Fijian language
Fijian is an Austronesian language of the Malayo-Polynesian family spoken in Fiji. It has 350,000 first-language speakers, which is less than half the population of Fiji. Fijian is a VOS language.
| Fijian | |
|---|---|
| Spoken in: | Fiji |
| Region: | Spoken as first language on Vanua Levu, the eastern half of Viti Levu, and on the lesser islands of Kadavu, Nayau, Lakeba, Oneata, Moce, Komo, Namuka, Kabara, Vulaga, Ogea and Vatoa. In the rest of Fiji, spoken as a second language. |
| Total speakers: | 350,000 native speakers, 200,000 second-language users |
| Ranking: | Not in top 100 |
| Genetic classification: | Austronesian Malayo-Polynesian |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-1 | fj |
| ISO 639-2 | fij |
| SIL | FJI |
| Contents |
Fijian alphabet
A B C D E F G I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y
a b c d e f g i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w y
Pronunciation
There are some consonants that are pronounced significantly differently from English:
- "b" is pronounced /mb/ as in [bamboo];
- "c" is pronounced /ð/ like "th" in [this];
- "d" is pronounced /nd/ as in [candy];
- "dr" is pronounced /nr̃/;
- "g" is pronounced /ŋ/ like "ng" in [singer];
- "q" is pronounced /ŋg/ like "ng" in [finger];
- "v" is pronounced bilabially (/β/).
Vowels may be long or short, but this distinction is not indicated in normal writing.
Word stress falls on the next to last vowel in the word (counting a long vowel as two vowels): itukutuku ("story"), kedatou ("we").
Description
The normal Fijian word order is VOS (Verb Object Subject):
- E rai (1) na no-dra (2) vale (3) na gone (4).
- Sees (1) his (2) house (3) the child (4).
- (The child sees his house.)