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Samoan language.
| Samoan | |
|---|---|
| Language family | Austronesian Malayo-Polynesian Oceanic Polynesian Samoic Samoan–Tokelauan Samoan |
| Writing system | Latin (Samoan alphabet) Samoan Braille |
| Official status | |
| Official language in | Samoa American Samoa |
What is the official language of Samoa?
The official language of Samoa is Samoan and it is spoken across the majority of Samoa's islands. Samoan is the oldest and most spoken Polynesian language with an estimated 510,000 speakers worldwide. The Samoan language is most recognised for its phonological differences between formal and informal discussion as well as ceremonial speech used in Samoan oratory.
What language do they speak in American Samoa?
Samoan (Gagana faʻa Sāmoa or Gagana Sāmoa; IPA: [ŋaˈŋana ˈsaːmʊa]) is the language of the Samoan Islands, comprising Samoa and the United States territory of American Samoa.It is an official language, alongside English, in both jurisdictions.. Samoan, a Polynesian language, is the first language for most of the Samoa Islands' population of about 260,000 people.
What is the religion of Samoa?
Samoa is a Polynesian island country in the Pacific Ocean consisting of two large and four small islands. It hosts a population of around 200,108 inhabitants. The most popular religion in Samoa is Christianity.. Religious Composition Of Samoa. According to the CIA World Factbook, Christianity is the religion of the majority in Samoa.
How to learn Samoan language?
Method 4 Method 4 of 4: Using Other Resources
- Use flash cards to build up your vocabulary. Focus on common words, like words for food, family, days of the week, and so on.
- Consume Samoan media. While it may be a bit more difficult to find media in Samoan than other languages, you can find videos in Samoan on websites like YouTube ...
- Hire a tutor or take a class. ...
What language do Samoans speak?
Description. Samoan and English are the official languages in Samoa. Including second-language speakers, there are more speakers of Samoan than English in Samoa. Samoan, a Polynesian language, is the first language for most of the Samoa Islands' population of about 246,000 people.
What alphabet does Samoan use?
The Samoan language consists of a 14 letter latin-based alphabet. The consonants include F, G, L, M, N, P, S, T and V. The vowels include A, E, I, O and U.
Who wrote the Samoan language?
First Samoan Bible (1860) and dictionary (1862) Pratt was the first person to document the Samoan language. He authored the first grammar and dictionary of the language, A Grammar and Dictionary of the Samoan Language, with English and Samoan Vocabulary, which was first printed in 1862 at the Samoa Mission Press.
Is English widely spoken in Samoa?
Although English is an official language in both Samoa and American Samoa and is widely spoken, Samoan shares equal billing and is used by most people for everyday conversation. It is a Polynesian language that's somewhat similar to Tahitian, Tongan, and Cook Islands Maori, but with some important differences.
Is Samoan hard to learn?
Samoan grammar is relatively easy to learn. You can learn some of the basic structures in Drops' Travel Talk category.
What race is a Samoan?
PolynesianSamoansSamoansSamoans or Samoan people (Samoan: tagata Sāmoa) are the indigenous Polynesian people of the Samoan Islands, an archipelago in Polynesia, who speak the Samoan language.https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › SamoansSamoans - Wikipedia are mainly of Polynesian heritage, and about nine-tenths of the population are ethnic Samoans. Euronesians (people of mixed European and Polynesian ancestry) account for most of the rest of the population, and a tiny fraction are of wholly European heritage.
What do Samoans call each other?
Uso is the Samoan word for either brother or sister, depending on your gender. In the Samoan language, if you are female, your uso is your sister. If you are male, your uso is your brother.
How do you say n in Samoan?
In colloquial Samoan n is pronounced [ŋ], l is pronounced [ɾ] and t is pronounced [k].
Is Samoan the same as Maori?
Samoan, Hawaiian, and Māori are all Polynesians. They all belong to different islands of Polynesia. Samoans are the natives of Samoa, Māori are the ancient inhabitants of New Zealand, and Hawaiians are the initial inhabitants of Hawaii.
Do American Samoans speak English?
As of 2021, the population of American Samoa is approximately 46,366 people. Most American Samoans are bilingual and can speak English and Samoan fluently.
