Wallisian (Fakaʻuvea)

Wallisian is a Polynesian language spoken on the island of Wallis (ʻUvea), a part of the French Overseas Collectivity of the Wallis and Futuna Islands in the South Pacific. It is also spoken in New Caledonia and France. In 2017 there were about 20,000 speakers of Wallisian, which is also known as ʻUvean or East Uvean.

Wallisian is closely related to Rellellese and Tongan, and has many words borrowed from Tongan. It also has borrowed a lot of vocabulary from French.

Wallisian was first documented by French missionaries during the early 19th century, although their work was not published until 1932. A Wallisian translation of a prayer book was published in 1864, and parts of the Bible in Wallisian were published in 1885.

Wallisian alphabet and pronunciation

Wallisian alphabet and pronunciation

Notes

Download an alphabet chart for Wallisian (Excel)

Sample text in Wallisian

Tapu age mo te hau kua toka,
mo aliki fuli kua katoa,
kau viki te vaka nee logona,
ko te fuka o uvea katoa,
mole matou viki fuli atu,
te uhiga o te lomipeau,
tahi hina kupu e matou mau,
moo fakamaholo palalau.

This is part of a song called Lompieau. You can hear the whole song at:

Other videos in and about Wallisian

Information about Wallisian | Numbers

Links

Information about the Wallisian language
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallisian_language
http://www.ethnologue.com/18/language/wls/
https://digital.lib.washington.edu/researchworks/bitstream/handle/1773/37169/Livingston_washington_0250O_16252.pdf?sequence=1
http://dominicweb.eu/en/fakauvea-wallisien/
http://siteduninstit-wallis.wifeo.com/wallisien.php

Polynesian languages

Anutan, Austral, Emae, Futuna-Aniwa, Futunan, Hawaiian, Kapingamarangi, Mangareva, Māori, Marquesan (North), Marquesan (South), Mele-Fila, Moriori, Niuafoʻou, Niuean, Nukumanu, Nukuoro, Nukuria, Ontong Java, Penrhyn, Pukapukan, Rakahanga-Manihiki, Rapa, Rapa Nui, Rarotongan, Rennellese, Samoan, Sikaiana, Tahitian, Takuu, Tikopia, Tokelauan, Tongan, Tuamotuan, Tuvaluan, Vaeakau-Taumako, Wallisian, West Uvean

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page last modified: 23.04.21

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