Nisvai | |
---|---|
Vetbon | |
Native to | Vanuatu |
Region | Malekula |
Native speakers | 200 (2001) [1] |
Language codes | |
ISO 639-3 | None (mis ) |
Glottolog | nisv1234 |
ELP | Nisvai |
Nisvai is classified as Critically Endangered by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger |
Nisvai is an Oceanic language spoken in southeast Malekula, Vanuatu, on the eastern tip of the island, by about 200 speakers. [2] [1]
The languages surrounding Nisvai include, or used to include, Port Sandwich, Nasvang, Sörsörian, Axamb and Avok. [2]
The name Nisvai literally means "what".
Malakula Island, also spelled Malekula, is the second-largest island in the nation of Vanuatu, formerly the New Hebrides, in Melanesia, a region of the Pacific Ocean.
The Southern Oceanic languages are a linkage of Oceanic languages spoken in Vanuatu and New Caledonia. It was proposed by John Lynch in 1995 and supported by later studies. It appears to be a linkage rather than a language family with a clearly defined internal nested structure.
Aulua or Aulua Bay is an Oceanic language spoken in east Malekula, Vanuatu.
Ninde, or Labo is an Oceanic language spoken by about 1,100 people in the Southwest Bay area of Malekula island, in Vanuatu.
Nahavaq, also known as South West Bay (Malekula) or Siesip, is one of the many languages of the Malekula Coast group of Vanuatu.
Ahamb, also spelled Axamb or Akhamb is an Oceanic language spoken in South Malakula, Vanuatu.
Larëvat is an Oceanic language of central Malekula, Vanuatu.
Nasarian is a nearly extinct Oceanic language of southwest Malekula, Vanuatu, though the handful of speakers includes children.
Malua Bay is an Oceanic language spoken in northwest Malekula, Vanuatu.
Port Sandwich, or Lamap, is an Oceanic language spoken in southeast Malekula, Vanuatu, on the eastern tip of the island. It was first described in 1979 by French linguist Jean-Michel Charpentier.
Aveteian is a possibly extinct language of Vanuatu, presumably one of the Malekula Interior languages. In the early twentieth century it was spoken by a few families living to the north of Ninde.
Navwien is a possibly extinct language of Vanuatu, presumably one of the Malekula Interior languages. It was spoken in the southwestern corner of Malekula, near Malfaxal.
Nasvang is an Oceanic language spoken in southeast Malekula, Vanuatu, by about 275 speakers.
Uripiv Island is a small inhabited island in Malampa Province of Vanuatu in the Pacific Ocean. Uripiv lies off the north coast of Malekula Island. The estimated terrain elevation above the sea level is some 8 meters.
Uluveo Island is a small, inhabited island in Malampa Province of Vanuatu in the Pacific Ocean. Uluveo is a part of the Maskelyne Islands archipelago.
The Malakula languages are a group of Central Vanuatu languages spoken on Malakula Island in central Vanuatu. Unlike some earlier classifications, linguist and Oceanic languages specialist John Lynch (2016) considered the Malakula languages to form a coherent group.
Rutan is a Malakula language of Vanuatu.
Alovas is a Malakula language of Vanuatu.
Najit is a Malakula language of Vanuatu, spoken by less than 5 speakers.
Njav is a Malakula language of Vanuatu. There are about 10 speakers.