View source for Niuafoʻou language

{{Short description|Language of Tonga's northernmost island}}
{{Infobox language
|name=Niuafoʻou
|nativename=Ko te lea faka Niuafoʻou
|states=[[Tonga]]
|speakers=500
|date=2015
|ref=e19
|familycolor=Austronesian
|fam2=[[Malayo-Polynesian languages|Malayo-Polynesian]]
|fam3=[[Oceanic languages|Oceanic]]
|fam4=[[Polynesian languages|Polynesian]]
|fam5=[[Tongic languages|Tongic]]?
|iso3=num
|glotto=niua1240
|glottorefname=Niuafo'ou
|map             = Lang Status 99-NE.svg
|mapcaption      = {{center|{{small|Niuafoʻou is not endangered according to the classification system of the [[UNESCO]] ''[[Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger]]''}}}}
}}

[[File:WIKITONGUES- Nicholas speaking Niuafo’ou.webm|thumb|A speaker of Niuafoʻou]]

'''Niuafo{{okina}}ou''', or '''Niuafoʻouan''', is the language spoken on [[Tonga]]'s northernmost island, [[Niuafo{{okina}}ou]].

Niuafoʻouan has traditionally been classified as closest to [[Fakauvea|{{okina}}Uvean]] and [[Tokelauan language|Tokelauan]], in an '''East Uvean–Niuafoʻou''' branch. However, recent research<ref>Marck, Jeff (2000), ''Topics in Polynesian languages and culture history''. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.</ref> suggests that it is closest to its neighbour, [[Tongan language|Tongan]], as one of the [[Tongic languages]].

In September 2022 language campaigners called for it to be taught in primary schools on Niuafo’ou.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.kanivatonga.co.nz/2022/09/calls-for-tongan-prime-minister-to-allow-teaching-of-niuafoouan-language-in-schools/ |title=Calls for Tongan Prime Minister to allow teaching of Niuafo'ouan language in schools |publisher=Kaniva Tonga |author=Kalino Latu |date=5 September 2022 |access-date=8 September 2022}}</ref>

==Phonology==
The phonology of Niuafoʻou is similar to that of Tongan, with twelve consonants and five vowel phonemes.

{|class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+Consonants<ref name=Tsukamoto/>
!
! [[Labial consonant|Labial]]
! [[Alveolar consonant|Alveolar]]
! [[Velar consonant|Velar]]
! [[Glottal consonant|Glottal]]
|-
! [[Nasal stop|Nasal]]
| {{IPA link|m}}
| {{IPA link|n}}
| {{IPA link|ŋ}}
|
|-
! [[Plosive]]
| {{IPA link|p}}
| {{IPA link|t}}
| {{IPA link|k}}
| {{IPA link|ʔ}}
|-
! [[Fricative]]
| {{IPA link|f}} {{ns}} {{IPA link|v}}
| {{IPA link|s}}
| 
| {{IPA link|h}}
|-
! [[Lateral consonant|Lateral]]
|
| {{IPA link|l}}
|
|
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+Vowels<ref name=Tsukamoto/>
!
![[Front vowel|Front]]
![[Central vowel|Central]]
![[Back vowel|Back]]
|-
![[High vowel|High]]
|{{IPA link|i}}
|
|{{IPA link|u}}
|-
![[Mid vowel|Mid]]
|{{IPA link|e}}
|
|{{IPA link|o}}
|-
![[Low vowel|Low]]
|
|{{IPA link|a}}
|
|}

Vowels are more centralized when unstressed. {{IPA|/i/}} and {{IPA|/u/}} are de-voiced under some conditions.<ref name=Tsukamoto/>

Sometimes the phoneme {{IPA|/t/}} is realized as a apico-[[alveolar flap]] ({{IPAslink|ɾ}}). {{IPA|/h/}} is only realized as {{IPAslink|h}} at the beginning of words. In the middle of words, it is either {{IPAslink|ɦ}} or {{IPAslink|x}}.<ref name=Tsukamoto/>

===Syllable structure===
Niuafoʻou has a very simple syllable structure, (C)V. However, it is apparently transitioning towards allowing consonant clusters, due to the influence of foreign languages and the de-voicing of vowels.<ref name=Tsukamoto>{{cite thesis|last=Tsukamoto|first=Akihisa|date=1988|title=The language of Niuafoʻou Island|publisher=The Australian National University|url=https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/handle/1885/10027|access-date=20 April 2018}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}{{Incubator|num}}{{Polynesian languages}}
{{Austronesian languages}}
{{Oceania topic|Languages of}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Niuafoʻou language}}
[[Category:Languages of Tonga]]
[[Category:Tongic languages]]
[[Category:Endangered Austronesian languages]]


{{CPacific-lang-stub}}
{{Tonga-stub}}