New Caledonian languages - Misplaced Pages

Subgroup of the Oceanic branch of the Austronesian language family Not to be confused with Languages of New Caledonia.

New Caledonian
Kanak
Geographic distribution	New Caledonia
Linguistic classification	Austronesian Malayo-Polynesian Oceanic Southern Oceanic New Caledonian
Proto-language	Proto-New Caledonian
Language codes
Glottolog	`newc1243`

The thirty New Caledonian languages also known as Kanak languages form a branch of the Southern Oceanic languages. Their speakers are known as Kanaks. One language is extinct, one is critically endangered, four are severely endangered, five are endangered, and another five are vulnerable to extinction.

Typology

The Cèmuhî, Paicî, Drubea, Numèè, and Kwenyii languages are tonal.

Other than phonemically contrastive tone, typological features in New Caledonian languages that are typically unusual for Oceanic languages include nasalized vowels, very large vowel inventories, retroflex consonants, and voiceless nasals.

Languages

Loyalty Islands
- Drehu (Lifou Island)
- Iaai (Ouvéa Island)
- Nengone (Maré Island)
Mainland New Caledonian
- Southern New Caledonian
  - Extreme Southern
    - Ndrumbea (vulnerable)
    - Numèè
  - Mid-Southern
    - Xârâcùù–Xârâgurè:
      - Xârâcùù
      - Xârâgurè (endangered)
    - Zire–Tîrî:
      - Tîrî (endangered)
      - Zire †
    - Wailic
      - Ajië
      - Arhâ (severely endangered)
      - Arhö (critically endangered)
      - Neku (severely endangered)
      - Orowe (endangered)
- Northern New Caledonian
  - Haeke*
  - Haveke*
  - Vamale*
  - Central Northern
    - Cèmuhî
    - Paicî
  - North Northern
    - Pwaamei (endangered)
    - Pwapwa (severely endangered)
      - Bwatoo
      - Hmwaveke
      - Waamwang
      - Fwâi
      - Jawe (vulnerable)
      - Nemi (vulnerable)
      - Pije (severely endangered)
  - Extreme Northern
    - Caac (vulnerable)
    - Kumak (vulnerable)
    - Nyâlayu
    - Yuanga

The languages of the northern Voh–Koné area (*) are often discussed as a unit.

List of New Caledonian languages

	Language	Alternative Spelling	Speakers	Commune(s)	Province	Customary Area	Dialects
1	Nyâlayu language	Yalâyu	1522	Ouégoa, Belep, Pouébo	North Province	Hoot Ma Waap	Pooc/Haat (Belep) ; Puma/Paak/Ovac (Arama, Balade)
2	Kumak language	Fwa Kumak	1100 (2009)	Koumac, Poum	North Province	Hoot ma Waap	Nêlêmwâ (Nénéma tribe), Nixumwak
3	Caac language	-	890	Pouébo	North Province	Hoot Ma Waap	Cawac (variant spoken at Conception in Le Mont-Dore since 1865)
4	Yuanga language	Yûâga	1992	Kaala-Gomen, Ouégoa	North Province	Hoot Ma Waap	-
5	Jawe language	-	729	Hienghène, Pouébo	North Province	Hoot Ma Waap	-
6	Nemi language	Nèmi	768	Hienghène	North Province	Hoot Ma Waap	Ouanga, Ouélis, Kavatch
7	Fwâi language	-	1131	Hienghène	North Province	Hoot Ma Waap	-
8	Pije language	-	161	Hienghène	North Province	Hoot Ma Waap	Tha (Tiendanite)
9	Pwaamei language	-	219	Voh	North Province	Hoot Ma Waap	Naakâ (Temala, Voh); Dhaak/Yaak (Fatenaoue)
10	Pwapwâ language	-	16	Voh	North Province	Hoot Ma Waap	-
11	Voh-Koné dialects	-	878	Voh, Koné	North Province	Hoot Ma Waap	Bwatoo (Oudjo, Népou, Baco and once spoken on Koniène Island), Haeke, Haveke, Hmwaeke, Havele, Vamale (Haute Tipindje), Waamwang
12	Cèmuhî language	Camuki	2051	Touho, Koné, and Poindimié	North Province	Paici Camuki	-
13	Paicî language	Paici	5498	Poindimié, Ponérihouen, Koné, Poya	North Province	Paici-Camuki	-
14	Ajië language	A'jië	4044	Houaïlou, Ponérihouen, Poya, Kouaoua	North Province	Ajië-Aro	-
15	Arhâ language	-	35	Poya	North Province	Ajië-Aro	-
16	Arhö language	Arö	62	Poya	North Province	Ajië-Aro	-
17	Orowe language	Abwébwé	587	Bourail	South Province	Ajië-Aro	-
18	Neku language	Néku	221	Bourail Moindou	South Province	Ajië-Aro	-
19	Sîchë	Zîchë, Sîshëë	4 (extinct since April 2006)	Bourail, Moindou	South Province	Ajië-Aro	Sometimes considered a dialect of Ajië
20	Tîrî language	Tirî	264	La Foa, Sarraméa	South Province	Xaracuu	Tîrî, Mea
21	Xaracuu language	Xaracuu	3784	Canala, La Foa, Bouloupari	South Province	Xaracuu	-
22	Xârâgurè language	-	566	Thio, New Caledonia	South Province	Xaracuu	Language close to Xârâcùù
23	Ndrumbea language	Drubea	946	Païta, Dumbéa, Nouméa, Yaté	South Province	Djubéa-Kaponé	-
24	Numèè language	Numee/Kapone	1814	Yaté, Mont-Dore, Isle of Pines (New Caledonia)	South Province	Djubéa-Kaponé	Xêrê (Yaté), Wêê (île Ouen), kwênyii (Isle of Pines (New Caledonia))
25	Nengone language	-	6377	Maré Island, Tiga	Loyalty Islands	Nengone	Iwateno (ceremonial/chiefly language)
26	Drehu language	-	11338	Lifou Island	Loyalty Islands	Drehu	Miny (ceremonial/chiefly language)
27	Iaai language	-	1562	Ouvéa Island	Loyalty Islands	Iaai	-

