List of endangered languages of Oceania

Last updated

Language Endangerment Status
Extinct (EX)
Endangered
Safe
  • no list
Other categories
Related topics
Lang Status 00-All.svg
UNESCO Atlas of the World's
Languages in Danger categories

This is a list of endangered languages of Oceania, based on the definitions used by UNESCO.

Contents

An endangered language is a language that it is at risk of falling out of use because there is little transmission of the language to younger generations. If a language loses all of its native speakers, it becomes an extinct language.

Australia

According to the 2016 census, English is the only language spoken in the home for close to 72.7% of the population. The next most common languages spoken at home are Mandarin (2.5%), Arabic (1.4%), Cantonese (1.2%), Vietnamese (1.2%) and Italian (1.2%). A considerable proportion of first- and second-generation migrants are bilingual. [1]

Federated States of Micronesia

LanguageSpeakersStatusCommentsRef
Kapingamarangi language [2] ~3,000 [3] Severely endangered  
Kosraean language [2] ~7,720 [4] Severely endangeredMicronesia & Nauru 
Mokilese language [2] ~1,500 [5] Critically endangered  
Mortlockese language, Mortlockese [2] ~5,900 [6] Definitely endangered  
Namonuito language, Namonuito [2]  Severely endangered  
Ngatikese Men's Creole language, Ngatikese Men's Creole [2]  Definitely endangered  
Nukuoro language, Nukuoro [2] ~1,540 [7] Definitely endangered  
Nguluwan language [ citation needed ]   
Paafang language, Paafang, Pááfang [2] ~1,300 [8] Severely endangered  
Pingelapese language, Pingelapese [2] ~4,500 [9] Severely endangered  
Puluwat language, Puluwat, Puluwatese [2] ~1,500 [10] Severely endangered  
Satawal language, Satawal [2]  Severely endangered  
Ulithian language, Ulithian [2]  Severely endangered  
Woleaian language, Woleaian [2]  Severely endangered  

Indonesia

The UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger lists 88 endangered languages in Indonesia.

Melanesia

New Caledonia

The following languages of New Caledonia may be considered endangered.

LanguageSpeakersStatusCommentsRef
Arha language [2] 35Critically endangeredArhâ language(1996 census)
Arho language [2]  10 [11] Critically endangered  
Caac language [2]  ~1,200 [12] Vulnerable  
Drubea language [2]  Vulnerable  
Fagauvea language (Northern) [2]  Vulnerable  
Fagauvea language (Southern) [2]  Vulnerable  
Fwâi language [2]  Vulnerable  
Jawe language [2]  Vulnerable  
Kumak language [2]  Vulnerable  
Neku language [2]  Severely endangered  
Nemi language [2]  Definitely endangered  
Orowe language [2]  Definitely endangered  
Pije language [2]  Severely endangered  
Pwaamèi language [2]  Definitely endangered  
Pwapwa language [2]  Severely endangered  
Tiri language [2]  Definitely endangered  
Voh-Koné dialects [2]  Definitely endangered  
Xaragure language [2]  Vulnerable  

Papua New Guinea

Solomon Islands

LanguageSpeakersStatusCommentsRef
Asumboa language [2]  Severely endangered  
Blablanga language [2]  Definitely endangered  
Faghani language [2]  Vulnerable  
Gao language [2]  Vulnerable  
Hoava language [2]  Vulnerable  
Kokota language [2]  Vulnerable  
Lovono language [2] 4 [13] Critically endangered  
Oroha language [2]  Severely endangered  
Ririo language [2]  Critically endangered  
Savo language [2]  Definitely endangered  
Tanema language [2] 1 [14] Critically endangered  
Tanimbili language [2]  Severely endangered  
Teanu language [2] 1000 [15] Definitely endangered  
Zazao language [2]  Critically endangered  

Vanuatu

LanguageSpeakersStatusCommentsRef
Amblong language [2]  Definitely endangered  
Araki language [2]  Critically endangered  
Aveteian language [2]  Critically endangered  
Baki language [2]  Vulnerable  
Bangsa language [2]  Critically endangered  
Bierebo language [2]  Vulnerable  
Bieria language [2]  Critically endangered  
Dorig language [2]  Definitely endangered  
Emae language [2]  Vulnerable  
Hiw language [2] 280Definitely endangered (2010 A.François)
Koro language [2]  250 [16] Definitely endangered  
Labo language [2]  Vulnerable  
Lakon language [2] 800Vulnerable  
Lehali language [2] 200Vulnerable  
Lemerig language [2] 2 [17] Critically endangered  
Lorediakarkar language [2]  Critically endangered  
Löyöp language [2] 240VulnerableLehalurup(2010 A.François)
Mafea language [2]  Definitely endangered  
Malmariv language [2]  Vulnerable  
Matanvat language [2]  Critically endangered  
Mores language [2]  Severely endangered  
Mwesen language [2]  Critically endangered  
Naati language (Näti) [2]  Critically endangered  
Naman language [2]  Critically endangered  
Nasarian language [18] 5Critically endangered (Nasarian at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015))
Navwien language [2]  Critically endangered  
Nisvai language [2]  Critically endangered  
Nivat language [2]  Critically endangered  
Niviar language [2]  Critically endangered  
Olrat language [2] 0 [19] Critically endangered3 speakers in 2003; extinct in 2009. 
Polonomombauk language [2]  Definitely endangered  
Repanbitip language [2]  Definitely endangered  
Shark Bay language [2]  Vulnerable  
Ske language [2]  Severely endangered  
Sorsorian language (Sösörian) [2]  Critically endangered  
Tambotalo language [2] 50Severely endangered (1983 SIL)
Tape language [2]  Critically endangered  
Tolomako language [2]  Definitely endangered  
Tutuba language [2]  Definitely endangered  
Umbrul language (Numbuwul) [2]  Critically endangered  
Ura language [2] 6Critically endangered (1998 T Crowley)
Vera'a language [2]  Definitely endangered  
Volow language [2]  Critically endangered  

Palau

LanguageSpeakersStatusCommentsRef
Tobian language 22Critically endangered(1995 SIL)
Sonsorolese language 600Severely endangered

Polynesia

The following Polynesian languages considered endangered are mostly Polynesian outliers spoken by tiny minorities.

