Palauan

Palauan refers to the people of Palau and to the Palauan language, and more broadly to cultural and linguistic aspects associated with Palau, a sovereign island nation in the western Pacific Ocean. Palau is part of Micronesia and consists of hundreds of islands; the capital is Ngerulmud. The Palauan people form a diverse society with a strong tradition of clan and community life, and they maintain a rich maritime and reef-based culture.

Language: Palauan is an Austronesian language in the Oceanic subgroup. It is spoken primarily by the Palauan people in Palau, with diaspora communities in other countries. The language has several dialects and is written using a Latin-based alphabet. Palauan is taught in schools and used in local media, alongside English, which is an official language.

Classification and features: While generally placed within the Malayo-Polynesian branch of Oceanic languages, Palauan's exact historical position is debated among linguists because of its distinctive vocabulary and grammar. The language has borrowed elements from Japanese during the 20th century and from English in modern times.