Tuvaluan

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A language of Tuvalu

ISO 639-3
tvl
Alternate Names
Ellice, Ellicean, Tuvalu
Autonym
Te ’gana Tūvalu
Population

10,000 in Tuvalu (2015 S. Ager). Total users in all countries: 14,270.

Location

Tuvalu, 7 of the 9 inhabited islands.

Language Status

3 (Wider communication). De facto language of national identity, possible use in local courts, councils.

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, Ellicean
Dialects

North Tuvaluan (Nanumanga, Nanumea, Niutao), South Tuvaluan (Funafuti, Nukufetau, Nukulaelae, Vaitupu). Not intelligible with Samoan [smo]. Formerly used as mission language. Intelligible of Tokelau [tkl]. Southern dialect is official.

Language Use

Vigorous.

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: High. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible: 1987–2016.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Tuvaluan
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Christian.

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