Tahitian (Reo Tahiti)

Tahitian is a Polynesian language spoken in Tahiti and other islands in French Polynesia (reo mā’oh), a French overseas territory. According to the 2007 census that are about 68,000 Tahitian speakers, most of whom live in the Society Islands (Îles de la Société). There are also some Tahitian speakers in the Tuamotu islands, New Caledonia, New Zealand and Vanuatu. Tahitian is closely related to Rarotongan and Hawai'ian.

Until the early 19th century Tahitian was a purely oral language. A Tahitian spelling system using the Latin alphabet was developed by John Davis, a Welsh historian and linguist, and proposed in 1805. Davis produduced the first printed book in Tahitian, an alphabet primer called Te Aebi no Tahiti, in 1810. Most of the written material published since has been of a religious or educational nature.

Tahitian alphabet and pronunciation

Notes

f is pronounced [ɸ] after o and u
h is prounced [ʃ] after i and before o or u
v is pronounced [β] after o and u
Every syllable in Tahitian ends in a vowel. There are no silent letters. There are no consonants clusters, but vowel clusters are common. In such cases, each vowel is pronounced as a separate syllable. A macron (ā, ē, etc.) lengthens a vowel.

Download an alphabet chart for Tahitian (Excel)

Sample text in Tahitian

E fanauhia te tā'āto'ara'a o te ta'atātupu ma te ti'amā e te ti'amanara'a 'aifaito. Ua 'ī te mana'o pa'ari e i te manava e ma te 'a'au taea'e 'oia ta ratou ha'a i rotopū ia ratou iho, e ti'a ai;

Translation

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

Sample videos

Information about Tahitian | Phrases | Numbers | Tower of Babel

Links

Information about the Tahitian language
http://www.tahiti-explorer.com/language.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tahitian_language
http://www.thetahititraveler.com/general/soclang.asp

Académie Tahitienne / Fare Vāa'a (Tahitian Academy)
http://www.farevanaa.pf

Tahitian language courses
http://www.hawaii.edu/oceanic/tahiti/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3qra05RH2O04OF-NhXQhiA/videos

Tahitian dictionaries
http://www.farevanaa.pf/dictionnaire.php
http://www.freelang.net/online/tahitian.php
http://www.pasefika.com/dictionary

Tahitian phrases
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g294338-s604/French-Polynesia:Important.Phrases.html
http://www.tahititravel.com/language.html
http://wikitravel.org/en/Tahitian_phrasebook
http://tahitihi.tripod.com/
http://tahitinow.com.au/tahiti-for-australians/youhavearrived/19/
http://www.lexilogos.com/tahitien_langue_dictionnaires.htm
http://www.polynesie-francaise.eu.com/langue-tahitienne.htm
http://tahiti-tourisme.com.au/plan-your-trip/documents/speak-tahitian/

Polynesian languages

Anutan, Austral, Emae, Futuna-Aniwa, Futunan, Hawaiian, Kapingamarangi, Mangareva, Māori, Marquesan (North), Marquesan (South), Mele-Fila, Moriori, Niuafoʻou, Niuatoputapu-Tafahi, Niuean, Nukumanu, Nukuoro, Nukuria, Ontong Java, Penrhyn, Pukapukan, Rakahanga-Manihiki, Rapa, Rapa Nui, Rarotongan, Rennellese, Samoan, Sikaiana, Tahitian, Takuu, Tikopia, Tokelauan, Tongan, Tuamotuan, Tuvaluan, Vaeakau-Taumako, Wallisian, West Uvean

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page last modified: 14.07.24

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