Tokelauan language
Encyclopedia
Tokelauan is a Polynesian language closely related to Tuvaluan
.
, and by the few inhabitants of Swains Island
in neighbouring American Samoa
. It is a member of the Samoic
family of Polynesian languages
. It is, alongside English
, the official language of Tokelau. In addition to the population of Tokelau, it is spoken by approximately 2,900 Tokelauan expatriates in New Zealand
. The language is currently being taught privately, and in a few schools, in Brentwood, Essex, UK.
Its ISO 639-3 code is tkl.
, the main language of the neighbouring island realm of Tuvalu
, and uses Samoan
literature. It also has marked similarities to the Niuafo'ou language
of Tonga
.
Tokelauan is written in the Latin alphabet
, albeit only using 15 letters: a, e, i, o, u, f, g, k, l, m, n, p, h, t, and v. This consists of 5 vowels: a , e , i , o and u ; and 10 consonants: f, g, k, l, m, n, p, h, t, v.
Loimata Iupati
, Tokelau
's resident Director of Education, has stated that he is in the process of translating the Bible
from English into Tokelauan.
Tuvaluan language
Tuvaluan is a Polynesian language of or closely related to the Ellicean group spoken in Tuvalu. It is more or less distantly related to all other Polynesian languages, such as Hawaiian, Maori, Tahitian, Samoan, and Tongan, and most closely related to the languages spoken on the Polynesian Outliers...
.
Speakers
It is spoken by about 1,500 people on the atolls of TokelauTokelau
Tokelau is a territory of New Zealand in the South Pacific Ocean that consists of three tropical coral atolls with a combined land area of 10 km2 and a population of approximately 1,400...
, and by the few inhabitants of Swains Island
Swains Island
Swains Island is an atoll in the Tokelau chain. Culturally a part of Tokelau, it is an unincorporated unorganized territory of the United States administered by American Samoa. Swains Island has also been known at various times as Olosenga Island, Olohega Island, Quiros Island, Gente Hermosa...
in neighbouring American Samoa
American Samoa
American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa...
. It is a member of the Samoic
Samoic languages
The Samoic–Outlier languages, also known as Samoic languages, are a purported group of Polynesian languages, encompassing the Polynesian languages of Samoa, Tuvalu, American Samoa, Tokelau, Wallis and Futuna, and Polynesian outlier languages in New Caledonia, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Papua New...
family of Polynesian languages
Polynesian languages
The Polynesian languages are a language family spoken in the region known as Polynesia. They are classified as part of the Austronesian family, belonging to the Oceanic branch of that family. They fall into two branches: Tongic and Nuclear Polynesian. Polynesians share many cultural traits...
. It is, alongside English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, the official language of Tokelau. In addition to the population of Tokelau, it is spoken by approximately 2,900 Tokelauan expatriates in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. The language is currently being taught privately, and in a few schools, in Brentwood, Essex, UK.
Its ISO 639-3 code is tkl.
Affinities with other languages
Tokelauan is mutually intelligible with TuvaluanTuvaluan language
Tuvaluan is a Polynesian language of or closely related to the Ellicean group spoken in Tuvalu. It is more or less distantly related to all other Polynesian languages, such as Hawaiian, Maori, Tahitian, Samoan, and Tongan, and most closely related to the languages spoken on the Polynesian Outliers...
, the main language of the neighbouring island realm of Tuvalu
Tuvalu
Tuvalu , formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Hawaii and Australia. Its nearest neighbours are Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa and Fiji. It comprises four reef islands and five true atolls...
, and uses Samoan
Samoan language
Samoan Samoan Samoan (Gagana Sāmoa, is the language of the Samoan Islands, comprising the independent country of Samoa and the United States territory of American Samoa. It is an official language—alongside English—in both jurisdictions. Samoan, a Polynesian language, is the first language for most...
literature. It also has marked similarities to the Niuafo'ou language
Niuafo'ou language
Niuafoouan is the language spoken on Tonga's northernmost island, Niuafoou.Niuafoouan has traditionally been classified as closest to Uvean and Tokelauan, in an East Uvean–Niuafo'ou branch. Others suggest that it is closest to its neighbor, Tongan, as one of the Tongic languages...
of Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
.
Tokelauan is written in the Latin alphabet
Latin alphabet
The Latin alphabet, also called the Roman alphabet, is the most recognized alphabet used in the world today. It evolved from a western variety of the Greek alphabet called the Cumaean alphabet, which was adopted and modified by the Etruscans who ruled early Rome...
, albeit only using 15 letters: a, e, i, o, u, f, g, k, l, m, n, p, h, t, and v. This consists of 5 vowels: a , e , i , o and u ; and 10 consonants: f, g, k, l, m, n, p, h, t, v.
Loimata Iupati
Loimata Iupati
Loimata Iupati is a senior administrator and educator from the Pacific territory of Tokelau.Iupati is the resident director of education of Tokelau. This is geographically a series of Pacific atolls which collectively form a territory of New Zealand....
, Tokelau
Tokelau
Tokelau is a territory of New Zealand in the South Pacific Ocean that consists of three tropical coral atolls with a combined land area of 10 km2 and a population of approximately 1,400...
's resident Director of Education, has stated that he is in the process of translating the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
from English into Tokelauan.
Phrases
| Tokelauan | English |
|---|---|
| Ko au e aloha atu kia Hemapu Hakalia | I love Hemapu Sakalia |
| Ko toku nena e i Nukunonu. | My grandmother lives in Nukunonu. |
| Malo ni, ea mai koe? | Hello, how are you? |
| E hēai ni vakalele i Tokelau | There Are No Aeroplanes in Tokelau |
See also
- Niuafo'ou languageNiuafo'ou languageNiuafoouan is the language spoken on Tonga's northernmost island, Niuafoou.Niuafoouan has traditionally been classified as closest to Uvean and Tokelauan, in an East Uvean–Niuafo'ou branch. Others suggest that it is closest to its neighbor, Tongan, as one of the Tongic languages...
- Tuvaluan languageTuvaluan languageTuvaluan is a Polynesian language of or closely related to the Ellicean group spoken in Tuvalu. It is more or less distantly related to all other Polynesian languages, such as Hawaiian, Maori, Tahitian, Samoan, and Tongan, and most closely related to the languages spoken on the Polynesian Outliers...
- Tokelau, Tuvalu#Linguistic background