Sanio language

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.

Dialects

Dialects are:

• Hiyowe dialect, spoken in Maposi village () of Tunap-Hunstein Rural LLG
• Saniyo dialect, spoken in Hanasi (), Malapute’e (), Pukapuki, Salunapi (), and Sio () villages of Tunap-Hunstein Rural LLG

Phonology

• /r/ has the allophone [l] word-initially, which is written with the separate character .
• /ʔ/ only appears intervocalically.

• /ɛ/ is pronounced [ei] before /j/. In this case it is written as .

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

References