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Language Information By Source

Proposal to Establish Policies and Guidelines for the County of Kaua‘i Regarding the Use of Hawaiian Language
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Severely Endangered

Native Speakers Worldwide

~300

Domains of Use

No data

Speaker Number Trends

No data

Transmission

No data

Speakers

Second-language speakers and learners

2,000-3,000

Semi-speakers

No data

Child speakers

No data

Young adult speakers

No data

Older adult speakers

No data

Elder Speakers

No data

Ethnic Population

No data

Non-monolingual speakers

Nearly all

More about speakers

"A small community of native speakers of Hawaiian remains... possibly numbering just over 300 in total – inclusive of those residing on Ni‘ihau and Kaua‘i... by the end of the first decade of the 21st century, there may have been as many as two or three thousand native speakers of English (including Kānaka Maoli) who had learned Hawaiian as an additional language, to varying levels of proficiency, in educational institutions... the average proficiency level of L2s is at the lower end of the spectrum and therefore L2s in general are not as competent or fluent in the language as L1s."

Year of info

2016

Location and Context

Countries

USA

Coordinates

21.894103, -160.161856

Location description

"There no longer exists a Kaua‘i native speaker community, but Ni‘ihau still has a viable, albeit fragile, native speaker community."

Government support

Official language of Hawaiʻi

Institutional support

Numerous language immersion programs

Speakers' attitudes

"A stigma persisted in the 20th century in which government and society looked down upon the Hawaiian language, its speakers, its value, and its contribution to Hawai‘i’s unique culture. The result was the decimation of Hawaiian speaking communities coupled with low self esteem among Hawaiian speakers and the end of the transmittal of cultural and esoteric knowledge embedded in the language."

Standard orthography

No data

Script (Writing system)

Roman-based with T and R variants

Other writing systems

"There no longer exists a Kaua‘i native speaker community, but Ni‘ihau still has a viable, albeit fragile, native speaker community."

More on writing systems

Standardized Hawaiian (Roman-based without T and R variants)

Other languages used

English, Hawaiʻi Creole English ("Pidgin")

Domains of other languages

Most

More on context

No data

No data

Native Speakers Worldwide

No data

Domains of Use

No data

Speaker Number Trends

No data

Transmission

No data

Speakers

Second-language speakers and learners

No data

Semi-speakers

No data

Child speakers

No data

Young adult speakers

No data

Older adult speakers

No data

Elder Speakers

No data

Ethnic Population

No data

Non-monolingual speakers

No data

More about speakers

No data

Year of info

Location and Context

Countries

No data

Coordinates

No data

Location description

No data

Government support

No data

Institutional support

No data

Speakers' attitudes

No data

Standard orthography

No data

Script (Writing system)

No data

Other writing systems

No data

More on writing systems

No data

Other languages used

Pidgin, English

Domains of other languages

No data

More on context

No data

Threatened

Native Speakers Worldwide

2,000

Domains of Use

No data

Speaker Number Trends

No data

Transmission

No data

Speakers

Second-language speakers and learners

No data

Semi-speakers

No data

Child speakers

No data

Young adult speakers

No data

Older adult speakers

No data

Elder Speakers

No data

Ethnic Population

No data

Non-monolingual speakers

No data

More about speakers

2,000 mother tongue speakers, and 8,000 can speak and understand Hawaiian.

Year of info

2007

Location and Context

Countries

Hawaiian Islands

Coordinates

No data

Location description

No data

Government support

No data

Institutional support

No data

Speakers' attitudes

No data

Standard orthography

No data

Script (Writing system)

No data

Other writing systems

No data

More on writing systems

No data

Other languages used

English, Pidgin

Domains of other languages

No data

More on context

A considerable number of young speakers are being trained in the language through immersion courses. There are elderly speakers in addition to these young speakers, but relatively few middle-aged speakers, which results in a lack of communication situations for active language use.

