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.
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]
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.
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]