Nume language
Nume, is an Oceanic language spoken on Gaua island in Vanuatu. Its 700 speakers live on the northeast coast of Gaua.
Nume is a distinct language from its immediate southern neighbors, Mwerlap and Dorig.
Names
The name Nume originates in the name of a village, now abandoned. Tarasag is currently the community's main village. The alternate name Gog refers to the broader area, and by extension, to the island.Phonology
Nume has 15 consonant phonemes.| Labiovelar | Bilabial | Alveolar | Dorsal | |
| Voiceless stop | ||||
| Prenasalized stop | ||||
| Fricative | ||||
| Nasal | ||||
| Rhotic | ||||
| Lateral | ||||
| Approximant |
Nume has 7 phonemic vowels, which are all short monophthongs.
Grammar
The system of personal pronouns in Nume contrasts clusivity, and distinguishes four numbers.Spatial reference in Nume is based on a system of geocentric directionals, which is typical of Oceanic languages.