Sanio language

Sanio, or more precisely Saniyo-Hiyewe, is a Sepik language of Tunap/Hunstein Rural LLG in East Sepik Province, northern Papua New Guinea. It is also spoken in Telefomin Rural LLG, Sandaun Province.

Dialects are:

• Hiyowe dialect, spoken in Maposi village (4°32′51″S 142°13′14″E / 4.547475°S 142.220638°E / -4.547475; 142.220638 (Maposi)) of Tunap-Hunstein Rural LLG
• Saniyo dialect, spoken in Hanasi (4°31′24″S 142°22′33″E / 4.523215°S 142.375861°E / -4.523215; 142.375861 (Hanasi)), Malapute’e (4°35′08″S 142°20′11″E / 4.58544°S 142.33631°E / -4.58544; 142.33631 (Moropotei)), Pukapuki, Salunapi (4°33′05″S 142°20′36″E / 4.551342°S 142.343271°E / -4.551342; 142.343271 (Saurinapi)), and Sio (4°27′02″S 142°18′59″E / 4.450431°S 142.316392°E / -4.450431; 142.316392 (Sio)) villages of Tunap-Hunstein Rural LLG

• /r/ has the allophone [l] word-initially, which is written with the separate character ⟨l⟩.
• /ʔ/ only appears intervocalically.

• /ɛ/ is pronounced [ei] before /j/. In this case it is written as ⟨ei⟩.

Additionally, the following diphthongs can be found: /ai/, /au/, /ou/.