The Abau language belongs to the Sepik family of languages, which is one of the largest language families in Papua New Guinea. It is estimated that around 12,000 people speak Abau, primarily in the East Sepik province of the country.

One of the most interesting aspects of the Abau language is its phonology. Abau has a large inventory of consonants, with 28 different consonant phonemes. This is a relatively high number for a language, especially one that is spoken by a relatively small population. In addition, Abau has a distinction between voiced and voiceless implosives, which are consonants that are pronounced with a sudden inward movement of air. This is a rare feature in human languages and adds to the uniqueness of Abau.

Another interesting feature of the Abau language is its grammar. Like many languages in Papua New Guinea, Abau is a highly inflected language, which means that words can be modified with affixes to convey a variety of grammatical meanings. For example, the Abau language has a complex system of verbal inflection, which allows speakers to indicate tense, aspect, mood, and other grammatical features. In addition, Abau has a system of noun classification, which groups nouns into different classes based on their semantic features. This system is known as a noun class system, and it is found in many other languages in the region.

One notable feature of the Abau language is its system of numeral classifiers. Numeral classifiers are special words or affixes that are used to count or quantify nouns. In Abau, there are three different numeral classifiers, each of which is used to count different types of objects. For example, one classifier is used to count long, flexible objects like ropes, while another is used to count round, flat objects like plates. This system of numeral classifiers is a unique feature of the Abau language, and it reflects the close relationship between language and culture.

The Abau language is also notable for its extensive system of discourse markers. Discourse markers are words or phrases that are used to signal different aspects of conversation or discourse. In Abau, there are a wide variety of discourse markers that are used to indicate things like agreement, disagreement, emphasis, and topic change. This system of discourse markers is a crucial aspect of Abau discourse and reflects the importance of conversation and communication in Abau culture.

Overall, the Abau language is a fascinating and complex system of communication that reflects the unique culture and history of the Abau people. As a linguistic anthropologist, I am constantly impressed by the diversity of human languages and the many ways in which they reflect the social, cultural, and historical contexts in which they are spoken. The Abau language is just one example of the rich and varied linguistic heritage of Papua New Guinea, and it provides a window into the complex and dynamic world of human communication.