa, Saweru lacks an inclusive-exclusive distinction for the first person plural pronoun. Saweru has amai 'we', while Yawa has ream 'we (exclusive)' and wam 'we (inclusive)'.^[1]

Further reading

• Donohue, Mark n.d. Saweru phonology and orthographic guide. Unpublished ms, Department of Linguistics, The University of Sydney.
• Donohue, Mark n.d. The variable foot in Saweru. Unpublished ms, Department of Linguistics, The National University of Singapore.
• Ayeri, Alfons and Mark Donohue. n.d. Yafan (Saweru) Word List. Unpublished ms, University of Sydney.

Notes and References

1. Book: Foley, William A. . William A. Foley . Palmer . Bill . 2018 . The Languages and Linguistics of the New Guinea Area: A Comprehensive Guide . The languages of Northwest New Guinea . The World of Linguistics . 4 . Berlin . De Gruyter Mouton . 433–568 . 978-3-11-028642-7.