Knowra Marshallese language Marshallese language Marshallese is an Austronesian language spoken chiefly in the Marshall Islands. It is one of the country’s two official languages and has distinct eastern and western dialects.
Marshallese phonology : The sound system of Marshallese, including its contrastive vowel qualities and extensive consonant inventory. Its unusual consonant and vowel contrasts shape the language’s distinctive sound.
Oceanic languages : A major branch of Austronesian languages spoken across the Pacific, including the languages of Micronesia and Polynesia. Marshallese is part of this branch through its Micronesian ancestry.
Marshall Islands : An island country in the central Pacific, comprising atolls and islands in Micronesia. The language is chiefly spoken and holds official status in this country.
German colonial period in the Marshall Islands : The period of German rule over the Marshall Islands from 1885 until Japan took control in 1914. Colonial administration formed part of the historical setting for language contact.
Marshallese orthography : The conventions used to write Marshallese, including spelling choices for its consonants and vowels. Its spelling system represents sound distinctions that English writing does not routinely mark.
Micronesian languages : A group of Oceanic languages spoken across Micronesia, including Marshallese and Gilbertese. Comparisons with these languages reveal Marshallese’s regional linguistic history.
Marshallese Bible : Marshallese translations of the Christian Bible, produced in stages by Protestant and Catholic translators. Bible translation helped establish written forms and expand literacy in Marshallese.
Japanese rule in the Marshall Islands : The period of Japanese administration in the Marshall Islands, from 1914 through the Second World War. Japanese rule brought another language into contact with Marshallese speakers.
Marshallese grammar : The patterns governing word forms, sentence structure, and grammatical relationships in Marshallese. Its grammatical structure provides the rules behind Marshallese sentences.
Gilbertese language : An Oceanic language spoken chiefly in Kiribati, also known as I-Kiribati. Its close regional relationship makes it a useful point of comparison.
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