Oceanic languages

From Freepedia

Oceanic Languages
Spoken in:	Micronesia, Polynesia and most of Melanesia
Genetic classification:	Austronesian  Malayo-Polynesian   Central Eastern Malayo-Polynesian    Eastern Malayo-Polynesian     Oceanic

The Oceanic languages are a subgroup of the Austronesian languages, conatining approximately 450 languages. The area occupied by speakers of these languages includes Micronesia, Polynesia and most of Melanesia.

Despite covering such a vast area, Oceanic languages are spoken by less than two million people. The largest individual Oceanic language is probably Fijian, with some 300 000 speakers. Samoan, Tolai, Kirbati and Tongan all have over 100 000 speakers.

Classification

• Admiralty Islands languages
  • Eastern Admiralty Islands languages
  • Western Admiralty Islands languages
• Central-Eastern Oceanic languages
  • Remote Oceanic languages
  • South Vanuatu languages
  • Southeast Solomonic languages
• St. Matthias languages
  • Mussau-Emira
  • Tenis
• Western Oceanic languages
  • Meso Melanesian languages
  • North New Guinea languages
  • Papuan Tip languages
• Yapese (possibly one of the Manus languages)