Sonsorol

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A language of Palau

ISO 639-3
sov
Alternate Names
Sonsorolese
Population

360 (2007 R. Dongosaro). About 60 on the outer islands (Sonsoral 30, Pulo Anna 10, Merir 3) and 300 in Koror town, Echang village.

Location

Sonsorol, Pulo Anna, and Merir islands.

Language Maps
Language Status

6b (Threatened). Recognized language (1983, Constitution, Article 13(1)).

Classification
Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Micronesian, Micronesian Proper, Ponapeic-Trukic, Trukic
Dialects

Merir, Pulo Anna, Sonsorolese. Significant linguistic differences between Tobian [tox] and Sonsorolese; similar to or greater than differences between, e.g., Puluwatese [puw] and Namonuito [nmt]. 50% intelligibility of Woleaian [woe], less with the remainder of the Trukic continuum. The Merir dialect has been reported to be extinct. Lexical similarity: 69% with Ulithian [uli].

Language Use

Young Sonsorolese are reported to speak their native language with many English [eng] admixtures. Consequently, their speech is very different from the Sonsorolese of the elder generation, in which there are currently less than 20 speakers over 60 years old. Most also use English [eng] or Palauan [pau].

Language Development
Grammar.
Writing
Latin script.