Datapoint Bislama/Position of definite article in the noun phrase

ia may principally mark specificity, not definiteness. Since it cannot be used in associative contexts (see Ch. 28), it is not regarded as a definite article here.

Values

The language has no definite article

Example 23-16:
mi stap antap long get blong pasta ia
mi
1sg
stap
stay
antap
on.top
long
prep
get
gate
blong
poss
pasta
pastor
ia
def
I was standing up at the pastor's gate.

Source: Meyerhoff nd

Example 23-17:
[mi] sarem ol samting ia i stap
[mi]
1sg
sarem
shut
ol
pl
samting
something
ia
def
i
agr
stap
stay
[I] shut all the things there.

Source: Meyerhoff nd

Confidence:
Very certain