New Caledonian languages

The thirty New Caledonian languages also known as Kanak languages form a branch of the Southern Oceanic languages. Their speakers are known as Kanaks. One language is extinct, one is critically endangered, four are severely endangered, five are endangered, and another five are vulnerable to extinction.

The Cèmuhî, Paicî, Drubea, Numèè, and Kwenyii languages are tonal.^[1]

Other than phonemically contrastive tone, typological features in New Caledonian languages that are typically unusual for Oceanic languages include nasalized vowels, very large vowel inventories, retroflex consonants, and voiceless nasals.^[2]

• Loyalty Islands
  • Drehu (Lifou Island)
  • Iaai (Ouvéa Island)
  • Nengone (Maré Island)
• Mainland New Caledonian
  • Southern New Caledonian
    • Extreme Southern
      • Ndrumbea (vulnerable)
      • Numèè
    • Mid-Southern
      • Xârâcùù–Xârâgurè:
        • Xârâcùù
        • Xârâgurè (endangered)
      • Zire–Tîrî:
        • Tîrî (endangered)
        • Zire †
      • Wailic
        • Ajië
        • Arhâ (severely endangered)
        • Arhö (critically endangered)
        • Neku (severely endangered)
        • Orowe (endangered)
  • Northern New Caledonian
    • Haeke*
    • Haveke*
    • Vamale*
    • Central Northern
      • Cèmuhî
      • Paicî
    • North Northern
      • Pwaamei (endangered)
      • Pwapwa (severely endangered)
        • Bwatoo
        • Hmwaveke
        • Waamwang
        • Fwâi
        • Jawe (vulnerable)
        • Nemi (vulnerable)
        • Pije (severely endangered)
    • Extreme Northern
      • Caac (vulnerable)
      • Kumak (vulnerable)
      • Nyâlayu
      • Yuanga

The languages of the northern Voh–Koné area (*) are often discussed as a unit.