List of endangered languages of Oceania explained

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

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.

See main article: List of Australian Aboriginal languages.

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]

See main article: Micronesian languages.

Language	Status	Comments
Kapingamarangi language^[2]	Severely endangered
Kosraean language	Severely endangered	Micronesia & Nauru
Mokilese language	Critically endangered
Mortlockese language, Mortlockese	Definitely endangered
Namonuito language, Namonuito	Severely endangered
Ngatikese Men's Creole language, Ngatikese Men's Creole	Definitely endangered
Nukuoro language, Nukuoro	Definitely endangered
Nguluwan language
Paafang language, Paafang	Severely endangered
Pingelapese language, Pingelapese	Severely endangered
Puluwat language, Puluwat	Severely endangered
Satawal language, Satawal	Severely endangered
Ulithian language, Ulithian	Severely endangered
Woleaian language, Woleaian	Severely endangered

See main article: Languages of Indonesia and List of endangered languages in Indonesia. The UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger lists 88 endangered languages in Indonesia.

See main article: Languages of New Caledonia. The following languages of New Caledonia may be considered endangered.

Language	Speakers	Status	Comments	Ref
Arha language	35	Critically endangered	Arhâ language	(1996 census)
Arho language		Critically endangered
Caac language		Vulnerable
Drubea language		Vulnerable
Fagauvea language (Northern)		Vulnerable
Fagauvea language (Southern)		Vulnerable
Fwâi language		Vulnerable
Jawe language		Vulnerable
Kumak language		Vulnerable
Neku language		Severely endangered
Nemi language		Definitely endangered
Orowe language		Definitely endangered
Pije language		Severely endangered
Pwaamèi language		Definitely endangered
Pwapwa language		Severely endangered
Tiri language		Definitely endangered
Voh-Koné dialects		Definitely endangered
Xaragure language		Vulnerable

See main article: Languages of Papua New Guinea and List of endangered languages in Papua New Guinea.

Language	Speakers	Status	Comments	Ref
Asumboa language		Severely endangered
Blablanga language		Definitely endangered
Faghani language		Vulnerable
Gao language		Vulnerable
Hoava language		Vulnerable
Kokota language		Vulnerable
Oroha language		Severely endangered
Ririo language		Critically endangered
Savo language		Definitely endangered
Tanema language		Critically endangered
Tanimbili language		Severely endangered
Teanu language		Definitely endangered
Vano language		Critically endangered
Zazao language		Critically endangered

See main article: Languages of Vanuatu.

Language	Speakers	Status	Comments	Ref
Amblong language		Definitely endangered
Araki language		Critically endangered
Aveteian language		Critically endangered
Baki language		Vulnerable
Bangsa language		Critically endangered
Bierebo language		Vulnerable
Bieria language		Critically endangered
Dorig language		Definitely endangered
Emae language		Vulnerable
Hiw language	280	Definitely endangered		(2010 A.François)
Koro language		Definitely endangered
Labo language		Vulnerable
Lakon language		Vulnerable
Lehali language		Vulnerable
Lemerig language		Critically endangered
Lorediakarkar language		Critically endangered
Löyöp language	240	Vulnerable	Lehalurup	(2010 A.François)
Mafea language		Definitely endangered
Malmariv language		Vulnerable
Matanvat language		Critically endangered
Mores language		Severely endangered
Mwesen language		Critically endangered
Naati language (Näti)		Critically endangered
Naman language		Critically endangered
Nasarian language^[3]	5	Critically endangered		(Nasarian at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015))
Navwien language		Critically endangered
Nisvai language		Critically endangered
Nivat language		Critically endangered
Niviar language		Critically endangered
Olrat language		Critically endangered
Polonomombauk language		Definitely endangered
Repanbitip language		Definitely endangered
Shark Bay language		Vulnerable
Ske language		Severely endangered
Sorsorian language (Sösörian)		Critically endangered
Tambotalo language	50	Severely endangered		(1983 SIL)
Tape language		Critically endangered
Tolomako language		Definitely endangered
Tutuba language		Definitely endangered
Umbrul language (Numbuwul)		Critically endangered
Ura language	6	Critically endangered		(1998 T Crowley)
Vera'a language		Definitely endangered
Volow language		Critically endangered

Language	Speakers	Status	Ref
Tobian language	22	Critically endangered	(1995 SIL)
Sonsorolese language	600	Severely endangered

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

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

Other

Language	Location	Status	Comments
Austral language	French Polynesia	Definitely endangered
Chamorro language	Guam/Northern Mariana Islands	Vulnerable
Mangareva language	French Polynesia	Severely endangered
Rakahanga-Manihiki language	Cook Islands	Definitely endangered
Nauruan language	Nauru	Severely endangered
Niuean language	Niue	Definitely endangered	Vagahau Niue
Norfuk language (Norfolk)	Norfolk Island	Definitely endangered
Norfuk language (Pitcairn)	Pitcairn	Vulnerable
Penrhyn language	Cook Islands	Severely endangered
Pukapukan language	Cook Islands	Definitely endangered
Cook Islands Māori	Cook Islands	Vulnerable	Rarotongan language
Rotuman language	Fiji	Vulnerable
Tokelauan language	Tokelau	Severely endangered
Tuamotuan language	French Polynesia	Definitely endangered
Tuvaluan language	Tuvalu	Definitely endangered
Hawaiian language	Hawai'i	Definitely endangered

Notes and References

Web site: 2071.0 – Census of Population and Housing: Reflecting Australia – Stories from the Census, 2016 . www.abs.gov.au . 12 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170709233002/http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/2071.0~2016~Main%20Features~Cultural%20Diversity%20Article~20 . 9 July 2017 . dead.
Book: Moseley . Christopher . 2010 . Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger . 3rd . Paris . UNESCO Publishing . Memory of Peoples . 978-92-3-104096-2 . 2015-04-11.
News: Nasarian. Ethnologue. 2017-05-14.