| Eastern Polynesian | |
|---|---|
| Geographic distribution: |
Polynesian islands |
| Linguistic classification: | Austronesian
|
| Subdivisions: |
Central Eastern
|
The dozen Eastern Polynesian languages are found on Pacific Islands from Hawaii in the north, to New Zealand in the southwest, to Easter Island in the southeast. Included in this group of Polynesian languages are Hawaiian, Marquesan, Tuamotuan, Tahitian, New Zealand Māori, Cook Island Maori, and Rapa Nui.
The two most important languages of the group by number of speakers are Tahitian and Māori; Tahitian is the main language of the Society Islands, and is used as a lingua franca throughout much of French Polynesia, while Māori is spoken by a sizable minority in New Zealand, where it shares official status with English and New Zealand Sign Language . Hawaiian is spoken by few people, but has official status in the State of Hawaii.
The close relationship between the languages is fully supported by an analysis of the Austronesian Basic Vocabulary Database (2008).[1][2]