What is Polynesian languages?
{{Infobox language family |name=Polynesian languages |region=[[Polynesia]], with outliers in [[Melanesia]] and [[Micronesia]] |ethnicity=[[Polynesian people]] |familycolor=Austronesian |child1=[[Tongic languages|Tongic]] |child2=[[Nuclear Polynesian languages|Nuclear Polynesian]] |fam1=[[Austronesian languages|Austronesian]] |fam2=[[Malayo-Polynesian languages|Malayo-Polynesian]] |fam3=[[Oceanic languages|Oceanic]] |fam4=[[Central Pacific languages|Central Pacific]] |fam5=[[East Fijian-Polynesian languages|East Fijian-Polynesian]] |script=Katakana, Hiragana, Hangul }} The '''Polynesian languages''' are a group of languages spoken in [[Oceania]]. They all belong in the [[Malayo-Polynesian languages|Malayo-Polynesian]] branch of the [[Austronesian languages]]. They are mostly spoken in [[Polynesia]], but some are spoken in nearby [[Melanesia]] and [[Micronesia]]. There are around 30-40 Polynesian languages, with [[Samoan language|Samoan]] having the most speakers.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Polynesian languages|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Polynesian-languages|access-date=2020-08-31|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en}}</ref> Other well-known Polynesian languages include [[Māori language|Māori]], [[Tongan language|Tongan]], [[Hawaiian language|Hawaiian]] and [[Tahitian language|Tahitian]]. == History == The Polynesian languages formed when Austronesians in [[New Caledonia]] (the [[Lapita culture]]) started moving to other parts of Oceania.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lapita culture|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Lapita-culture|access-date=2020-08-31|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en}}</ref> Navigation of Oceania continued until 1300AD, with the discovery of [[New Zealand]] (Aotearoa) by the [[Māori people]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=A Brief History of New Zealand {{!}} New Zealand Now|url=https://www.newzealandnow.govt.nz/living-in-nz/history-government/a-brief-history|access-date=2020-08-31|website=www.newzealandnow.govt.nz}}</ref> Today, there are over 2 million [[Polynesian people|Polynesians]