182:
29:
498:
language (in spoken conversation, for example). A series of decrees and clauses allow the usage of
Melanesian languages in education in some cases. Notably, the "Loi d’orientation d’Outre-Mer" (law 2000-1207, December 2000) stipulates that respect must be shown to indigenous languages, owing to their
359:
At the 2009 census, 97.3% of New
Caledonians aged 15 or older reported that they could speak, read and write French, whereas only 1.1% reported that they had no knowledge of French. No questions regarding the knowledge of French were asked in the 2014 and 2019 censuses, on account of the population's
355:
New
Caledonians of European descent generally speak French natively, and it is spoken by nearly all the remainder of the population as either a first or second language. New Caledonian French is characterized by some phonetic particularities and specific grammatical constructions derived from native
494:, following the constitutional law 92-554 (June 1992). This law is applicable to every field (justice, tribunals, administration, schools...). At the level of legislation and justice, on some occasions individuals may have recourse to a
440:
At the 2019 census, 44.0% of people whose age was 15 or older reported that they had some form of knowledge of at least one Kanak language, whereas 56.0% reported that they had no knowledge of any of the Kanak languages.
618:"Population, ménages et logement par province, en 2019 – P20 Population de 15 ans et plus, selon le genre, la connaissance d'une langue kanak et la province de résidence par groupe d'âge décennal"
433:. The other languages are spoken by a few hundred to couple thousand people and are endangered. Many Kanaks do not know their native languages very well because of the wide usage of
1147:
166:
populations. Those native languages were favoured by some
Protestant missionaries to evangelize the population, though Catholic missionaries preferred the usage of
593:
617:
548:
to that of a second language. Critics have claimed that this proposal denies reality as French is the predominant native language among New
Caledonian students.
521:
There has been controversy about the educational system, as it has been argued that its programs are not adapted to the needs of the local population. As a
710:
510:
is under State authority (as opposed to nursery and primary school, which are under
Provincial authority), therefore, the language in application is
514:. Some schools give optional native languages lessons, but it is still very rare. Nevertheless, four languages are proposed at the baccalaureate:
1036:
536:
is only a second language for significant minority of New
Caledonians. This situation has been described as a major cause for the high rate of
173:
In 1853, a decree imposed the teaching of French in every school of the colony, and ten years later, only the teaching of French was allowed.
585:
544:
is very low. Some have advocated to increase the importance of native languages as a teaching medium in school, while reducing the status of
621:
589:
1187:
1152:
703:
1008:
642:
1223:
696:
1192:
1051:
1202:
1162:
1142:
1114:
1071:
1081:
1182:
1137:
1001:
154:
At the outset of colonisation, Kanaks primarily spoke their native languages, and, in case of need, used
1157:
398:
139:
181:
915:
1061:
752:
388:
384:
135:
120:
586:"Principales caractéristiques des individus de 15 ans et plus, par province de résidence et sexe"
201:
1031:
994:
402:
233:
1046:
464:
accordingly is understood by some New
Caledonians; however, it is only widely spoken inside
452:
constitutes an important part of the collectivity's economy, with visitors principally from
1197:
1096:
1017:
945:
774:
541:
495:
205:
8:
1172:
1091:
953:
890:
406:
392:
217:
51:
819:
367:
used in New
Caledonia as a contact language, especially along the east coast, alongside
134:
is the official and predominant language. The collectivity is also home to about thirty
1086:
1076:
1066:
1056:
905:
839:
532:
