Paicî

A language of New Caledonia

ISO 639-3

Alternate Names

Cî, Paaci, Pati, Ponerihouen

Autonym

Paicî

Population

7,250 (2009 census), increasing.

Location

North province: east coast, Poindimié and Ponérihouen; west coast, Koné, Poya, and inland valleys.

Language Status

6b (Threatened).

Classification

Dialects

Minor lexical and phonetic variation between East and West Coast, and on the East between Poindimié and Ponérihouen regions.

Typology

VOS; tonal.

Language Use

Vigorous. Some young people, all adults. Positive attitudes.

Language Development

Taught a few hours a week in public primary schools. Taught at secondary and junior college levels. Literature. Dictionary. Texts. NT: 2012.

Language Resources

Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Christian.