LanguageSpeakersStatusEthnologue entry
(ISO 639-3) [2]
Rapa language (French Polynesia) [2]   
Rapa Nui language (Chile) [2]   
Niuafo'ou language (Tonga) [2]   
Nukumanu language (Papua New Guinea, Nukumanu Islands) [2]   
Nukuria language (Papua New Guinea) [2]   
Ontong Java language (Solomon Islands) [2]   
Sikaiana language (Solomon Islands) [2]   
Takuu language (Papua New Guinea) [2]   
Tuvaluan language (Tuvalu) [2]   
Anuta language (Solomon Islands) [2]   
Futunan language (Wallis and Futuna) [2]   
Futuna-Aniwa language (Vanuatu) [2]   
Mele-Fila language (Vanuatu) [2]   
Rennell-Bellona language (Solomon Islands) [2]   
Tikopia language (Solomon Islands) [2]   
Vaeakau-Taumako language (Solomon Islands) [2]   
Pukapuka language (Cook Islands) [2]   
Penrhyn language (Cook Islands) [2]   
Tokelauan language (Tokelau) [2]   

Other

LanguageLocationSpeakersStatusCommentsRef
Austral language [2] French Polynesia Definitely endangered  
Chamorro language [2] Guam/Northern Mariana Islands Vulnerable  
Mangareva language [2] French Polynesia Severely endangered  
Rakahanga-Manihiki language [2] Cook Islands Definitely endangered  
Nauruan language [2] Nauru Severely endangered  
Niuean language [2] Niue Definitely endangeredVagahau Niue 
Norfuk language (Norfolk) [2] Norfolk Island Definitely endangered  
Norfuk language (Pitcairn) [2] Pitcairn Vulnerable  
Penrhyn language [2] Cook Islands Severely endangered  
Pukapukan language [2] Cook Islands Definitely endangered  
Cook Islands Māori [2] Cook Islands VulnerableRarotongan language 
Rotuman language [2] Fiji Vulnerable  
Tokelauan language [2] Tokelau Severely endangered  
Tuamotuan language [2] French Polynesia Definitely endangered  
Tuvaluan language [2] Tuvalu Definitely endangered  
Hawaiian language [2] Hawai'i Definitely endangered  

References

  1. ↑ "2071.0 – Census of Population and Housing: Reflecting Australia – Stories from the Census, 2016". www.abs.gov.au. Archived from the original on 9 July 2017. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 Moseley, Christopher, ed. (2010). Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger. Memory of Peoples (3rd ed.). Paris: UNESCO Publishing. ISBN   978-92-3-104096-2 . Retrieved 2015-04-11.
  3. ↑ "Kapingamarangi language". www.omniglot.com. Retrieved 2025-11-09.
  4. ↑ "Kosraean language and alphabet". www.omniglot.com. Retrieved 2025-11-09.
  5. ↑ "Mokilese language and alphabet". www.omniglot.com. Retrieved 2025-11-09.
  6. ↑ "Mortlockese language and alphabet". www.omniglot.com. Retrieved 2025-11-09.
  7. ↑ "Nukuoro alphabet, pronunciation and language". www.omniglot.com. Retrieved 2025-11-09.
  8. ↑ "Pááfang language, alphabet and pronunciation". www.omniglot.com. Retrieved 2025-11-09.
  9. ↑ "Pingelapese language, alphabet and pronunciation". www.omniglot.com. Retrieved 2025-11-09.
  10. ↑ "Puluwatese language and alphabet". www.omniglot.com. Retrieved 2025-11-09.
  11. ↑ "Arhö | Ethnologue Free". Ethnologue (Free All). Archived from the original on 2023-03-09. Retrieved 2025-11-10.
  12. ↑ "Caac language and alphabet". www.omniglot.com. Retrieved 2025-11-09.
  13. ↑ François, Alexandre (2022). "Presentation of the Lovono language (Solomon Islands)". Pangloss Collection . Paris: CNRS. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  14. ↑ François, Alexandre (2022). "Presentation of the Tanema language (Solomon Islands)". Pangloss Collection . Paris: CNRS. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  15. ↑ François, Alexandre (2022). "Presentation of the Teanu language (Solomon Islands)". Pangloss Collection . Paris: CNRS. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  16. ↑ François, Alexandre. "Unravelling the History of Oceanic Languages" (PDF). Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  17. ↑ François, Alexandre (2022). "Presentation of the Lemerig language (Vanuatu)". Pangloss Collection . Paris: CNRS. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  18. ↑ "Nasarian". Ethnologue. Retrieved 2017-05-14.
  19. ↑ François, Alexandre (2022). "Presentation of the Olrat language (Vanuatu)". Pangloss Collection . Paris: CNRS. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.