No data

Native Speakers Worldwide

No data

Domains of Use

No data

Speaker Number Trends

No data

Transmission

No data

Speakers

Second-language speakers and learners

No data

Semi-speakers

No data

Child speakers

No data

Young adult speakers

No data

Older adult speakers

No data

Elder Speakers

No data

Ethnic Population

No data

Non-monolingual speakers

No data

More about speakers

No data

Year of info

2010

Location and Context

Countries

No data

Coordinates

21.9226,-160.1147

Location description

No data

Government support

No data

Institutional support

No data

Speakers' attitudes

No data

Standard orthography

No data

Script (Writing system)

No data

Other writing systems

No data

More on writing systems

No data

Other languages used

No data

Domains of other languages

No data

More on context

No data

Endangered

Native Speakers Worldwide

1,000

Domains of Use

No data

Speaker Number Trends

No data

Transmission

No data

Speakers

Second-language speakers and learners

No data

Semi-speakers

No data

Child speakers

No data

Young adult speakers

No data

Older adult speakers

No data

Elder Speakers

No data

Ethnic Population

No data

Non-monolingual speakers

No data

More about speakers

1,000. 500 with Ni’ihau Island connections, another 500 in their 70s or 80s (1995 L. Wong). 8,000 can speak and understand it (1993 K. Haugen). In 1900 there were 37,000 L1 speakers (1995 Honolulu Advertiser). Census (2000) lists 27,160. Ethnic population: 237,128 in Hawaii (1996 Hawaii State Dept. of Health), 18.8%% of the population (1990 Hawaii State Dept. of Health), and 99,269 ethnic Hawaiians on the USA mainland (1990 census), including 24,245 in California. Ethnic Hawaiians include 8,244 pure Hawaiian, 72,809 between 50%% and 99%% Hawaiian, 127,523 less than 50%% Hawaiian in Hawaii (1984 Office of Hawaiian Affairs). In 1778 there were believed to have been more than 500,000 pure Hawaiians (1995 W. Harada). 2,000 (Wurm 2007). 500 with Ni’ihau Island connections, another 500 in their 70s or 80s (1995 L. Wong). 8,000 can speak and understand it (1993 K. Haugen). In 1900 there were 37,000 L1 speakers (1995 Honolulu Advertiser). 2000 census lists 27,200. Ethnic population: 336,000. 237,000 in Hawaii (1996 Hawaii State Department of Health), 19% of the population (1990 Hawaii State Department of Health), and 99,000 ethnic Hawaiians on the United States mainland (1990 census), including 24,300 in California. Ethnic Hawaiians include 8,300 pure Hawaiian, 72,800 between 50% and 99% Hawaiian, 127,500 fewer than 50% Hawaiian in Hawaii (1984 Office of Hawaiian Affairs). In 1778 there were believed to have been more than 500,000 pure Hawaiians (1995 W. Harada). (2013.)

Year of info

2009

Location and Context

Countries

Hawai'i

Coordinates

No data

Location description

No data

Government support

No data

Institutional support

No data

Speakers' attitudes

No data

Standard orthography

No data

Script (Writing system)

No data

Other writing systems

No data

More on writing systems

No data

Other languages used

No data

Domains of other languages

No data

More on context

No data

Endangered

Native Speakers Worldwide

700 Hawaiian-dominant native speakers

Domains of Use

No data

Speaker Number Trends

No data

Transmission

No data

Speakers

Second-language speakers and learners

No data

Semi-speakers

No data

Child speakers

No data

Young adult speakers

No data

Older adult speakers

No data

Elder Speakers

No data

Ethnic Population

No data

Non-monolingual speakers

No data

More about speakers

By the end of the 20th century fewer than 700 Hawaiian-dominant native speakers remained out of a Native Hawaiian population of 401,162 (US Census Bureau 2000) (p. 37).

