| Löyöp | |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | [løjøp] |
| Native to | Vanuatu |
| Region | Ureparapara, formerlyRowa Islands |
Native speakers | 240 (2010)[1][2] |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | urr |
| Glottolog | leha1244 |
| ELP | Löyöp |
 Löyöp is classified as Vulnerable by theUNESCOAtlas of the World's Languages in Danger. | |
Löyöp[løjøp] (formerly known asLehalurup) is anOceanic language spoken by about 240 people, on the east coast ofUreparapara Island in theBanks Islands ofVanuatu.[1][2] It is distinct fromLehali, the language spoken on the west coast of the same island.
The language was originally native to theRowa Islands, having been brought to Ureparapara around the 1930s when a tsunami struck the Reef Islands and forced the speakers to relocate.[3]
It is considered a vulnerable language byUNESCO.
The nameLöyöp[løjøp] used since 2009[4][5][6] refers to the area called "Divers' Bay" in English, in the eastern part of Ureparapara. It derives from aProto-Torres-Banks form *loroβi, with cognates inLehaliLoyēp[lɔjɪp]. The now-deprecated nameLehalurup once used by certain authors (e.g. Tryon) is likely a result from a transcription error, possibly under the influence of neighboringLehali.
Löyöpphonemically contrasts 16consonants and 11vowels.[6]
| Labiovelar | Bilabial | Alveolar | Post-alveolar | Dorsal | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nasal | ŋ͡mʷ⟨m̄⟩ | m⟨m⟩ | n⟨n⟩ | ŋ⟨n̄⟩ | ||
| Stop | voiceless | k͡pʷ⟨q⟩ | p⟨p⟩ | t⟨t⟩ | t͡ʃ⟨j⟩ | k⟨k⟩ |
| prenasalized | ⁿd⟨d⟩ | |||||
| Fricative | β⟨v⟩ | s⟨s⟩ | ɣ⟨g⟩ | |||
| Approximant | w⟨w⟩ | l⟨l⟩ | j⟨y⟩ | |||
These are ten shortmonophthongs/iɪɛæaœøyɔʊ/, and onediphthong/i͡ɛ/.[5][6]
| Front | Back | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| plain | round | ||
| Close | i⟨i⟩ | y⟨u⟩ | |
| Near-close | ɪ⟨ē⟩ | ø⟨ö⟩ | ʊ⟨ō⟩ |
| Open-mid | ɛ⟨e⟩ | œ⟨ë⟩ | ɔ⟨o⟩ |
| Near-open | æ⟨ä⟩ | ||
| Open | a⟨a⟩ | ||
The system ofpersonal pronouns in Löyöp contrastsclusivity, and distinguishes fournumbers (singular,dual,trial, plural).[7]
Spatial reference in Löyöp is based on a system of geocentric (absolute) directionals, which is in part typical ofOceanic languages, and yet innovative.[8]