World Languages/Oceania

Oceania is divided into six main regions: Australia (orange on the map), Melanesia (green), Micronesia (pink), New Zealand (blue), Papua New Guinea (dark blue) and Polynesia (purple). The majority language in Oceania is English.

Regions of Oceania

Oceania has many indigenous languages, though many have been replaced by English and other European languages, where they are now endangered. Melanesia and Australia is home to over 5000 languages alone, with one of the greatest linguistic diversity in the world.

In comparison, Polynesia lacks great diversity, because they are all descendants of a migrant community from southern China (the proto-Austronesians) and have the same language family.

Australia

Official Languages:

English

Native languages:

Upper Arrernte

Kalaw Lagaw Ya

Tiwi

Walmajarri

Warlpiri

Wati

Other Languages:

Portal:Australian Indigenous languages

New Zealand

Historically native languages to New Zealand are:

• Maori (with various dialects)
• Moriori (closely related to Maori)

Official languages of New Zealand are:

• New Zealand English
• Maori
• New Zealand Sign Language

Papua New Guinea

With over 850 languages, Papua New Guinea holds a tenth of the world's 20,000 languages, despite its small population. Most are undocumented, especially as many of its users have not had contact with non-Papuan peoples. Papua New Guinea has 3 official languages: English, Hiri Motu and Tok Pisin. Tok Pisin language is the most spoken in the country and is used as the local lingua franca, it is an English-based creole.

Polynesia

Historically native languages to Polynesia are:

• Cook Islands Maori
• Niuean
• Pitcairn
• Samoan
• Tongan

Portal:Wikilang