Language Centre Resources - Tanga

Tanga

An Austronesian language and a member of the Malayo-Polynesian group, spoken by c. 6,000 people in Tanga Islands (New Ireland Province of Papua New Guinea); also spelt Tangga.

The language and culture of the Tanga Islands came into notice at the beginning of the 20th century. Anthropologists and missionaries were particularly interested in the Tangan society. The first grammar of the language was written in German by Heinrich Maurer, the first Catholic priest to live on Tanga.

The language is spoken in several dialects, Anir and Maket being among the most prominent ones. It is written in the Roman alphabet, consisting of 20 letters.

CLASSIFICATION = Austronesian family     SCRIPT = Roman

Dictionaries

Tanga-English, English-Tanga dictionary

EZ 499 EBR. 1

Grammar

Grammatik der Tangga-Sprache (Melanesian)

EZ 499 EK.1 *

Cultural information

Sociolinguistic survey of Tanga Island, New Ireland Province, Papua New Guines

EZ 499 EBS.1 *