Endangered Languages Project

Although children are still learning Äiwoo, the language is in danger from rising sea levels. Speakers may need to move to Santa Cruz or Honiara to survive in the longer term, leading to an increase in the use of Pijin, and potentially the disappearance of the Äiwoo language.

ALSO KNOWN AS		Reef, Ayiwo, Naaude, Aiwo, Gnivo, Nivo, Nifilole, Lomlom, Reef Islands, Reefs, Äiwo, Aïwo, Reef Islands-Santa Cruz Sub-Family
CLASSIFICATION		Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Temotu
ORTHOGRAPHY		Latin
CODE AUTHORITY		ISO 639-3
LANGUAGE CODE		nfl
DOWNLOAD		As csv
MORE RESOURCES		OLAC search

Compare Sources (2)

Information from: “Sociological factors in Reefs-Santa Cruz language vitality: a 40 year retrospective” (111-152) . Brenda H. Boerger and Åshild Næss and Anders Vaa and Rachel Emerine and Angela Hoover (2012)

Vulnerable

100 percent certain, based on the evidence available
7,926
Native speakers worldwide
MORE ON SPEAKER NUMBERS
census

DATE OF INFO: 1999

DOMAINS OF USE

SPEAKER NUMBER TRENDS

TRANSMISSION

MORE ON VITALITY

"[Äiwoo] is the home language for nearly all households in the main Reef Islands... [it] is reportedly expanding at the expense of other local languages, and as such it appears to be in no immediate danger of extinction."

OTHER LANGUAGES USED BY THE COMMUNITY

English
Pijin
Vaeakau-Taumako

LANGUAGE CONTEXT COMMENTS

"At present, many of the male Äiwoo speakers, middle-aged or above, with whom we have worked claim to have some knowledge of the Vaeakau-Taumako language... we have observed interactions where both languages appear to be used, with frequent code-switching on both sides. Pijin is also used, but we do not know what determines the choice of language in such situations... Village level meetings and gatherings are held mainly in Äiwoo."

Scripts (Writing system)

Latin

More on Orthography

Four different orthographies designed since the 1970s; "it is difficult to say how many people are literate in any of them, or how many actively write their language."

PLACES: Solomon Islands

LOCATION DESCRIPTION: Primarily spoken in Fenua Loa and Lomlom; there are also communities of Äiwoo speakers in settlements in the northeastern and eastern parts of Santa Cruz.

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
8,400
Native speakers worldwide
MORE ON SPEAKER NUMBERS
(SIL)

DATE OF INFO: 1999

SPEAKER ATTITUDE: "Positive attitudes."
OTHER LANGUAGES USED BY THE COMMUNITY
Scripts (Writing system): Latin

PLACES: Solomon Islands

LOCATION DESCRIPTION: "Temotu Province, Santa Cruz Islands, primarily the Reef islands: Lomlom Fenualoa, Nibanga Nede, and Nibanga Temaa. Many villages scattered along the north coast of Santa Cruz, and Honiara.'

Äiwoo

Language metadata

Language information by source

Vulnerable

100 percent certain, based on the evidence available

7,926

Threatened

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

8,400

Discussion

			18th		2015	Ethnologue: Languages of the World, 18th Edition				Lewis, M. Paul, Gary F. Simons, and Charles D. Fennig		SIL International			Dallas, Texas					http://www.ethnologue.com		Lewis, M. Paul, Gary F. Simons, and Charles D. Fennig (eds.). 2015. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Eighteenth edition. Dallas, Texas: SIL International. Online version: http://www.ethnologue.com.						8,400	1999	1000-9999	(SIL)					English [eng], Pijin [pis], Vaeakau-Taumako [piv]			"Positive attitudes."				Threatened (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)								Solomon Islands	"Temotu Province, Santa Cruz Islands, primarily the Reef islands: Lomlom Fenualoa, Nibanga Nede, and Nibanga Temaa. Many villages scattered along the north coast of Santa Cruz, and Honiara.'
				214	2012	Sociological factors in Reefs-Santa Cruz language vitality: a 40 year retrospective		111-152					International Journal of the Sociology of Language								Brenda H. Boerger and Åshild Næss and Anders Vaa and Rachel Emerine and Angela Hoover	Brenda H. Boerger, Åshild Næss, Anders Vaa, Rachel Emerine and Angela Hoover. 2012. "Sociological Factors in Reefs-Santa Cruz Language Vitality: a 40 Year Retrospective." In International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 111-152.						7,926	1999	1000-9999	census				English and Pijin in church	English, Pijin, Vaeakau-Taumako				"At present, many of the male Äiwoo speakers, middle-aged or above, with whom we have worked claim to have some knowledge of the Vaeakau-Taumako language... we have observed interactions where both languages appear to be used, with frequent code-switching on both sides. Pijin is also used, but we do not know what determines the choice of language in such situations... Village level meetings and gatherings are held mainly in Äiwoo."		Most know some Pijin at least	Vulnerable (100 percent certain, based on the evidence available)	10		"[Äiwoo] is the home language for nearly all households in the main Reef Islands... [it] is reportedly expanding at the expense of other local languages, and as such it appears to be in no immediate danger of extinction."	12	10			Solomon Islands	Primarily spoken in Fenua Loa and Lomlom; there are also communities of Äiwoo speakers in settlements in the northeastern and eastern parts of Santa Cruz.	-10.303377, 166.306967