Tokelauan

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A language of Tokelau

ISO 639-3
tkl
Alternate Names
Tokelau
Population

1,410 in Tokelau (1987). Population total all countries: 3,540.

Location

Also in American Samoa, New Zealand, United States.

Language Status

5 (Developing). De facto language of national identity, only absent from the highest government domains.

Classification
Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Central Pacific, East Fijian-Polynesian, Polynesian, Nuclear, Samoic-Outlier, Tokelauan
Dialects

Dialect differences among the 3 atolls. Intelligible with Tuvaluan [tvl]. Similar to Samoan [smo].

Language Use

Most also use some English [eng].

Language Development
They read the Samoan Bible and some speak some Samoan [smo]. Taught in primary schools. Grammar. Bible portions: 2000.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Tokelauan
Writing
Latin script.
Other Comments

Christian, traditional religion.