How many letters are in Samoan alphabet?
14 lettersThe core Samoan alphabet is comprised of just 14 letters: • the consonants F, G, L, M, N, P, S, T and V; and • the vowels A, E, I, O and U. The letters K, H and R are also used, but usually for foreign loanwords and/or for colloquial language. Vowels can be long or short.
What countries speak Samoan?
Samoan is the official language in American Samoa and Samoa and is spoken in 2 more countries as monther tongue by a part of the population. The Samoan language (native name: gagana fa'a Samoa) has its roots in the Austronesian language family. With a share of around 91%, it is most widespread in American Samoa.
How do you say G in Samoan?
The Samoan G is pronounced like the 'ng' in the middle of 'hanger' or 'singer'.
Is Hawaiian and Samoan the same language?
While Samoan is related to other Polynesian languages such as Hawaiian, Fijian, Tahitian and Maori, they are not mutually intelligible having been separated from each other by vast stretches of the Pacific ocean for thousands of years.
How do you say n in Samoan?
In colloquial Samoan n is pronounced [ŋ], l is pronounced [ɾ] and t is pronounced [k].
What apps teach Samoan?
You Might Also LikeTipu Te Reo Māori. Education.Learn Samoan - EuroTalk. Education.Kōrero Māori. Education.O LE Tusi Pa'ia - Samoan Bible. Reference.Little Samoa. Education.Samoan M(A)L. Education.
What is the language of Samoa?
Samoan is the language spoken in the Samoan Islands which is made up of the Independent State of Samoa and the American Samoa. Samoan is the official language of these islands together with English. Samoan is the oldest and most spoken language of the Polynesian family with a total of 510,000 speakers worldwide.
What is the Samoan language?
The Samoan language falls under the Austronesian language family, which can be narrowed down to the Samoic division of the Polynesian subphylum. It has notable similarities with other Polynesian languages with which it shares related words and numbers. The terms of reference to the mythical gods are also similar.
What language is grouped with Tokelauan?
This classification groups Samoan with Tokelauan and the languages of Eastern Polynesia, such as Mahori, Tahitian, Hawaiian, and Rapanui. This line of thought suggests that Nuclear Polynesian and Tongic are the major divisions of the Polynesian group. The second classification derives its divisions on vocabulary only.
What is the classification of Samoan?
The first classification which is considered traditional classifies the language based on common improvements in grammar and terminology. This classification groups Samoan with Tokelauan and the languages of Eastern Polynesia, such as Mahori, Tahitian, Hawaiian, and Rapanui. This line of thought suggests that Nuclear Polynesian and Tongic are the major divisions of the Polynesian group. The second classification derives its divisions on vocabulary only. This vocabulary is found in the Austronesian Vocabulary Database. It contradicts the initial classification suggesting that Samoan and Tongic form a subgroup.
How many letters are there in the Samoan language?
The Samoan language has a 14 letter alphabet. The letters H, K and R are used in loan words.
What is the third most spoken language in New Zealand?
Samoan is the third most recognized language in New Zealand with 2% of the population, about 86,000 people, able to speak the language. Samoan is distinctive in its difference in phonology between formal and informal dialogues and also in a traditional form of speech that is used in Samoan oratory.
Where is the coastal view of Samoa?
Coastal view off the south side of Upolu, Independent State of Samoa.
What is the official language of Samoa?
Samoan, along with English, is the official language of both Western Samoa and American Samoa. It is used for everyday communication, in education, and in the media. There are several Samoan/English-language newspapers in Western Samoa, and several institutions of higher learning in both Western and American Samoa.
What is Samoan vocabulary?
Samoan vocabulary is Polynesian in origin. The language relies on reduplication to express plurality, frequency, or augmentation, e.g., pona ‘knot’, ponapona ‘knotty’. The language has also borrowed words from English, e.g., kolisi ‘college’, nusipepa ‘newspaper’.
How many degrees of proximity does Samoan have?
Samoan distinguishes four degrees of proximity/distance to the speaker and listener, e.g., lenei ‘this’ (close to speaker), lena ‘that’ (close to listener), lele ‘that’ (not too far from speaker), lela ‘that’ (far from speaker and listener).
