New Caledonian languages
subgroup of the Oceanic branch of the Austronesian language family
The thirty New Caledonian languages, also known as Kanak languages, form a branch of the Southern Oceanic languages. Their speakers are known as Kanaks. One language is extinct, one is critically endangered, four are severely endangered, five are endangered, and another five are vulnerable to extinction.
Typology
The Cèmuhî, Paicî, Drubea, Numèè, and Kwenyii languages are tonal.
Other than phonemically contrastive tone, typological features in New Caledonian languages that are typically unusual for Oceanic languages include nasalized vowels, very large vowel inventories, retroflex consonants, and voiceless nasals.
Languages
Loyalty Islands
Drehu (Lifou Island)
Iaai (Ouvéa Island)
Nengone (Maré Island)
Mainland New Caledonian
Southern New Caledonian
Extreme Southern
Ndrumbea (vulnerable)
Numèè
Mid-Southern
Xârâcùù–Xârâgurè:
Xârâcùù
Xârâgurè (endangered)
Zire–Tîrî:
Tîrî (endangered)
Zire †
Wailic
Ajië
Arhâ (severely endangered)
Arhö (critically endangered)
Neku (severely endangered)
Orowe (endangered)
Northern New Caledonian
Haeke*
Haveke*
Vamale*
Central Northern
Cèmuhî
Paicî
North Northern
Pwaamei (endangered)
Pwapwa (severely endangered)
Bwatoo
Hmwaveke
Waamwang
Fwâi
Jawe (vulnerable)
Nemi (vulnerable)
Pije (severely endangered)
Extreme Northern
Caac (vulnerable)
Kumak (vulnerable)
Nyâlayu
Yuanga
The languages of the northern Voh–Koné area (*) are often discussed as a unit.
“New Caledonian languages” enters the record as subgroup of the Oceanic branch of the Austronesian language family. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Caledonian, languages and subgroup can confirm, complicate or overturn.
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