at the educative level and the textbooks are tailored to
European students. Moreover,
346:
1167:
1119:
1041:
975:
910:
880:
472:
213:
208:
spoken in the territory, as well as languages peculiar to the immigrant populations (
88:
39:
824:
422:
834:
814:
570:
507:
461:
430:
418:
159:
84:
79:
875:
870:
865:
784:
515:
426:
196:'s population is constituted of numerous ethnic groups, but most residents are of
849:
844:
789:
733:
545:
533:
511:
491:
487:
434:
282:
209:
167:
131:
95:
56:
44:
931:
895:
804:
779:
414:
245:
221:
1217:
900:
885:
829:
809:
799:
794:
769:
688:
679:
667:
655:
525:
483:
364:
229:
225:
193:
116:
540:
and academic failure by New Caledonian students, whose success rate at the
410:
162:. This language allowed them to communicate with shopkeepers or with other
143:
457:
372:
305:
163:
72:
986:
237:
63:
453:
397:
The forty native languages of New Caledonia form two branches of the
339:
320:
465:
186:
537:
224:, Filipino and others). Those populations primarily immigrated to
158:, an Anglo-Melanesian language whose lexical basis is essentially
522:
449:
368:
249:
155:
68:
529:
291:
241:
127:
105:
101:
28:
197:
471:
The most commonly taught foreign languages are English and
569:
Jacques Leclerc, L’aménagement Linguistique dans le Monde
528:
is almost exclusively under the administrative control of
371:, and today there is a local French creole known as
149:
1215:
643:"History, language and culture in New Caledonia"
571:http://www.tlfq.ulaval.ca/axl/pacifique/ncal.htm
228:during the nickel rush. The native languages of
718:
204:or mixed origin. Nowadays, there are about 30
1002:
704:
751:
622:Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies
590:Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies
363:In the early colonial era, there had been a
142:. They are spoken mainly by the indigenous
1009:
995:
711:
697:
580:
578:
236:. This family extends from the island of
1016:
180:
575:
378:
1216:
499:importance to New Caledonian culture.
468:and by those in the tourism industry.
360:nearly universal understanding of it.
990:
692:
33:Indigenous languages of New Caledonia
565:
563:
561:
444:
13:
14:
1235:
558:
16:Languages of the French territory
27:
478:
150:At the beginning of French rule
1037:Federated States of Micronesia
673:
661:
649:
635:
610:
409:. Their speakers are known as
176:
1:
551:
248:and covers almost all of the
138:, which form a branch of the
523:French overseas collectivity
518:, Drehu, Nengone and PaicĂ®.
502:
263:New Caledonian Pidgin French
7:
490:, its official language is
10:
1240:
1224:Languages of New Caledonia
720:Languages of New Caledonia
413:. The most important are:
399:Southern Oceanic languages
382:
375:that may descend from it.
140:Southern Oceanic languages
22:Languages of New Caledonia
1128:
1105:
1024:
966:
944:
924:
858:
762:
742:
726:
592:(ISEE-NC). Archived from
337:
318:
313:
298:
279:
267:
262:
255:
94:
78:
62:
50:
38:
26:
21:
1188:Northern Mariana Islands
389:Loyalty Island languages
385:New Caledonian languages
136:New Caledonian languages
1153:Cocos (Keeling) Islands
185:Street sign in French,
682:, En Pays Kanak, 286-7
670:, En Pays Kanak, 282-8
405:family; West Uvean is
190:
1131:and other territories
1018:Languages of Oceania
184:
379:Indigenous languages
206:Melanesian languages
96:Keyboard layout
393:West Uvean language
234:Austronesian family
599:on 30 October 2012
191:
1211:
1210:
1203:Wallis and Futuna
1148:Clipperton Island
1106:Associated states
984:
983:
962:
961:
940:
939:
727:Official language
445:Foreign languages
353:
352:
113:
112:
1231:
1193:Pitcairn Islands
1163:French Polynesia
1143:Christmas Island
1072:Papua New Guinea
1052:Marshall Islands
1025:Sovereign states
1011:
1004:
997:
988:
987:
760:
759:
749:
748:
713:
706:
699:
690:
689:
683:
677:
671:
665:
659:
658:, En Pays Kanaks
653:
647:
646:
639:
633:
632:
630:
629:
614:
608:
607:
605:
604:
598:
582:
573:
567:
508:Secondary school
486:being a part of
349:
332:
323:
285:
260:
259:
232:are part of the
146:of the islands.
