Nuclear Polynesian languages
From Open Encyclopedia
| Nuclear Polynesian Languages | |
|---|---|
| Spoken in: | Central Polynesia |
| Genetic classification: | Austronesian Malayo-Polynesian |
Image:PPnMajorGroups.pngNuclear Polynesian refers to those languages comprising the Samoic and the Eastern Polynesian branches of the Polynesian group of Austronesian languages.
The Eastern Polynesian group comprises two major subgroups: Rapa Nui, spoken on Easter Island, and Central Eastern, which is itself comprised of Rapan, and the Marquesic and Tahitic languages.
Nuclear Polynesian is differentiated, among Polynesian languages, by its distinguishing characteristics from the Tongic languages spoken in most of Tonga and in Niue.
Components
I. Eastern Polynesian
- A. Central East Polynesian
- 1. Rapa
- i. Marquesic languages
- 2. Hawaiian
- 3. Marquesan
- 4. Mangerevan
- 5. Puka-pukan
- ii. Tahitic languages
- 6. Austral
- 7. Maori
- 8. Tuamotuan
- 9. Penrhyn
- 10. Rarotongan
- 11. Rakahanga-Manihiki
- 12. Tahitian
- B. Rapa Nui
- 13. Rapa Nui
II. Samoic


