Polynesian Languages - Subgroups

Subgroups

Polynesian languages fall into two branches: Tongic and Nuclear Polynesian. Tongan and Niuean constitute the Tongic branch and all others are part of the Nuclear Polynesian branch.

A general subgrouping based on the application of the comparative method of historical linguistics presently results in the following simplified classification dating in its broad outlines from the 1960s:

• Tongic
  • Tongan
  • Niuean
• Nuclear Polynesian
  • Pukapukan
  • Futunic Outliers
  • Ellicean,
    • Samoan
    • East Polynesian – Northern Outlier,
      • Northern Outlier
      • East Polynesian
        • Rapanui (Easter Island)
        • Central Eastern Polynesian
          • Marquesic
            • Nuclear Marquesic
              • Marquesan
              • Mangarevan
            • Hawaiian
          • Tahitic
            • Tahitian
            • N.Z. Maori
            • Cook Island Maori
            • Tuamotu Archipelago