31:
19:
18:
1239:
1238:
1234:
1233:
1232:
1230:
1229:
1228:
1214:
1213:
1212:
1207:
1130:
1124:
1107:
1101:
1082:Solomon Islands
1020:
1015:
985:
980:
968:
958:
936:
920:
854:
754:
744:
738:
722:
717:
687:
686:
678:
674:
666:
662:
654:
650:
641:
640:
636:
627:
625:
616:
615:
611:
602:
600:
596:
584:
583:
576:
568:
559:
554:
505:
488:French Republic
481:
447:
395:
383:Main articles:
381:
345:
330:
319:
294:
286:
283:Language family
281:
270:
269:Native speakers
258:
179:
152:
109:
108:
57:Kanak languages
34:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1237:
1227:
1226:
1209:
1208:
1206:
1205:
1200:
1195:
1190:
1185:
1183:Norfolk Island
1180:
1175:
1170:
1165:
1160:
1155:
1150:
1145:
1140:
1138:American Samoa
1134:
1132:
1126:
1125:
1123:
1122:
1117:
1111:
1109:
1108:of New Zealand
1103:
1102:
1100:
1099:
1094:
1089:
1084:
1079:
1074:
1069:
1064:
1059:
1054:
1049:
1044:
1039:
1034:
1028:
1026:
1022:
1021:
1014:
1013:
1006:
999:
991:
982:
981:
979:
978:
972:
970:
967:Non-indigenous
964:
963:
960:
959:
957:
956:
950:
948:
942:
941:
938:
937:
935:
934:
928:
926:
922:
921:
919:
918:
913:
908:
903:
898:
893:
888:
883:
878:
873:
868:
862:
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855:
853:
852:
847:
842:
837:
832:
827:
822:
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802:
797:
792:
787:
782:
777:
772:
766:
764:
757:
746:
740:
739:
737:
736:
730:
728:
724:
723:
716:
715:
708:
701:
693:
685:
684:
672:
660:
648:
634:
609:
574:
556:
555:
553:
550:
504:
501:
480:
477:
446:
443:
401:, part of the
380:
377:
351:
350:
343:
335:
334:
324:
316:
315:
314:Language codes
311:
310:
309:
308:
300:
296:
295:
289:
287:
280:
277:
276:
271:
268:
265:
264:
257:
254:
246:Southeast Asia
178:
175:
151:
148:
111:
110:
100:
98:
92:
91:
82:
76:
75:
66:
60:
59:
54:
48:
47:
42:
36:
35:
32:
24:
23:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1236:
1225:
1222:
1221:
1219:
1204:
1201:
1199:
1196:
1194:
1191:
1189:
1186:
1184:
1181:
1179:
1178:New Caledonia
1176:
1174:
1171:
1169:
1166:
1164:
1161:
1159:
1158:Easter Island
1156:
1154:
1151:
1149:
1146:
1144:
1141:
1139:
1136:
1135:
1133:
1127:
1121:
1118:
1116:
1113:
1112:
1110:
1104:
1098:
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1078:
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1073:
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1065:
1063:
1060:
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1055:
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1040:
1038:
1035:
1033:
1030:
1029:
1027:
1023:
1019:
1012:
1007:
1005:
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998:
993:
992:
989:
977:
974:
973:
971:
965:
955:
952:
951:
949:
947:
943:
933:
930:
929:
927:
923:
917:
914:
912:
909:
907:
904:
902:
899:
897:
894:
892:
889:
887:
884:
882:
879:
877:
874:
872:
869:
867:
864:
863:
861:
857:
851:
848:
846:
843:
841:
838:
836:
833:
831:
828:
826:
823:
821:
818:
816:
813:
811:
808:
806:
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801:
798:
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791:
788:
786:
783:
781:
778:
776:
773:
771:
768:
767:
765:
761:
758:
756:
750:
747:
741:
735:
732:
731:
729:
725:
721:
714:
709:
707:
702:
700:
695:
694:
691:
681:
680:Isabelle Bril
676:
669:
668:Isabelle Bril
664:
657:
656:Isabelle Bril
652:
644:
638:
623:
620:(in French).
