Tuamotuan

Tuamotuan refers to the language spoken by the Tuamotu people of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia. It is one of the Eastern Polynesian languages, within the Polynesian subgroup of the Oceanic branch of the Austronesian language family. Tuamotuan is closely related to Tahitian and Marquesan, with substantial regional variation across atolls.

Geographically, Tuamotuan is spoken across many atolls in the Tuamotu chain. In everyday use, most speakers are bilingual, commonly also speaking French or Tahitian, and language use can vary by generation and community.

Linguistically, Tuamotuan comprises several varieties that correspond to different atolls or atoll groups. While these varieties share a common grammar and core vocabulary, speakers may notice differences in pronunciation, lexicon, and some grammatical markers between areas. It is classified within the Eastern Polynesian subgroup of the Polynesian language family and is generally considered more closely related to Tahitian and Marquesan than to some other Polynesian languages.

The writing system uses the Latin alphabet, as is common for Polynesian languages, and Tuamotuan has been described in linguistic works. In contemporary life, Tuamotuan appears in traditional songs, oral literature, and daily conversation, though language vitality is affected by language shift toward French and Tahitian. Documentation efforts, educational materials, and local media projects aim to support the maintenance and transmission of the language to younger generations.