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Samoan language

NameSamoan
NativenameGagana Sāmoa
FamilycolorAustronesian
StatesSamoa, American Samoa
RegionSpoken as first language in Samoa, American Samoa, with substantial communities of speakers in New Zealand, Australia, U.S., Canada, Tokelau, Tuvalu, Denmark, England, Japan, China and Germany
Speakers369,957 total speakers according to Ethnologue (2009 edition, figures from 1999)
EthnicitySamoans
Fam2Malayo-Polynesian
Fam3Oceanic
Fam4Polynesian
Fam5Samoan � Tokelauan
NationSamoa (199,000 speakers) American Samoa (56,700 speakers)
Iso1sm|iso2=smo|iso3=smo
NoticeIPA

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Samoan (Gagana Sāmoa, (pronounced -smŋaˈŋana ˈsaːmoa) is the language of the Samoan Islands, comprising the independent country of Samoa and the United States territory of American Samoa. It is an official language-alongside English-in both jurisdictions. Samoan, a Polynesian language, is the first language for most of the Samoa Islands' population of about 246,000. With many Samoan people living in other countries, the total number of speakers worldwide is estimated at 370,000. The language is notable for the phonological differences between formal and informal speech as well as a ceremonial form used in Samoan oratory.


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