Austronesian languages facts for kids

Language families. Places where Austronesian languages are spoken are colored pink.

The Austronesian languages are a large group of languages that are related to each other. Think of them like a big family where all the languages share a common ancestor. These languages are mostly spoken in Southeast Asia and on many islands across the Pacific Ocean. Millions of people speak Austronesian languages every day!

What Are Austronesian Languages?

Austronesian languages form one of the biggest language families in the world. They are spoken by people living in places like Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Madagascar, and many islands in Polynesia (like Hawaii and New Zealand).

Where Did They Come From?

Experts believe these languages started a long, long time ago. Most scientists think they began on the island of Taiwan. From there, people who spoke early forms of Austronesian languages traveled by boat. They sailed across vast oceans, settling new islands over thousands of years. This incredible journey helped spread the languages far and wide.

Examples of Austronesian Languages

Many well-known languages belong to the Austronesian family. Here are some of them:

• Anus
• Indonesian: This is the official language of Indonesia, a country with many islands.
• Fijian: Spoken on the beautiful islands of Fiji.
• Hawaiian: The native language of Hawaii, known for its soft sounds.
• Javanese: Spoken by people on the island of Java in Indonesia.
• Malay: An important language in Malaysia and Singapore.
• Māori: The language of the native people of New Zealand.
• Tagalog: A main language in the Philippines, often called Filipino.
• Tuvaluan: Spoken on the small island nation of Tuvalu.

These languages might sound very different, but they share some common roots. This is similar to how English, French, and German are all part of the Indo-European language family.

Images for kids

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  A 5 dollar banknote from Hawaii, around 1839, showing the Hawaiian language.

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  A map showing where Austronesian languages are spoken.

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  Different groups of Formosan languages in Taiwan.

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  Another way to look at how Austronesian languages are related.

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  A map showing possible paths of early people to Taiwan.

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  A map showing how early groups of people might have migrated, including those who spoke early Austronesian languages.

See also

In Spanish: Lenguas austronesias para niños