18,300 (1995). Literacy rate: 92% to 94%. A New Zealand self-governing territory. 15 islands including Danger, Manahiki, Rakahanga, Penrhyn (Tongareva), Pukapuka islands. Data accuracy estimate: B. Christian, Baha'i. The number of languages listed for Cook Islands is 5.
ENGLISH [ENG] 683 in Cook Islands (1966 UN report); 322,000,000 in all countries (1995 WA). Indo-European, Germanic, West, North Sea, English. National language. Bible 1535-1989. NT 1525-1985. Bible portions 1530-1987.
PENRHYN (TONGAREVA, MANGARONGARO) [PNH] 600 on Penrhyn Island (1981 Wurm and Hattori). Northern Cook Islands. Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Central Pacific, East Fijian-Polynesian, Polynesian, Nuclear, East, Central, Tahitic. Unwritten. Almost intelligible with Rarotongan. Disappearing rapidly. Second language is Rarotongan.
PUKAPUKA (BUKABUKAN) [PKP] 786 in Cook Islands (1979 Government report). Pukapuka Island, northern Cook Islands; some in Rarotonga and New Zealand. Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Central Pacific, East Fijian-Polynesian, Polynesian, Nuclear, Samoic-Outlier, Pukapuka. Unwritten. Not intelligible with Rarotongan. Related to Samoan. Typology: VSO, VOS. Fishermen, agriculturalists, copra. Survey needed.
RAKAHANGA-MANIHIKI (MANIHIKI-RAKAHANGA) [RKH] 5,000 in both countries; 50% in New Zealand (1981 Wurm and Hattori). Northern Cook Islands. Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Central Pacific, East Fijian-Polynesian, Polynesian, Nuclear, East, Central, Tahitic. Unwritten. Limited intelligibility with Rarotongan. Fishermen; agriculturalists: taro, coconuts. Survey needed.
RAROTONGAN (COOK ISLAND, COOK ISLANDS MAORI, MAORI, KUKI AIRANI, RAROTONGAN-MANGAIAN) [RRT] 16,800 in Cook Islands, possibly including second language speakers (1979 Government report); 25,000 in New Zealand (1989); 869 in French Polynesia (1977); 43,000 in all countries. 50% in New Zealand (1981 Wurm and Hattori). 13 inhabited Cook Islands. Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Central Pacific, East Fijian-Polynesian, Polynesian, Nuclear, East, Central, Tahitic. Dialects: MITIARO, MAUKE, ATIU, MANGAIA, RAROTONGA, AITUTAKI. 83% lexical similarity with Paumotu, 79% with Hawaiian, 75% with Mangarevan, 73% with Marquesas. The government is deciding on the orthography (1987). Trade language. Fishermen, agriculturalists: arrowroot, coconut, sweet potato, yam, taro, banana, citrus fruit, pineapple, papaya, mango, chestnut. Christian. Bible 1851-1888. NT 1836. Bible portions 1828-1981. Work in progress.
Part of the Ethnologue, 13th Edition, Barbara F. Grimes, Editor.
Copyright © 1996, Summer Institute of Linguistics, Inc. All rights reserved.
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