Language
The people of Takuu speak a Polynesian language. Recent classifications of the Polynesian languages place the Takuu language in an Ellicean branch, along with Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi, Nukuria, Nukumanu, Luangiua, and Sikaiana. Twentieth-century classifications had placed these languages in a Samoic Outlier group.
| Takuu | Samoan | Tokelauan | Rarotongan | Māori | Hawaiian | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sky | /ɾani/ | /laŋi/ | /ɾaŋi/ | /ɾaŋi/ | /lani/ | |
| north wind | /tokoɾau/ | /toʔelau/ | /tokelau/ | /tokeɾau/ | /tokeɾau/ | /koʔolau/ |
| woman | /ffine/ | /fafine/ | /fafine/ | /vaʔine/ | /wahine/ | /wahine/ |
| house | /faɾe/ | /fale/ | /fale/ | /ʔaɾe/ | /ɸaɾe/ | /hale/ |
| parent | /maːtua/ | /matua/ | /metua/ | /matua/ | /makua/ | |
| mother | /tinna/, /tinnaː/ | /tinaː/ | /maːtua/ | /maːmaː/ | /ɸaea/ | /makuahine/ |
| father | /tama/, /tamana/ | /tamaː/ | /tama/, /tamana/ | /metua/, /paːpaː/ | /matua/, /paːpaː/ | /makua kaːne/ |
| canoe | /te vaka/ | /vaʔa/ | /te vaka/ | /vaka/, /vaka ama/ | /waka ama/ | /waʔa/ |
Read more about this topic: Takuu Atoll
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