References

Rivierre, Jean-Claude. 1993. Tonogenesis in New Caledonia. In Edmondson and Gregerson: Tonality in Austronesian languages, 155–173. Oceanic Linguistics Special Publication 24.
Blust, Robert (2013). The Austronesian languages. Vol. A-PL 008 (revised ed.). Canberra: Pacific Linguistics. hdl:1885/10191. ISBN 9781922185075.

Languages of New Caledonia

Official language

French

Indigenous
languages

New
Caledonian

Northern	Caac Cèmuhî Drehu Fwâi Haveke Iaai Jawe Kumak Nemi Nengone Nyâlayu Paicî Pije Pwaamei Pwapwâ Vamale Yuanga
Southern	Ajië Arhâ Arhö Ndrumbea Neku Numèè Orowe Sîchë Tîrî Xârâcùù Xârâgurè
Other	Haeke

Polynesian

West Uvean

Non-indigenous
language

Javanese

Southern Oceanic languages

North
Vanuatu

Torres–Banks	Hiw Lo-Toga Lehali Löyöp Mwotlap Volow Lemerig Vera’a Vurës Mwesen Mota Nume Dorig Koro Olrat Lakon Mwerlap
Maewo–Ambae– North Pentecost	Sun̄wadia Sun̄wadaga Baetora Duidui Northeast Ambae Raga
South Pentecost	Ske Apma Sa
Espiritu Santo	Cape Cumberland Nokuku Tolomako Wusi Akei Tasiriki Tangoa Araki Tiale Merei Kiai M̈av̈ea Tutuba Aore Tamambo Mores Shark Bay Sakao

Nuclear
Southern
Oceanic

Central Vanuatu

South Vanuatu

Erromango	Sie / Erromangan Sorung † Ifo (Utaha) † Ura
Tanna	Kwamera (South Tanna) Southwest Tanna Lenakel (West Tanna) Whitesands (East Tanna) North Tanna
Aneityum

Loyalties–
New Caledonia

Loyalty Islands

New Caledonian

Southern	Ndrumbea Numèè Xârâcùù Xârâgurè Tîrî Zire † Ajië Arhö Arhâ Neku Orowe
Northern	Vamale Haveke Haeke Cèmuhî Paicî Pwaamei Pwapwa Bwatoo Hmwaveke Waamwang Fwâi Jawe Nemi Pije Caac Kumak Yuanga Nyâlayu

* indicates proposed status
? indicates classification dispute
† indicates extinct status

Austronesian languages

Formosan

Malayo-Polynesian

Western

Philippine

Greater Barito*

Barito
Basap*

Greater North Borneo*

North Borneo *
- Sabahan
- North Sarawakan
Melanau–Kajang
Kayan–Murik
Land Dayak
Malayo–Chamic *
Sundanese
Rejang?
Moklenic?

Admiralty St. Matthias Temotu Southeast Solomonic Micronesian Central Pacific
Western	Meso-Melanesian North New Guinea Papuan Tip
Southern	Vanuatu North Central South Loyalties–New Caledonia

* indicates proposed status
? indicates classification dispute
† indicates extinct status

v t e Languages of Oceania
Sovereign states	Australia Federated States of Micronesia Fiji Kiribati Marshall Islands Nauru New Zealand Palau Papua New Guinea Samoa Solomon Islands Tonga Tuvalu Vanuatu
Associated states of New Zealand	Cook Islands Niue
Dependencies and other territories	American Samoa Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Easter Island French Polynesia Guam Hawaii New Caledonia Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Pitcairn Islands Tokelau Wallis and Futuna

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