Hiri Motu

Hiri Motu, also known as Police Motu, Pidgin Motu, or Hiri, is an Austronesian language spoken in Papua New Guinea. It is the native language of the Motu people, who live in the vicinity of Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea. Hiri Motu is one of the three official languages of Papua New Guinea, along with English and Tok Pisin. It is used as a lingua franca in many parts of the country, especially in the capital, Port Moresby. Hiri Motu is a pidginized form of the Austronesian language Motu. It has been heavily influenced by Tok Pisin, the other main pidgin spoken in Papua New Guinea. The language has two main dialects, Hiri and Police. Hiri is the more common dialect, and is spoken by the majority of Motu people. Police Motu is spoken by a minority of Motu people, and is mostly used by the police force. Hiri Motu is written using the Latin alphabet. There is no standard orthography, but a number of different spelling systems are in use. The language has a small but growing body of literature, including children's books, novels, and poetry.