Year of info

2011

Location and Context

Countries

USA, Hawai'i

Coordinates

No data

Location description

No data

Government support

No data

Institutional support

No data

Speakers' attitudes

No data

Standard orthography

No data

Script (Writing system)

No data

Other writing systems

No data

More on writing systems

No data

Other languages used

No data

Domains of other languages

No data

More on context

No data

Threatened

Native Speakers Worldwide

2,000

Domains of Use

No data

Speaker Number Trends

No data

Transmission

No data

Speakers

Second-language speakers and learners

3,000

Semi-speakers

No data

Child speakers

No data

Young adult speakers

No data

Older adult speakers

No data

Elder Speakers

No data

Ethnic Population

No data

Non-monolingual speakers

No data

More about speakers

No data

Year of info

2009

Location and Context

Countries

No data

Coordinates

No data

Location description

No data

Government support

No data

Institutional support

No data

Speakers' attitudes

No data

Standard orthography

No data

Script (Writing system)

No data

Other writing systems

No data

More on writing systems

No data

Other languages used

English, Pidgin

Domains of other languages

No data

More on context

No data

Severely Endangered

Native Speakers Worldwide

500-1,000

Domains of Use

No data

Speaker Number Trends

No data

Transmission

No data

Speakers

Second-language speakers and learners

2,000-3,000

Semi-speakers

No data

Child speakers

No data

Young adult speakers

No data

Older adult speakers

No data

Elder Speakers

No data

Ethnic Population

No data

Non-monolingual speakers

Nearly all

More about speakers

"By the end of the 20th century, it is likely that there were significantly fewer than 1,000 native speakers of Hawaiian. Indeed, among Hawaiian language teachers today, it is regularly postulated that there are fewer than 500 native speakers left. However, by the end of the first decade of the 21st century, there may have been as many as two or three thousand native speakers of English (including Kānaka Maoli) who had learned Hawaiian as an additional language, to varying levels of proficiency, in educational institutions... Apart from the Ni‘ihau community, there are very few native-speakers. Most of them are aged 60 or over and many of them have not had the opportunity to use the language for day-to-day purposes in decades and therefore have forgotten how to express many thoughts in Hawaiian."

Year of info

2012

Location and Context

Countries

Hawaii, particularly Niʻihau and Kauai.

Coordinates

21.894103, -160.161856

Location description

No data

Government support

Co-official language of State of Hawaii (with English)

Institutional support

Numerous language immersion programs; support from University of Hawaii system

Speakers' attitudes

No data

Standard orthography

No data

Script (Writing system)

Roman-based

Other writing systems

No data

More on writing systems

No data

Other languages used

English, Hawaiʻi Creole English ("Pidgin")

Domains of other languages

No data

More on context

"In 1978, the US-backed State of Hawai‘i convened a constitutional convention in which its constitution was amended to designate both Hawaiian and English as the official languages of that government entity. However, although there have been some significant gains in support since 1978, this endorsement has largely carried little meaning."

No data

Native Speakers Worldwide

No data

Domains of Use

No data

Speaker Number Trends

No data

Transmission

No data

Speakers

Second-language speakers and learners

No data

Semi-speakers

No data

Child speakers

No data

Young adult speakers

No data

Older adult speakers

No data

Elder Speakers

No data

Ethnic Population

No data

Non-monolingual speakers

No data

More about speakers

No data

Year of info

2005

Location and Context

Countries

No data

Coordinates

19.5833333333,-155.5; 19.7333,-155.1

Location description

No data

Government support

No data

Institutional support

No data

Speakers' attitudes

No data

Standard orthography

No data

Script (Writing system)

