Lau

Lau is a member of the Southeast Solomonic group of Oceanic languages. It is spoken by about 17,000 people in the northeast of Malaita Island in Malaita Province in the southeast of the Solomon Islands. It is also spoken in other parts of the Solomon Islands, particularly in Honiara, the capital.

Lau is also known as Malaita or Mala. Dialects include Suafa, Lau and Dai (Ndai). Lau is written with the Latin alphabet, and there is a translation of the New Testament from the Bible in the language.

Lau alphabet and pronunciation

Notes

The letter J may appear in texts containing words borrowed from other languages.

Download an alphabet chart for Lau (Excel)

Sample text (The Lord's Prayer - Luke 11: 2-4)

A Jesus ka bae urii fuada, <<Si kada mu fooa ana, muka bae urii, <Maa ae, gami dooria tooa gi sui daka faabaitaa na hatamu sulia nia e aabu asianaa. Na Initooa oe ka dao mai.
Ma oko falea fasi mai fuagami na fanga na e bobola fuagami sulia dani.
Ma oko manata lukea na aade taꞌalaa gami gi sulia i gami mi manata lukea na iimola gi sui na da iilia si aade taꞌa gi fuagami. Ma osi eekwatai gami uria na iilitooa.>>>

Source: https://www.bible.com/bible/2715/LUK.11.LLU

Translation

And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
Give us day by day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

Source: https://www.bible.com/bible/1/LUK.11.KJV

Sample videos

Information about Lau | Numbers

Links

Information about Lau
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lau_language_(Malaita)
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lau_(langue_des_Salomon)
http://www.language-archives.org/language/llu
https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Grammar_and_Vocabulary_of_the_Lau_Langua.html

Southeast Solomonic languages

ꞌAreꞌare, Arosi, Gela, Ghari, Kahua, Kwaio, Kwara’ae, Lau, Lengo, Longgu, Oroha, Owa, Sa'a, Santa Cruz, Talise

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page created: 21.02.24. Last modified: 29.04.24

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