SAMOIC LANGUAGES

The 'Samoic languages' are one of the primary classes of Polynesian languages, encompassing the Polynesian languages of Samoa, Tuvalu, American Samoa, Tokelau, Wallis and Futuna, as well as a number of languages, spoken in parts of Tonga, the Cook Islands, New Caledonia, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, and the Federated States of Micronesia. Specifically, the Samoic Languages are classified as "Samoic-Outlier", in recognition of the fact that Sāmoan is the most significant, and that the majority of the Polynesian languages spoken in scattered island communities in Melanesia and Micronesia (called outliers) are members of this same family. This group is often called "Nuclear Polynesian".

Contents

Classification

Classification

Samoic-Outlier languages (and the areas where spoken) are classified thus:

★ East Uvean-Niuafoou

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★ Niuafoou (in Tonga)

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★ Uvea (also called Wallisian or east-Uvean, on Uvea also called Wallis island, French West Polynesia)

★ Ellicean

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★ Tuvaluan (Tuvalu)

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★ Kapingamarangi (Kapingamarangi in the Federated States of Micronesia)

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★ Nukuoro (Nukuoro in the Federated States of Micronesia)

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★ Ontong Java (Ontong Java in the Solomon Islands)

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★ Sikaiana (Sikaiana in the Solomon Islands)

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★ Takuu language (Takuu in the eastern islands of Papua New Guinea)

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★ Nukumanu (Nukumanu in the eastern islands of Papua New Guinea)

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★ Nuguria (Nuguria in the eastern islands of Papua New Guinea)

★ Futunic

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★ Anuta (Anuta in the Solomon Islands)

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★ Futuna (also named east-Futunan, on Futuna in Wallis and Futuna)

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★ Futuna-Aniwa (also named west-Futunan, on Futuna and Aniwa in Vanuatu)

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★ Emae (Emae in Vanuatu)

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★ Rennell (Rennell in the Solomon Islands)

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★ Mele-Fila (Mele in Vanuatu)

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★ Pileni (Pileni in the Solomon Islands)

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★ Tikopia (Tikopia in the Solomon Islands)

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★ Uvean (also named west-Uvean, on Ouvéa, New Caledonia)

★ Pukapukan

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★ Pukapukan (Pukapuka in the Cook Islands)

★ Samoan

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★ Sāmoan (Sāmoa and American Sāmoa)

★ Tokelauan

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★ Tokelauan (Tokelau, a dependency of New Zealand)

★ Niuatoputapu

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★ Niuatoputapu (on Niuatoputapu in Tonga, claimed to be extinct)