Namakura
Namakir
Native to	Vanuatu
Region	Shepherds Islands (Tongoa & Tongariki), north of Efate
Native speakers	3,800 (2001)[1]
Language family	Austronesian Malayo-Polynesian Oceanic Southern Oceanic North-Central Vanuatu Central Vanuatu Epi-Efate Efate Namakura
Language codes
ISO 639-3	nmk
Glottolog	nama1268
Namakura is not endangered according to the classification system of the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger

The Namakura language, Makura or Namakir, is an Oceanic language of Vanuatu. The language is spoken in Shefa Province, north Efate, Tongoa, and Tongariki. It is the only North-Central Vanuatu language to have preserved the Proto-Oceanic *q, reflected as a glottal stop.

Phonology

Consonants

• /v/ may also range to bilabial as [β], in free variation.
• /h/ can also range to uvular as [χ], in free variation.
• /ⁿd/ can also range to a retroflex [ᶯɖ] in free variation. When followed by a /r/, it is then realized as a trilled-articulated sound [ⁿdʳ, ᶯɖʳ].
• /r/ can be heard as a flap [ɾ] in initial position and as a trill [r] elsewhere.

Vowels

• Two nasal vowel sounds [ẽ õ] are also rarely heard.
• /i/ when preceding a vowel can be heard as a glide [j].^[2]