No data

Other writing systems

No data

More on writing systems

No data

Other languages used

No data

Domains of other languages

No data

More on context

No data

Media Resources

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No programs

  1. A Short Synopsis of the Most Essential Points in Hawaiian Grammar
    Alexander, W. D. 1968 [1871]. "A Short Synopsis of the Most Essential Points in Hawaiian Grammar." Rutland, Vermont: Charles E. Tuttle Company.
  2. A reanalysis of the Hawaiian vowel system
    Albert J. Schutz. 1981. "A Reanalysis of the Hawaiian Vowel System." In Oceanic Linguistics, 20: 1-43.
  3. Hawaiian Dictionary
    Pukui, Mary Kawena and Samuel H. Elbert. 1971. "Hawaiian Dictionary." The University Press of Hawaii.
  4. Hawaiian Grammar
    Alexander, W. D. 1968. "Hawaiian Grammar." Charles E. Tuttle.
  5. A short synopsis of the most essential poinst in Hawaiian grammar
    Alexander, W. D. 1977. "A Short Synopsis of the Most Essential Poinst in Hawaiian Grammar." Charles E. Tuttle Company.
  6. Pedagogical Grammar of Hawaiian: Recurrent Problems
    Hawkins, Emily A. 1982. "Pedagogical Grammar of Hawaiian: Recurrent Problems." Hawaiian Studies Program, University of Hawaii.
  7. Conversational Hawaiian
    Elbert, Samuel. H. and S. A. Keala. 1961. "Conversational Hawaiian." University of Hawaii Press.
  8. A reanalysis of the Hawaiian vowel system
    Schutz, Albert J. 1981. "A Reanalysis of the Hawaiian Vowel System." In Oceanic Linguistics, 20 , no. 1: 1-43.
  9. Hawaiian-English Dictionary
    Pukui, Mary Kawena and Samuel H. Elbert. 1965. "Hawaiian-English Dictionary." University of Hawaii Press.
  10. Hawaiian Grammar
    Elbert, Samuel H. and Mary Kawena Pukui. 1979. "Hawaiian Grammar." University of Hawaii Press.
  11. Endangered Languages Catalogue Project. Compiled by research teams at University of Hawai'i Mānoa and Institute for Language Information and Technology (LINGUIST List) at Eastern Michigan University
    2012. "Endangered Languages Catalogue Project. Compiled By Research Teams At University of Hawai'i Mānoa and Institute For Language Information and Technology (LINGUIST List) At Eastern Michigan University."
  12. Pidgin Hawaiian
    Bickerton, Derek and William H. Wilson. 1987. "Pidgin Hawaiian." In Pidgin and Creole languages: essays in memory of John E.~Reinecke, edited by Glenn G. Gilbert. 61-76. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.
  13. Ōiwi Parker Jones, Personal Communication
  14. Loanwords in Hawaiian
    Ōiwi Parker Jones. 2009. "Loanwords in Hawaiian." In Loanwords in the World's Languages, edited by UriTadmor Martin Haspelmath. 771-789. Mouton: De Gruyter.
  15. The World Atlas of Language Structures
    2005. "The World Atlas of Language Structures." edited by Bernard Comrie et al. Oxford University Press.
  16. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, 16th Edition (2009)
    Lewis, M. Paul (ed.). 2009. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, 16 edn. http://www.ethnologue.com/home.asp. (15 February, 2011.)
    http://www.ethnologue.com/
  17. Endangered Languages of the United States
    Christopher Rogers, Naomi Palosaari and Lyle Campbell. 2010. "Endangered Languages of the United States." In Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger of Disappearing, edited by Christopher Moseley. 108-130. UNESCO.
  18. Australasia and the Pacific
    Stephen Wurm. 2007. "Australasia and the Pacific." In Encyclopedia of the World's Endangered Languages, edited by Christopher Moseley. 425-577. Routledge.
  19. The Languages of Native America: Historical and Comparative Assessment
    Campbell, Lyle & Marianne Mithun (eds.). 1979. The Languages of Native America: Historical and Comparative Assessment. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press. ISBN 0-292-74624-5
  20. Na-Dene and Eskimo-Aleut
    Krauss, Michael E. 1979. Na-Dene and Eskimo-Aleut, The Languages of Native America: Historical and Comparative Assessment, 808-901. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press. ISBN 0-292-74624-5