619:
613:
595:
591:
587:
581:
579:
572:
566:
564:
562:
557:
549:
547:
543:
542:baccalaureate
539:
535:
531:
527:
526:New Caledonia
524:
519:
517:
513:
509:
500:
497:
493:
489:
485:
484:New Caledonia
476:
474:
469:
467:
463:
459:
455:
451:
442:
438:
436:
432:
428:
424:
420:
416:
412:
408:
404:
400:
394:
390:
386:
376:
374:
370:
366:
365:French pidgin
361:
357:
348:
344:
342:
341:
336:
328:
325:
322:
317:
312:
307:
303:
302:
301:
297:
293:
290:French-based
288:
284:
278:
275:
272:
266:
261:
253:
251:
247:
243:
239:
235:
231:
230:New Caledonia
227:
226:New Caledonia
223:
219:
215:
211:
207:
203:
199:
195:
194:New Caledonia
188:
183:
174:
171:
169:
165:
161:
157:
147:
145:
141:
137:
133:
129:
125:
123:
118:
117:New Caledonia
107:
103:
99:
97:
93:
90:
86:
83:
81:
77:
74:
70:
67:
65:
61:
58:
55:
53:
49:
46:
43:
41:
37:
30:
25:
20:
1177:
1129:Dependencies
1115:Cook Islands
719:
675:
663:
651:
637:
626:. Retrieved
612:
601:. Retrieved
594:the original
520:
506:
482:
479:Legal status
470:
448:
439:
403:Austronesian
396:
362:
358:
356:languages.
354:
338:
326:
273:
192:
172:
153:
124:collectivity
121:
114:
1062:New Zealand
458:New Zealand
306:Tayo Creole
177:Present day
122:sui generis
73:Tayo Creole
954:West Uvean
946:Polynesian
755:Caledonian
743:Indigenous
628:2023-03-06
603:2013-02-28
588:. Nouméa:
552:References
538:illiteracy
496:Melanesian
407:Polynesian
238:Madagascar
218:Indonesian
214:Vietnamese
164:Melanesian
64:Vernacular
52:Indigenous
1032:Australia
745:languages
624:(ISEE-NC)
503:Education
454:Australia
340:Glottolog
321:ISO 639-3
304:produced
1218:Category
1047:Kiribati
976:Javanese
969:language
916:Xârâgurè
881:Ndrumbea
859:Southern
763:Northern
473:Japanese
347:newc1245
299:Dialects
210:Javanese
202:European
89:Japanese
40:Official
1198:Tokelau
1097:Vanuatu
911:Xârâcùù
835:Pwaamei
820:Nyâlayu
815:Nengone
462:English
450:Tourism
431:Xârâcùù
419:Nengone
369:Bislama
250:Pacific
222:Chinese
160:English
156:Bislama
85:English
80:Foreign
69:Bislama
1173:Hawaii
1092:Tuvalu
850:Yuanga
845:Vamale
840:Pwapwâ
790:Haveke
775:Cèmuhî
734:French
546:French
534:French
530:France
512:French
492:French
466:Nouméa
435:French
429:, and
411:Kanaks
391:, and
292:pidgin
256:French
242:Taiwan
187:Nouméa
168:French
144:Kanaks
132:French
128:France
106:QWERTY
102:AZERTY
45:French
1087:Tonga
1077:Samoa
1067:Palau
1057:Nauru
932:Haeke
925:Other
901:Sîchë
896:Orowe
891:Numèè
825:PaicĂ®
805:Kumak
780:Drehu
597:(XLS)
423:PaicĂ®
415:Drehu
198:Kanak
1168:Guam
1120:Niue
1042:Fiji
906:Tîrî
886:Neku
876:Arhö
871:Arhâ
866:Ajië
830:Pije
810:Nemi
800:Jawe
795:Iaai
785:Fwâi
770:Caac
516:Ajië
456:and
427:Ajië
373:Tayo
327:None
274:None
119:, a
753:New
331:mis
170:.
126:of
115:In
1220::
577:^
560:^
475:.
460:.
437:.
425:,
421:,
417:,
387:,
252:.
244:,
240:,
220:,
216:,
212:,
200:,
130:,
104:,
87:,
71:,
1010:e
1003:t
996:v
712:e
705:t
698:v
645:.
631:.
606:.
333:)
329:(
189:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