How many letters are in the Samoan alphabet?
Samoan is written with an adapted version of the Latin alphabet. It consists of 15 letters of which H, K, and R are used only for writing loanwords.
What is the order of words in a samoan sentence?
The normal word order in Samoan sentences is Verb – Subject – Object. A common feature of Samoan is topicalization, i.e., the placement of components that are the topic or focus, at the beginning of sentences.
How many vowels are there in Samoan?
Samoan has 5 vowel phonemes, i.e., sounds that can differentiate word meaning. Vowels can be either long or short. Vowel length makes a difference in word meaning. Vowel length is indicated by a macron over the vowel. There are also 7 diphthongs: /au, ao, a,i ae, ei, ou, ue/.
What is the sound system in Samoan?
Like all Austronesian languages, it is characterized by a large number of vowels, a small number of consonants, and a simple syllabic structure consisting of either a vowel or consonant + vowel. There are no consonant clusters.
What is the language of instruction in Samoa?
Samoan is the language of instruction in primary schools in Samoa, and is used alongside English in secondary schools and colleges. It is also used in government, business, relgiion and in the media. Samoan has two speech registers: colloquial Samoan , or tautala leaga ("casual speech"), and formal Samoan, or gagana fa‘aaloalo ("polite language").
Where is Samoan spoken?
Samoan is a Polynesian language spoken mainly in Western Samoa and American Samoa, and also in New Zealand, Australia and the USA. In 2015 there were 169,000 speakers of Samoan in Samoa, and there were 49,600 Samoan speakers in American Samoa.
How many letters are in the Samoan alphabet?
Did you know there are 17 letters in Samoan Alphabet?
What is formal Samoan?
Formal Somoan is used with people of higher rank, elders, guests and strangers, and in literature. Colloquial Samoan is used with family and friends.
What is the history of Samoa?
Samoa's early history is interwoven with the history of certain chiefdoms of Fiji and of the kingdom of Tonga. The oral history of Samoa preserves the memories of many battles fought between Samoa and neighboring islands. Intermarriage between Tongan and Fijian royalty and Samoan nobility helped build close relationships between these island nations that still exist today. These royal blood ties are routinely acknowledged at special events and cultural gatherings. According to Samoan folklore, two maidens from Fiji brought to Samoa the tools that were necessary to engage in the art of tatau (in English, tattoo ), and this is the origin of the traditional Samoan malofie (also known as pe'a for men and as malu for women).
Which country controlled Samoa?
The Tripartite Convention gave control of the islands west of 171 degrees west longitude to Germany, (later known as Western Samoa ), containing Upolu and Savaii (the current Samoa) and other adjoining islands. These islands became known as German Samoa . The United States was given control the eastern islands of Tutuila and Manu'a, (present-day American Samoa ). In exchange for Britain ceding claims in Samoa, Germany transferred their protectorates in the North Solomon Islands and other territories in West Africa. It does not appear that any Samoans were consulted about the partition and the monarchy was also abolished.
Why did Samoa change its name?
A conflict briefly emerged between Samoa and American Samoa following Samoa's decision to drop the adjective "Western" from its name. The change was made by an act of the Legislative Assembly of Western Samoa adopted on 4 July 1997. The step caused "surprise and uproar" in neighboring American Samoa, as for some American Samoans the change of name implied a claim to be the "real" Samoa and implied that American Samoa was just an American appendix. Some in the American territory said it implied that there was only one Samoa. Two members of American Samoa's legislature traveled to Apia in September 1997 to meet with Samoan head of State Malietoa Tanumafili II, and lobbied to have the name change reversed in order to maintain peace and good relations. An American Samoan petition to the United Nations for a ban on Samoa's using the name Samoa was seriously discussed and ten American Samoan representatives sponsored an unsuccessful bill aimed at preventing American Samoa from recognizing independent Samoa's new name. The proposed American Samoan bill was criticized by independent Samoa's Prime Minister Tofilau Eti Alesana who called the bill "rash and irresponsible".
What was the second Samoan war?
This in turn led to the Second Samoan Civil War (1898-1899), which was resolved by the Tripartite Convention, in which the United States, Great Britain and Germany agreed to partition the islands into German Samoa and American Samoa.
