Saliba and Logea are two closely related dialects belonging to the Suauic group of the Papuan Tip Cluster of the Western Oceanic language group. They are mutually intelligible and the main differences seem to be lexical and phonological. There has been virtually no linguistic documentation of the Logea dialect and only little on Saliba, or indeed on the Suauic family as a whole. English is the lingua franca of Milne Bay Province (rather than Tok Pisin as in most other parts of Papua New Guinea) and its influence is strong in all areas of daily life. English is perceived as more prestigious and is associated with better job prospects and a higher standard of living. Beyond the immediate home setting, Salilba-Logea is under great threat. The Saliba and Logea people are continuing to lead a traditional life of fishing and subsistence farming.
