Austral

AUT

shifting

Alternate Names: Tubuai-Rurutu

Dialects: Raivavae, Rimatara, Rurutu, Tubuai. Mutually intelligible with Tahitian ,. Currently Raivavae, Rurutu, Tubuai and Rimatara dialects considered as dialects of Tahitian.

Genealogy:

Austronesian
Malayo-Polynesian
Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian
Eastern Malayo-Polynesian
Oceanic
Central-Eastern Oceanic
Remote Oceanic
Central Pacific
East Fijian-Polynesian
Polynesian
Nuclear
East
Central
Tahitic

Demographics: 3,000 (2007 census). Ethnic population: 8,000. L2 users: 2,000.

Language Use: Younger generation shifting to Tahitian [tah]. Also use Tahitian [tah]. Possibly less bilingual on Raivavae (Wurm 2007).

Nation of Origin: French Polynesia

Other Comments: Christian (Protestant).