Languages and History
The people of Nui speak the Gilbertese language, the language of Kiribati, and Tuvaluan, the official language of Tuvalu. The ancestors of Nui came from the Gilbert Islands in what is now Kiribati. The island was sighted in January 1568 by Spanish navigator Álvaro de Mendaña y Neyra, who named it Isla de Jesús (Spanish for "Island of Jesus") but was unable to land.
The population of Nui from 1860-1900 is estimated to be between 250 and 300 people.
Read more about this topic: Nui (atoll)
Famous quotes containing the words languages and/or history:
“The very natural tendency to use terms derived from traditional grammar like verb, noun, adjective, passive voice, in describing languages outside of Indo-European is fraught with grave possibilities of misunderstanding.”
—Benjamin Lee Whorf (18971934)
“To a surprising extent the war-lords in shining armour, the apostles of the martial virtues, tend not to die fighting when the time comes. History is full of ignominious getaways by the great and famous.”
—George Orwell (19031950)