The Melanesian languages are the indigenous languages of Melanesia. They include about 400 Austronesian languages (parts of the Central–Eastern Malayo-Polynesian family) and numerous families of Papuan languages.
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Melanesian languages — languages belonging to the Eastern, or Oceanic, branch of the Austronesian (Malayo Polynesian) language family and spoken in the islands of Melanesia. The Melanesian languages, of which there are about 400, are most closely related to the… … Universalium
Meso-Melanesian languages — Meso Melanesian Geographic distribution: Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands Linguistic classification: Austronesian Malayo Polynesian Oceanic Meso Me … Wikipedia
Languages of France — Languages of country = France [http://ec.europa.eu/public opinion/archives/ebs/ebs 243 en.pdf] image size= 200px caption = Regional languages official = French regional = Alsatian; Basque; Breton; Catalan; Corsican; Flemish; Franco Provençal;… … Wikipedia
Melanesian pidgins — ▪ language English based pidgins (pidgin) that are used widely in Melanesia (Melanesian culture); in some areas they have evolved into expanded pidgins, having become local vernaculars comparable to the creoles (creole languages) spoken in… … Universalium
Languages of Vanuatu — Vanuatu has three official languages, English, French, and Bislama, a creole language evolved from English. Bislama is the first language of many urban ni Vanuatu, that is, the residents of Port Vila and Luganville. It is the most common second… … Wikipedia
Melanesian — [mel΄ə nēzhən, mel΄ə nēshən] adj. of Melanesia or its peoples, languages, or cultures n. 1. a member of any of the indigenous peoples of Melanesia 2. a branch of the Austronesian family of languages, consisting of the languages of Melanesia … English World dictionary
Melanesian mythology — is a European way of referring to the custom stories of the world area known since the 19th century as Melanesia , an umbrella term used for the archipelagos of New Guinea, the Torres Strait Islands, the Admiralty Islands, Solomon Islands, New… … Wikipedia
Melanesian culture — ▪ cultural region, Pacific Ocean Introduction the beliefs and practices of the indigenous peoples of the ethnogeographic group of Pacific Islands known as Melanesia. From northwest to southeast, the islands form an arc that begins with New… … Universalium
Languages of Fiji — Fiji has three official languages under the 1997 constitution; English, Fijian and Hindustani. Fijian is a spoken either as a first or second language by indigenous Fijians who make up around 54% of the population. Indo Fijians make up a further… … Wikipedia
Melanesian — noun Date: 1845 1. a member of the dominant native group of Melanesia 2. a language group consisting of the Austronesian languages of Melanesia • Melanesian adjective … New Collegiate Dictionary
