Papua New Guinea, a sovereign state in Oceania, is the most linguistically diverse country in the world. [5] According to Ethnologue, there are 839 living languages spoken in the country. [6] In 2006, Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare stated that "Papua New Guinea has 832 living languages (languages, not dialects)." [7] [8]

Aug 30, 2017 · Papua New Guinea adopted four official languages after independence. These official languages are English, Tok, sign language, and Hiri Motu. Of the four official languages, Tok Pisin is the most frequently used language for business and government activities.

May 21, 2025 · In most everyday contexts the most widely spoken language is Tok Pisin (“Pidgin Language”; also called Melanesian Pidgin or Neo-Melanesian), a creole combining grammatical elements of indigenous languages, some German, and, increasingly, English.

May 5, 2023 · There are 839 indigenous living languages spoken in this country, making it the country with the most languages. It’s a remarkable number, considering that Papua New Guinea has a population of around 9 million people. Below, we’ll explain everything about dialects spoken by the Papua New Guinea people, their official language, and more.

With over 800 distinct languages spoken across its islands and mainland, PNG accounts for nearly 12% of the world’s languages – an impressive feat for a country of its size. These languages reflect the deep cultural and tribal diversity of the nation, with each tongue holding centuries of stories, traditions, and unique worldviews.

Explore all 843 languages used in Papua New Guinea with Ethnologue: Languages of Papua New Guinea—a downloadable PDF document that provides detailed analysis presented in formats not available in the online version of Ethnologue. It includes: Comprehensive country overview. Statistical summaries by language status, size, and family.

Language families in Papua New Guinea. Languages of Papua New Guinea: Australian English; Tok Pisin; Hiri Motu; Papuan languages; and many others

Jan 27, 2025 · What is truly astonishing about the languages in Papua New Guinea (PNG) is the sheer linguistic diversity concentrated within a relatively small geographic area. This country, home to approximately 9 million people, boasts over 840 living indigenous languages.

The official languages of Papua New Guinea are Tok Pisin, English and Hiri Motu. However, the nation is considered as the most linguistically diverse country in the world, having about 820 languages all over the country.

Jul 20, 2017 · After independence, Papua New Guinea adopted three official languages. English is the first. Tok Pisin, a creole, is the second; Hiri Motu, a simplified version of Motu, an Austronesian...