Kiai language
Austronesian language spoken in Vanuatu
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kiai is an Oceanic language spoken by about 450 people in the central highlands of Espiritu Santo island (Sanma Province), in Vanuatu.[2]
| Kiai | |
|---|---|
| Fortsenal | |
| Vara Kiai | |
| Native to | Vanuatu |
| Region | Espiritu Santo Island |
Native speakers | (450 cited 2001)[1] |
| Official status | |
Official language in | Vanuatu |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | frt |
| Glottolog | fort1240 |
| ELP | Kiai |
 Kiai is not endangered according to the classification system of the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger | |
Name
The name Kiai derives from kiai, meaning "no", due to a trend in the area to name languages based on their word for "no", used as a linguistic shibboleth. The language is called vara Kiai (from vara "speech, language"), i.e. 'the language that says kiai [for no]".
The same language has been named Fortsenal, based on the name of the village (locally Vorozenale) where the speakers live.[3]