Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 17, 2026

Fas language

Fas is the eponymous language of the small Fas language family of Sandaun Province, Papua New Guinea.

Last revised
Jun 17, 2026
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≈ 1 min
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309 w
Citations
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Wikipedia ↗
Fas
Momu
RegionSandaun Province, Papua New Guinea
Native speakers
(2,500 cited 2000 census)1
Fas
  • Fas
Language codes
ISO 639-3fqs
Glottologfass1245
ELPFas
Coordinates: 3°15′12″S 141°25′31″E / 3.253331°S 141.425202°E / -3.253331; 141.425202 (Fugumui)

Fas (a.k.a. Momu, Bembi) is the eponymous language of the small Fas language family of Sandaun Province, Papua New Guinea.

Fas was once mistakenly placed in the Kwomtari family, confusing their classification. Its only demonstrated relative is actually Baibai, with which it is 40% cognate. See Fas languages for details.

Locations

Ethnologue lists Fas-speaking villages as Fas (3°11′56″S 141°28′47″E / 3.198947°S 141.479718°E / -3.198947; 141.479718 (Fas 2); 3°20′07″S 141°39′09″E / 3.335326°S 141.652462°E / -3.335326; 141.652462 (Fas 3)), Fugumui (3°15′12″S 141°25′31″E / 3.253331°S 141.425202°E / -3.253331; 141.425202 (Fugumui)), Kilifas, Utai (3°23′26″S 141°35′02″E / 3.390507°S 141.583997°E / -3.390507; 141.583997 (Utai)), and Wara Mayu villages of Walsa Rural LLG and Amanab Rural LLG of Sandaun Province.1

Baron (2007) lists Fas-speaking villages as Yo, Sumumini, Wara Mayu, Kilifas, Fugumui, Fas 2, Fas 3, Finamui, Fugeri, Aiamina, Tamina 1, Nebike, Tamina 2, Utai, Mumuru, Savamui, and Mori.2

Phonology

Consonants3
Labial Alveolar Velar Glottal
Plosive p t k ʔ ⟨h⟩
Fricative f s
Nasal m n
Trill ʙ ⟨b⟩ r
Approximant w j
  • /ʔ/ appears as [h] before /a/.
Vowels3
Front Central Back
High i u
Mid e (ə) o
Low a
  • /ə/ may be an allophone of /i/.
References

References

  1. Fas at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022) Closed access icon
  2. Baron, Wietze (October 2007). "The Kwomtari Phylum". Retrieved 2019-09-22.
  3. Baron, Wietze (2007). Overview of Fas Phonology.
Sources

Sources

  • Baron, Wietze (1983a). "Cases of counter-feeding in Fas". Language and Linguistics in Melanesia. 14: 138–149. OCLC 9188672.
  • Blake, Fiona (2007). Spatial Reference in Momu (BA thesis). The University of Sydney. hdl:2123/1919.
  • Honeyman, Thomas Tout (2016). A grammar of Momu, a language of Papua New Guinea (PhD thesis). Australian National University. doi:10.25911/5d70f1b69a565. hdl:1885/132961.
External links