Caac (Caaàc)

Caac is a member of the New Caledonian branch of the Malayo-Polynesian language family. It is spoken by about 1,200 people on the northeast coast of Grande Terre island in the North Province of New Caledonia, particularly in the village of Pouébo. The village is known as Pweevo in Caac, and the region is known as Hoot ma Waap. There are also speakers of Caac in the Paita-Mont Dore area of Nouméa, the capital of New Caledonia.

Caac is also known as Caaàc, Caawac, Moenebeng or Mwelebeng. There are different dialects in Pouébo and Nouméa. It is closely related to Nêlêmwa-Nixumwak, Yuanga and Nyâlayu, which are spoken in the same area.

Caac was taught in some public schools in the 1980s and 90s, and is currently taught in one private secondary school. However, French is the main language of education, and many Caac parents encourage their children to speak French rather than Caac as they believe this will give them better prospects.

Caac alphabet and pronunciation

Caac alphabet and pronunciation

Notes

Download a script chart for Caac (Excel)
Details of the Caac alphabet provided by Wolfram Siegel

Sample text

Pwame ni nangâ, hi ta alo da re nen jec, jo eze nec ho pade kên na jade re alen ra mwââ eze beve hi de câmwâ ho kumaâc mi yagala have hi pu bazon ho ri, ha i tame ho ri, waraani ja eze nec ho ta le pade kên i ja a panûâ ho ni.

Translation (French)

Le notou, lorsqu'il défèque, a pour habitude de tourner le dos à la mer, face à la forêt. En entendant le bruit de ses défections tombant au sol, il se retourne vers la mer pour voir qui avance vers la forêt, ne comprenant pas que le bruit provient de sesdéfections s'écrasant sur le sol. Se dit de celui ou de celle qui n’a pas su mesurer l’impact de ses actes et qui s’étonne de ses conséquences.

Source: https://www.alk.nc/langues/caac/corpus/peye-vela-re-caac-proverbe-et-dicton-en-langue-caac

Sample video in Caac

Links

Information about Caac
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caac_language
https://www.ethnologue.com/language/msq/
https://glottolog.org/resource/languoid/id/caac1237

New Caledonian languages

Ajië, Caac, Cèmuhî, Drehu, Iaai, Ndrumbea, Nengone, Numèè, Nyelâyu, Paicî, Vamale, Xârâcùù

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page created: 16.05.23. Last modified: 16.05.23

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