Palau

Summary

Official Name: Republic of Palau
Population: 18,200
General Remarks: Self-governing republic in a compact of free association with the United States, the latter providing military defense and subsidies. Palau consists of 16 states and some 340 islands
Principal Languages: English, Palauan
Literacy Rate: 97% (2015 UNESCO)
International Conventions: CSICH (2012), UNCRPD (2006)
General References: Bender, B. 1971, Bender 1981, Bender and Capelle 1996, Bender and Rehg 1991
Language Counts: The number of established languages listed for Palau is 4. All are living languages. Of these, 3 are indigenous and 1 is non-indigenous. Furthermore, 2 are institutional and 2 are in trouble. Also listed are 2 unestablished languages.

Languages

English eng: Users: 21,440 in Palau, all users. L1 users: 3,440 in Palau (2019). L2 users: 18,000 (Crystal 2003a). Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (1979, Constitution, Article 13(1)). Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English
Japanese jpn: Users: 1,120 in Palau, all users. L1 users: 120 in Palau (2008 UNSD). L2 users: 1,000. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Japonic
Palauan pau: Widespread. Users: 11,700 in Palau (2019). Total users in all countries: 18,540. Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (1979, Constitution, Article 13(1)). Alternate Names: Belauan, Palau Autonym: Tekoi ra Belau Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Palauan
Sonsorolese sov: Sonsorol state: Merir, Pulo Anna, and Sonsorol islands. Users: 360 (2007 R. Dongosaro). About 60 on the outer islands (Sonsoral 30, Pulo Anna 10, Merir 3) and 300 in Koror town, Echang village. Status: 6b (Threatened). Recognized language (1979, Constitution, Article 13(1)). Alternate Names: Sonsorol, Sonsorol-Tobi Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Micronesian, Micronesian Proper, Pohnpeic-Chuukic, Chuukic
Tagalog tgl: Users: 1,780 in Palau (2019). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Greater Central Philippine, Central Philippine, Tagalog
Tobian tox: Hatohobei state: Helen and Tobi islands; Koror state: Koror island. Users: 150 (2017). Status: 6b (Threatened). Alternate Names: Hatohobei, Tobi Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Micronesian, Micronesian Proper, Pohnpeic-Chuukic, Chuukic

Languages by Status

1 (National)

English

[eng] 1 (National). Statutory national language (1979, Constitution, Article 13(1)). 21,440 in Palau, all users. L1 users: 3,440 in Palau (2019). L2 users: 18,000 (Crystal 2003a).

Palauan

[pau] 1 (National). Statutory national language (1979, Constitution, Article 13(1)). 11,700 in Palau (2019). Total users in all countries: 18,540.

6b (Threatened)

Sonsorolese

[sov] 6b (Threatened). Recognized language (1979, Constitution, Article 13(1)). 360 (2007 R. Dongosaro). About 60 on the outer islands (Sonsoral 30, Pulo Anna 10, Merir 3) and 300 in Koror town, Echang village.

Tobian

[tox] 6b (Threatened). 150 (2017).

Unestablished

Japanese

[jpn] Unestablished. 1,120 in Palau, all users. L1 users: 120 in Palau (2008 UNSD). L2 users: 1,000.

Tagalog

[tgl] Unestablished. 1,780 in Palau (2019).

Maps

Palau

Graphs

Language Vitality Profile
Full explanation
This graph shows the profile of languages in Palau with respect to their level of language vitality. Each individual language that has an entry for Palau is included in the profile. The horizontal axis represents the estimated level of vitality. The height of each bar indicates the number of languages that are estimated to be at the given level.
The vitality levels and the color coding of the bars match the scheme used in the guide on How many languages are endangered? In this scheme, the levels and colors are as follows:
- Dark green = Institutional (EGIDS 0-4) — The language has been developed to the point that it is used and sustained by institutions beyond the home and community.
- Light green = Stable (EGIDS 5-6a) — The language is not being sustained by formal institutions, but It is still the norm in the home and community that all children learn and use the language.
- Red = Endangered (EGIDS 6b-9) — It is no longer the norm that children learn and use this language.
These three summary levels have been derived by grouping levels in the Expanded Graded Intergenerational Disruption Scale (EGIDS), which is the more fine-grained scale that Ethnologue uses to assess the status of every language in terms of development versus endangerment; see the Language Status page for a description of the levels of that scale. See also the pages on Development and Endangerment for more discussion.
Language Status Profile
Full explanation
This graph shows the profile of languages in Palau with respect to their status of language development versus language endangerment. Each individual language that has an entry for Palau is included in the profile. The horizontal axis represents the estimated level of development or endangerment as measured on the EGIDS scale. (See the pages on Development and Endangerment for a fuller explanation.) The height of each bar indicates the number of languages that are estimated to be at the given level. Consult the Status listings for Palau in order to see the specific languages for each level.
The color coding of the bars matches the color scheme used in the summary profile graphs on the navigation maps for the site. In this scheme, the EGIDS levels are grouped as follows:
- Purple = Institutional (EGIDS 0-4) — The language has been developed to the point that it is used and sustained by institutions beyond the home and community.
- Blue = Developing (EGIDS 5) — The language is in vigorous use, with literature in a standardized form being used by some though this is not yet widespread or sustainable.
- Green = Vigorous (EGIDS 6a) — The language is unstandardized and in vigorous use among all generations.
- Yellow = In trouble (EGIDS 6b-7) — Intergenerational transmission is in the process of being broken, but the child-bearing generation can still use the language so it is possible that revitalization efforts could restore transmission of the language in the home.
- Red = Dying (EGIDS 8a-9) — The only fluent users (if any) are older than child-bearing age, so it is too late to restore natural intergenerational transmission through the home; a mechanism outside the home would need to be developed.
- Black = Extinct (EGIDS 10) — The language has fallen completely out of use and no one retains a sense of ethnic identity associated with the language.

Palau

Summary

Languages

Languages by Status

Maps

Palau

Graphs

Language Vitality Profile

Language Status Profile

Contributions

Editorial Action