There are between sixty and seventy languages spoken in the Solomon Islands archipelago as opposed to the nation state of Solomon Islands , which covers a smaller area.[ 1] The lingua franca is Pijin , and the official language is English .
Language families [ edit ]
Most of the languages in the Solomon Islands are Austronesian languages . The Central Solomon languages such as Lavukaleve constitute an independent family.
Two other language families are represented on Bougainville , which is geographically part of the Solomon Islands, if not within the national boundaries.
The status of the Reefs – Santa Cruz languages were once thought to be non-Austronesian, but further research found them to be divergent Austronesian languages.[ 2] The neighbouring languages of Vanikoro are also heavily relexified Austronesian languages.[ 3]
An indigenous sign language, Rennellese Sign Language , has gone extinct.
List of the Solomon Islands languages [ edit ]
Language
Code
Speakers
Region
Family
Amba
utp
593
Utupua
Temotu
Anuta
aud
267
Polynesian
'Are'are language
alu
17,800
Arosi
aia
6,750
Asubuo
aua
10
Utupua
Temotu
Äiwoo
nfl
8,400
Reef Islands
Temotu
Babatana
baa
5,600
Baeggu
bvd
5,900
Baelelea language
bvc
8,800
Bauro language
bxa
3,420
Bilua language
blb
8,740
Papuan
Birao
brr
5,900
Blablanga language
blp
1,772
Bughotu language
bgt
4,048
Cheke Holo language
mrn
10,840
Dori'o language
dor
2,406
Dororo
drr
0
Duke
nke
2,312
Fagani language
faf
902
Fataleka language
far
6,703
Gao
gga
1,215
Gela
nlg
11,876
Ghanongga language
ghn
2,508
Ghari language
gri
12,119
Gilbertese language
gil
1,230
Gizo , Choiseul
Micronesian
Gula'alaa language
gmb
1,568
Guliguli language
gli
0
Hoava language
hoa
459
Kahua language
agw
5,170
Kazukuru language
kzk
0
Kokota language
kkk
530
Kusaghe language
ksg
2,395
Kwaio language
kwd
13,249
Kwara'ae language
kwf
32,433
Laghu
lgb
15
Lau
llu
16,937
Lavukaleve
lvk
1,783
Papuan
Lengo
lgr
13,752
Longgu language
lgu
1,894
Lovono
vnk
4
Vanikoro
Temotu
Luangiua
ojv
2,367
Ontong Java
Polynesian
Lungga language
lga
2,767
Malango language
mln
4,135
Marovo language
mvo
8,094
Mono
mte
3,337
Nanggu language
ngr
210
Nendö
Temotu
Natügu language
ntu
4,280
Nendö
Temotu
Nalögo language
nlz
1,620
Nendö
Temotu
Oroha language
ora
38
Owa language
stn
3,069
Pijin
pis
24,390 language 1
307,000 language 2
creole
Rennellese language
mnv
3,191
Polynesian
Rennellese Sign Language
rsi
1
Ririo language
rri
79
Roviana language
rug
9,871
Sa'a language
apb
11,519
Savosavo language
svs
2,415
Savo
Papuan
Sikaiana
sky
731
Polynesian
Simbo
sbb
2,701
Talise language
tlr
12,525
Tanema
tnx
1
Vanikoro
Temotu
Tanimbili language
tbe
15
Utupua
Temotu
Teanu
tkw
800
Vanikoro
Temotu
Tikopia
tkp
3,324
Tikopia , Vanikoro
Polynesian
Toqabaqita
mlu
12,572
Touo language
tqu
1,874
Papuan
Ughele language
uge
1,202
Vaeakau-Taumako language
piv
1,142
Polynesian
Vaghua language
tva
1,960
Vangunu
mpr
907
Varisi language
vrs
5,161
Wala
lgl
6,978
Zabana language
kji
3,355
Zazao language
jaj
10
Official language
Native languages
Sovereign states
Associated states
of New Zealand
Dependencies
and other territories