Languages of Papua New Guinea

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Please help improve this article or section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (June 2007)

The languages of Papua New Guinea today number about 820,^[1] making it the most linguistically diverse place on earth. Its official languages are Tok Pisin, English and Hiri Motu. Tok Pisin, an English-based creole, is the most widely spoken, serving as the country's lingua franca.

Contents 1 Tok Pisin 2 English 3 Hiri Motu 4 Papuan languages 5 Austronesian languages 6 Literacy 7 Notes 8 References

[edit] Tok Pisin

Main article: Tok Pisin

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[edit] English

Although it is an official language of Papua New Guinea, English is only spoken by 1–2% of the population.^[2]

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[edit] Hiri Motu

Main article: Hiri Motu

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[edit] Papuan languages

Main article: Papuan languages

The longest-established languages of Papua New Guinea are known as the Papuan languages.

Outside of Papua New Guinea, Papuan languages are also spoken in the Indonesia, East Timor, the Solomon Islands,

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[edit] Austronesian languages

Main article: Austronesian languages

People speaking languages belonging to the Austronesian family arrived in New Guinea approximately 3,500 years ago.^{[citation needed]}

The Austronesian languages are widely spread across the globe, as far west as Malagasy in Madagascar, as far east as Rapa Nui on Easter Island, and as far as north as the Formosan languages of Taiwan. Austronesian has several primary branches, all but one of which are found exclusively on Taiwan.

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[edit] Literacy

57.3% of the population of Papua New Guinea over 15 years of age are literate.^[2]

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[edit] Notes

[edit] References

• Gordon, Raymond G., Jr. (ed.) (2005). Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Fifteenth edition, Dallas, Tex.: SIL International. 

v • d • e Languages of Oceania  Australasia Australia · Christmas Island · Cocos (Keeling) Islands · New Zealand1 · Norfolk Island   Melanesia East Timor2 · Fiji · New Caledonia · Papua New Guinea3 · Solomon Islands · Vanuatu  Micronesia Federated States of Micronesia · Guam · Kiribati · Marshall Islands · Nauru · Northern Mariana Islands · Palau   Polynesia American Samoa · Cook Islands · French Polynesia · Niue · Pitcairn Islands · Samoa · Tokelau · Tonga · Tuvalu · Wallis and Futuna 1 Often included in Polynesia.  2 Often included in Southeast Asia.  3 Often included in Australasia.