Language Information by Source

Sociological factors in Reefs-Santa Cruz language vitality: a 40 year retrospective

Brenda H. Boerger, Åshild Næss, Anders Vaa, Rachel Emerine and Angela Hoover. 2012. "Sociological Factors in Reefs-Santa Cruz Language Vitality: a 40 Year Retrospective." In International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 111-152.

Severely Endangered
80 percent certain, based on the evidence available
206
Native Speakers Worldwide
Domains of Use

Domain Of Use 4

Used mainly only in the home and/or with family, and may not be the primary language even in these domains for many community members.

4
Transmission

Transmission 3

Some adults in the community are speakers, but the language is not spoken by children.

3

Speakers

Native or fluent speakers:
No results found.
Second-language speakers and learners
No results found.
Semi-speakers or rememberers
No results found.
Children:
No results found.
Young adults
No results found.
Older adults
No results found.
Elders
No results found.
Ethnic or community population
No results found.
Year information was gathered
No results found.
Comments on speakers
"Pijin is the language of choice for the other domains such as education and business, and being the smallest language on Santa Cruz, Nagu is never employed in national nor provincial government, where English and Pijin are the main players... The low regard that others have of their [Nagu] language will have inevitably affected Nagu speakers’ own attitude toward it and may account, in part, for the continued weakening of Nagu."

Location and Context

Countries
Solomon Islands
Location Description

"The Nagu language is spoken in several settlements on the southern coast of Santa Cruz. The largest Nagu-speaking village is called Nagu. Nabalue is next, with around 200 people divided into two settlements. A large village, Memawa, is on top of a bluff and a small village Menepmaotu in the inlet below it... Furthermore, a small group of speakers lives in Nambwan Kä Ilöpi which means ‘Big Bay’. Finally, perhaps 50 Nagu speakers live in Honiara."

Government Support
No results found.
Institutional Support
No results found.
Speakers' Attitude
No results found.
Other Languages Used By The Community
Solomon Islands Pijin
Number of Other Language Speakers:
Most under age 60
Domains of Other Languages:
Pijin in education, business, government

Writing Systems

Standard orthography:
No results found.
Writing system:
None
Other writing systems used:
No results text.
Comments on writing systems:
"Since there is not yet a written form of Nagu and since English is taught in the schools, only English is used for writing and reading."

Recent Resources

Community Members