What was Samoa named after?
After World War I, New Zealand took over the administration of what had been German Samoa, and the area was renamed the Western Samoa Trust Territory. This area became independent in 1962 and was renamed Samoa. American Samoa remains an unincorporated territory of the United States .
When were the Samoan islands settled?
The Samoan Islands were first settled some 3,500 years ago as part of the Austronesian expansion. Both Samoa's early history and its more recent history are strongly connected to the histories of Tonga and Fiji, nearby islands with which Samoa has long had genealogical links as well as shared cultural traditions.
When was the first human settlement in Samoa?
Archeologists estimate that the earliest human settlement of the Samoan archipelago was around 2900–3500 years before the present (1500-900 BCE). This estimate is based on dating the ancient Lapita pottery shards that are found throughout the islands.
Where is Samoa located?
Samoa is a group of islands located in a region of the Pacific Ocean called Polynesia.
How many islands are there in Samoa?
The entire Samoan archipelago has 16 islands (some uninhabited). Six of these islands are part of American Samoa: Tutuila.
What does "fa'avae" mean in Samoa?
Fa’avae means foundation (literally: “to make legged” lol) and Atua is our word for God, so this motto expresses how Samoa should be founded on God. In other words, let God be the foundation of Samoa.
When did New Zealand become part of the Samoa Expeditionary Force?
After Germany had enough of the Western side of Samoa, New Zealand rocked up (in 1914) with what they called their ‘Samoa Expeditionary Force’ and just decided they owned us now.
Did Great Britain have any interest in Samoa?
Great Britain did have some interest in Samoa back in the late 1800s, enough to sign an agreement with the US and Germany to provide political ‘supervision’ of the Samoan islands. But they lost interest in us soon after, leaving Germany and the US to divide the spoils between them (i.e. politically separate Eastern Samoa from Western).
Is Samoa a small island?
Compared to the rest of the world, Samoa is a tiny group of islands with a small population and a long history of um… hospitality towards visitors (and settlers) of other ethnicities. (How’s that for euphemism?)
Is American Samoa a US citizen?
Unless their parents are actually citizens, people born in American Samoa are not automatically US citizens.
When did Samoan become a language?
Samoan as a written language emerged after 1830 when Tahitian and English missionaries from the London Missionary Society, working with Samoan chiefly orators, developed a Latin script based Samoan written language. Before this, there were logologo (tapa signs) and tatau (tattoo signs) but no phonetic written form.
What is Samoan literature?
Samoan literature. Samoan literature can be divided into oral (pre-colonial and post-colonial) and written literatures, in the Samoan language and in English or English translation, and is from the Samoa Islands of independent Samoa and American Samoa, and Samoan writers in diaspora.
How many pages are there in Tala o le Vavau?
Tala o le Vavau. Myths, Legends and Customs of Old Samoa. Adapted from the collections of C. Steubel, A. Kramer, & Brother Herman. Illustrated by Iosua Toafa. 195 pages. Pasifika Press. Auckland, New Zealand.
Who are the most famous Samoan poets?
Samoan poets Savea Sano Malifa, the founder of the award winning Samoa Observer newspaper, and artist Momoe Malietoa Von Reiche, first published their works through the Society. Other notable Samoan writers of their generation include poets Sapa'u Ruperake Petaia, and Eti Sa'aga .
Is there a Samoan language?
There have been few publications in the Samoan language. This is a list of the important publications originally written in Samoan, and published in Samoan and other languages, including English. Most were published in Apia, independent Samoa, and from urban areas of Samoan diaspora, including Auckland and Suva. Publications include important indigenous language historical and cultural texts, part of the Polynesian language system, which is often subject to Linguistic imperialism, Language shift, and linguicide .
What is the Samoan style?
There are two styles of speaking in Samoan. They are known as T-style (“formal”) and K-style (“colloquial”). Samoan is written in the T-style, which is preferred in formal situations, and is generally the style that learners start with. These are examples of T-style sentences:
What is the long sound of a vowel called?
