Discussion

Roger Hanna, who has conducted field research in Napu beginning in the late 1980s, reports strong use of the Napu language, even though most Napu are bilingual in Indonesian. Written Napu is used in church contexts, while literacy in Napu is taught in the first years of grade school. We rate Napu as 5/Safe.

What Others Have Written

Hanna (2004:3)

Indonesian and Napu each have different domains of usage. Indonesian is used at government ceremonies, in school, and in communications with outsiders. Napu is generally used between Napu people in informal settings such as at home or in the rice fields. Napu children generally use Napu when they play together. Some Napu parents use Indonesian with their children to prepare them for school. In church services and traditional ceremonies, both Napu and Indonesian are used. Napu people who have married speakers of other languages use a mixture of Napu, Indonesian and the mother tongue of their spouse.

The Napu people seem proud of their language and eager to see more literature written in their language. Young people in Napu have a positive attitude towards their language. They speak it to each other, and in their homes. Young people frequently speak a mixture of Indonesian and Napu and this annoys some of the older speakers of Napu.

Roger Hanna (2011:pers.comm.)

In each of these four language groups [Bada, Rampi, Sedoa and Napu], there is a high level of bilingualism, but local language use is still vigorous. Written local language materials are being used by parts of the community, although literacy is not yet sustainable. Various books and trial editions are being published in each of these languages on a quarterly basis. The GKST [Gereja Kristen Sulawesi Tengah] church is promoting local language Scripture use on the fourth Sunday of each month. Each language team has produced Scripture books and some song and liturgy books (or trial editions) which are being used in church services. Sedoa and Napu Muatan Lokal materials [spelling primers and readers] are also being well used in the schools.

Wurm (2007:522)

There is some literacy in it. Nearly all speakers use Indonesian as a second language. In 1995, 6,000 speakers were reported; only 4,000 in 1996. Young speakers tend to use Indonesian. Potentially endangered.

References

Hanna, Roger. 2004. An introduction to the grammar of Napu. Unpublished typescript.

Wurm, Stephen A. 2007. Australasia and the Pacific. Encyclopedia of the world’s endangered languages, edited by Christopher Moseley, 425–577. New York: Routledge.