Utelu

Utelu is a Polynesian language spoken by the inhabitants of the Utang Aru island group in the Torba Province of Vanuatu. Utelu is a member of the Polynesian subgroup of the Austronesian language family, which is spoken in the Pacific region.

Geographically, the Utang Aru islands are located in the Pacific Ocean, approximately 300 kilometers south of Espiritu Santo, the largest island in the Vanuatu archipelago. The Utang Aru islands comprise four main islands: Etak, Dirio, Vao, and Utut.

Utelu is considered an endangered language, with only a handful of fluent speakers remaining. The language is spoken by the Utang Aru people, who have traditionally been a seafaring community, traveling extensively throughout the Pacific. As a result, the Utang Aru culture has been influenced by various other Pacific Island cultures.

The Uteluan language is not a widely spoken language, and outside of the Utang Aru islands, it is not commonly used or studied. However, efforts have been made to document and preserve the language, as well as to promote the Utang Aru culture.

Research into the Uteluan language has shown that it has a rich vocabulary and grammatical structure. The language has several distinct features, including a complex system of pronouns and a predicate-final word order. The language also includes a significant amount of loanwords from other languages, reflecting the Utang Aru people's cultural and historical connections with other Pacific Island societies.