794,000 (1995), including 46.2% ethnic Fijian, 48.6% Indian, 5.2% Chinese and European. Republic of Fiji. Literacy rate 80% to 90%. 325 islands, 100 inhabited. Land area 7,000 square miles. Also includes Kiribati 2,300, Malayalam 313, Samoan 300 to 1,000, Telugu 2,008; Tongan 300 to 1,000, Tuvaluan 357 (1977), Wallisian, Chinese 5,500. Information mainly from A. Schütz 1972, P. Geraghty 1983, Wurm and Hattori 1981. Data accuracy estimate: B. Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Sikh. Blind population 392. The number of languages listed for Fiji is 10.
ENGLISH [ENG] 4,929 Europeans in Fiji (1976 census). An additional 10,276 or 1.8% of population (1976 census) are part-European, and speak English and Fijian; 322,000,000 in all countries (1995 WA). Indo-European, Germanic, West, North Sea, English. Also used by many urban Chinese (4,652 in 1976), Rotuman, occasionally by Indians, rarely by Fijians (P. Geraghty 1981). Used in radio, newspapers. Main language of commerce, education, government. National language. Bible 1535-1989. NT 1525-1985. Bible portions 1530-1987.
FIJIAN (FIJI, STANDARD FIJIAN, EASTERN FIJIAN) [FJI] 330,441 in Fiji or 46.2% of the population (1986 census), including 10,000 in Kadavu (1,500 Nabukelevu), 20,000 Northeast Viti Levu; 6,671 in New Zealand (1976 census); 350 in Vanuatu (1982 Barrett); 180 in Nauru (1995 Johnstone); 350,000 in all countries; 650,000 including second language speakers (1991 UBS). Eastern half of Viti Levu and its eastern offshore islands, Kadavu Island, Vanua Levu and its offshore islands, Nayau, Lakeba, Oneata, Moce, Komo, Namuka, Kabara, Vulaga, Ogea, Vatoa islands as mother tongue; other areas of Fiji as second language. Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Central Pacific, East Fijian-Polynesian, East Fijian. Dialects: KADAVU (ONO, TAVUKI, NABUKELEVU), SOUTHEAST VITI LEVU (WAIDINA, LUTU, NANDRAU, NAIMASIMASI), BAU (MBAU, BAUAN), NORTHEAST VITI LEVU (TOKAIMALO, NAMENA, LOVONI), CENTRAL VANUA LEVU (BAARAVI, SEAQAAQAA, NABALEBALE, SAVUSAVU), NORTHEAST VANUA LEVU (LABASA, DOGOTUKI SAQANI, KOROLAU), SOUTHEAST VANUA LEVU (NAVATU-C, TUNULOA, NAWENI, BAUMAA), WEST VANUA LEVU (NAVATU-B, SOOLEVU, BUA, NAVAKASIGA). The southern part of Vanua Levu has several dialects similar to Bau. On the northern part of Vanua Levu and adjacent islands people speak a variety somewhat related to Bau. It is used in radio, newspapers. National language. Typology: VOS. Lumbermen; agriculturalists: taro, yams, breadfruit, bananas; sugarcane, molasses, copra, coconut oil; miners: gold, copper; fishermen. Christian, traditional religion. Bible 1864, in press (1996). NT 1847-1987. Bible portions 1839-1968.
FIJIAN, WESTERN (FIJI, NADROGA, NADRONGA) [WYY] 49,000 or more including 30,500 in Waya (Waya and Ba-Navosa; 18,500 in Nadroga (1977 Lincoln). Fiji Islands, western half of Viti Levu, Waya Islands. Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Central Pacific, West Fijian-Rotuman, West Fijian. Dialects: NUCLEAR WESTERN FIJIAN (NADROGAA, TUBANIWAI, BAARAVI), WAYA (NAKOROBOYA, NOIKORO, MAGODRO).
GONE DAU (GONEDAU) [GOO] 500 (1977 Lincoln). Eastern Fiji, Gone and Dau islands off western Vanua Levu. Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Central Pacific, East Fijian-Polynesian, East Fijian. Dialect chain to Bau (Standard) Fijian at the opposite end. Speakers learn Standard Fijian; it is not functionally intelligible to them. Survey needed.
HINDI, FIJIAN [HIF] 380,000 (1991 UBS); or 48.6% of the population of the Fiji Islands (1987 Honolulu Star-Bulletin). Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Central zone, Western Hindi, Unclassified. No significant regional variation. Official status. Some Indians speak Tamil (6,663), Gujarati (6,203), Urdu, Telugu (2,008), Gurmukhi (Panjabi, 1,167), Bengali (17,875), Malayalam. All except Gujarati appear to be declining in use. Speakers were brought by the British to work as indentured laborers from 1879 to the 1920's. Used in radio, newspapers. 85% literate. Agriculturalists: sugar cane, rice, vegetables; shopkeepers, small businessmen, professional people. Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh. Bible portions. Work in progress.
KIRIBATI (GILBERTESE, IKIRIBATI) [GLB] 5,300 in Fiji, including 3,000 or more Banaban (1988); 67,000 in all countries. Also in Kiribati, Tuvalu, Solomon Islands, Nauru, Vanuatu. Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Micronesian, Micronesian Proper, Ikiribati. Dialect: BANABAN. Christian. Bible 1893-1954. NT 1873, in press (1996). Bible portions 1864-1895.
LAUAN (LAU) [LLX] 16,000 (1981 P. Geraghty). Eastern Fiji Islands, Lau, Nayau, Lakeba, Oneata, Moce, Komo, Namuka, Kabara, Vulaga, Ogea, Vatoa islands. Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Central Pacific, East Fijian-Polynesian, East Fijian. Dialects: LAU, VANUA BALAVU. In the middle of the East Fijian dialect chain; a cluster of dialects. Has some similarities to Bau Fijian; may be inherently intelligible with it. Agriculturalists: yams, taro, breadfruit, sugar cane, coconut; fishermen. Traditional religion. Survey needed.
LOMAIVITI [LMV] Islands east of Viti Levu: Koro, Makogai, Levuka, Ovalau, Batiki, Nairai, Gau. Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Central Pacific, East Fijian-Polynesian, East Fijian. Survey needed.
NAMOSI-NAITASIRI-SERUA (NAMOSI-NAITAASIRI-SEERUA) [BWB] South central Viti Levu, Namosi, Serua, Naitasiri provinces. Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Central Pacific, West Fijian-Rotuman, West Fijian. Dialects: BATIWAI, TUBAI, NALEA. Namosi is a divergent variety of Western Fijian. Naitasiri Province also has speakers of eastern Fijian varieties. The dialects listed may be separate languages. Survey needed.
ROTUMAN (ROTUNA, RUTUMAN) [RTM] 9,000 (1991 UBS) or 1.2% of the population (1981 Wurm and Hattori); 2,500 on Rotuma; 300 overseas (1990 J. Vamarasi). Rotuma Island. Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Central Pacific, West Fijian-Rotuman, Rotuman. Agriculturalists, fishermen, copra. Bible in press (1996). NT 1870-1930. Bible portions 1867-1928.
Part of the Ethnologue, 13th Edition, Barbara F. Grimes, Editor.
Copyright © 1996, Summer Institute of Linguistics, Inc. All rights reserved.
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