Each of the vowels has a short and a long sound. The long sound is marked by a line above the vowel, called a macron (or fa'amamafa ). The glottal stop ( ' ) is also used in Samoan, and is treated as a consonant. With the exceptions of G g and the glottal stop, the consonants sound the same as they do in English.
Do Samoans use macrons?
These are a few passages to practice pronunciation with. You will notice that normally, Samoans don't use macrons and glottal stops very much at all. If you are unsure of how to pronounce a word, then click on it to see how it's shown in the vocabulary.
What language do Samoans speak?
Religion. Christianity, Polytheism, Polynesian narrative. Related ethnic groups. Other Polynesians. Samoans or Samoan people ( Samoan: tagata Sāmoa) are the indigenous Polynesian people of the Samoan Islands, an archipelago in Polynesia, who speak the Samoan language.
What is the Samoan culture?
The Samoan people and culture form a vital link and stepping stone in the formation and spread of Polynesian culture, language and religion throughout Eastern Polynesia. Polynesian trade, religion, war, and colonialism are important markers within Polynesian culture that are almost certainly rooted in the Samoan culture.
What are the parts of Samoan society?
Among the many parts of Samoan society, three are described below: The matai (chief), the aiga (family head), and the untitled aumaga (laborers) and their manaia (supervisor).
What sports do Samoans play?
Athletes of Samoan descent are widely known for their success in full-contact sports such as American football, rugby union, rugby league, boxing, professional wrestling, and mixed martial arts. Samoa is said to produce among the highest number of top-level rugby union and rugby league players per capita. American Samoa produces the highest number of NFL players and has been dubbed "Football Island" by mainland coaches and media. It's estimated that a boy born to Samoan parents is 56 times more likely to get into the NFL than any other boy in America. Samoans are also well represented in limited-contact and non-contact sports such as basketball, baseball, netball, soccer, and volleyball .
What are the duties of a Samoan family?
By the time the children reach the age of seven or eight, they are expected to know and be acclimated to the life and chores of the Samoan culture. This includes being adept at "agriculture, fishing, cooking, and child care" : 204 along with a multitude of other chores that their elders have directed them to do. As the Samoans grow up, they are given the most tasks and responsibilities they can hold , until they can take over fully for the aging members of their extended family.
Where are the Samoans?
Samoans. Samoans or Samoan people ( Samoan: tagata Sāmoa) are the indigenous Polynesian people of the Samoan Islands, an archipelago in Polynesia, who speak the Samoan language. The group's home islands are politically and geographically divided between the Independent State of Samoa and American Samoa, an unincorporated territory ...
How long have Samoans been tattooing?
Samoans have practiced the art of tattooing men and women for over 2,000 years. To this day, a man's tattoo extensively covers from mid-back, down the sides and flanks, to the knees. A woman's tattoo is not as extensive or heavy. The geometric patterns are based on ancient designs that often denote rank and status.
History of The Samoan People
Samoan Language
- Samoan is the language spoken in the Samoan Islands which is made up of the Independent State of Samoa and the American Samoa. Samoan is the official language of these islands together with English. Samoan is the oldest and most spoken language of the Polynesian family with a total of 510,000 speakers worldwide. Samoan is the third most recognized ...
Classification of The Samoan Language
- The Samoan language falls under the Austronesian language family, which can be narrowed down to the Samoic division of the Polynesian subphylum. It has notable similarities with other Polynesian languages with which it shares related words and numbers. The terms of reference to the mythical gods are also similar. The classification of the Samoan language in relation to othe…
Geographic Distribution
- The approximate number of Samoan speakers in the world is 470,000, of which 50% reside in the Samoan Islands. The next biggest number of speakers is found in New Zealand. The census conducted in New Zealand in 2006 recorded 95,428 speakers of the Samoan language. The Australian Census of 2006 indicates that there are 38,525 speakers of Samoan in the country an…
Written Samoan
Sample Text in Samoan
Link
Polynesian Languages
- Samoan is written with an adapted version of the Latin alphabet. It consists of 15 letters of which H, K, and R are used only for writing loanwords. 1. ‘ glottal stop /ʔ/, the sound between vowels in uh-oh. 2. macron is used to indicate vowel length, e.g.,ā Take a look at Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rightsin Samoan.