Central Pacific languages

Central Pacific
Central Pacific
Fijian–Polynesian
Geographic; distribution	Fiji and Polynesia
Linguistic classification	Austronesian Malayo-Polynesian Oceanic Central–Eastern Oceanic Central Pacific; ; ; ;
Proto-language	Proto-Central Pacific
Subdivisions	West Fijian – Rotuman; East Fijian – Polynesian;
Language codes
Glottolog	cent2060
	The Central Pacific languages; Pink is Western Fijian – Rotuman; ocher East Fijian – Polynesian (not shown: Rapa Nui)

The Central Pacific languages, also known as Fijian–Polynesian languages, are a branch of the Oceanic languages spoken in Fiji and Polynesia.

Classification

Ross et al. (2002) classify the languages as a linkage.^[1]

Central Pacific
- Western
  - Rotuman
  - Western Fijian linkage
    - Namosi-Naitasiri-Serua
    - Western Fijian (Nadroga, Waya)
- East Central Pacific linkage
  - Eastern Fijian linkage
    - Bauan (standard Fijian)
    - Gone Dau
    - Lauan
    - Lomaiviti
  - Polynesian family

The West Fijian languages are more closely related to Rotuman, and East Fijian to Polynesian, than they are to each other, but subsequent contact has caused them to reconverge. Rotuman has been influenced by Polynesian languages, evident today by the presence of two reflex sets (one inherited, one from Polynesian).

References

^ Lynch, John, Malcolm Ross & Terry Crowley. 2002. The Oceanic languages. Richmond, Surrey: Curzon Press.

[1] Lynch, John, Malcolm Ross & Terry Crowley. 2002. The Oceanic languages. Richmond, Surrey: Curzon Press.

[1]