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Ontong Java language

Polynesian language spoken in Solomon Islands

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Source updated August 23, 2026

Ontong Java is a Polynesian language spoken on the Ontong Java Atoll in Solomon Islands. Its dialects, Luangiua and Pelau, are named after the two principal inhabited islands; the name Luangiua is also commonly used to refer to the Ontong Java language as a whole.

Ontong Java is commonly used by all speakers, young and old. There are approximately 2,370 residents of Ontong Java Atoll and has an estimated 2,400 speakers living on the atoll.

01Classification

Ontong Java is closely related to the Ellicean languages of Polynesia and to Sikaiana, Takuu, and Nukumanu in Papua New Guinea.

02Phonology

The phoneme inventory of this language is poorly studied, and many sources have conflicting phoneme inventories.

Consonants
	Labial	Alveolar	Velar	Glottal
Nasal	m		ŋ
Plosive	p		k	ʔ
Fricative	v	s		h
Lateral		l

Vowels
	Front	Central	Back
High	i		u
Mid	e		o
Low		a

An older source lists two additional vowels, /ɑ/ and /ə/.

03Grammar

Ontong Java word order is normally VSO and SVO.

Watch videos about Ontong Java languageExplainers and documentaries on YouTube (opens in a new tab)

Sources and credits

This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Ontong Java language”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.

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