Palau Languages

Palau Wiki Topics
Flag of Palau
Palau Beginning Research
Record Types
Palau Background
Local Research Resources

Description

The official languages of Palau are Palauan and English, except in two states (Sonsorol and Hatohobei) where the local languages, Sonsorolese and Tobian, respectively, along with Palauan, are official. [1]

Palauan - a Malayo-Polynesian language native to the Republic of Palau, where it is one of the two official languages, alongside English. It is widely used in day-to-day life in the country. [2]

Sonsorolese - a Micronesian language spoken in Palau, originally on the islands composing the state of Sonsorol, and spreading through migration elsewhere in the country. It is very close to Tobian. [3]

Tobian - a Micronesian language spoken by approximately 150 people. It is the language of Tobi, one of the Southwest Islands of Palau, and the main island of Hatohobei state. [4]

Word List(s)

Alphabet and Pronunciation

Alphabet

Pronunciation

Language Aids and Dictionaries

Language Aids

  • Sonsorolese Language Grammar - Wikipedia
  • Capell, Arthur. Grammar and vocabulary of the language of Sonsorol-Tobi. Washington: Pacific Science Office, National Research Council, 1951. Available at: WorldCat.

Dictionaries

  • Josephs, Lewis S. Palauan-English dictionary. Honolulu: Univ. of Hawaii Press, 1990. Available at: WorldCat.
  • McManus, Edwin G, Lewis S Josephs, and Masa-aki Emesiochel. Palauan -- English Dictionary. Honolulu: University Press of Hawaii, 1978. Available at: WorldCat.

Online Dictionaries

Additional Resources

References

  1. Wikipedia contributors, "Palau," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palau#Languages, accessed 23 Jun 2021.
  2. Wikipedia contributors, "Palauan language," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palauan_language, accessed 23 Jun 2021.
  3. Wikipedia contributors, "Sonsorolese language," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonsorolese_language, accessed 23 Jun 2021.
  4. Wikipedia contributors, "Tobian language," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobian_language, accessed 23 Jun 2021.