Page created in collaboration with Alexandre François (LACITO-C.N.R.S.; Australian National University), 2011.

Data on the Lemerig language

Alternative names: Päk, Bek, Leon, Sasar.

The names above probably refer to dialectal variants that have disappeared nowadays.

Classification: Austronesian language family, Oceanic languages.

Considered as a variant of Vera’a for a long time. However, linguist Alexandre François, who was the first one to work on the language, and who discovered it in 2003, considers Lemerig as a distinct language.

All the languages of Vanuatu, the country home to the world’s largest linguistic diversity (110 languages for a population of around 200,000) belong to the same Oceanic branch of the Austronesian family. However, they do show a surprising diversity for languages belonging to the same family.

For more on the linguistic diversity of Vanuatu, please refer to Alexandre François’ articles on the subject, available on the Sorosoro Blog.

Geographic Area: Vanuatu, Banks Islands, island of Vanua Lava. Lemerig no longer belongs to a specific area, the village of origin having been abandoned. The last speakers now live on the northern coast of the island.

Map of the Banks and Torres Islands, Vanuatu © Alexandre François

Number of speakers: Two elderly people with some knowledge of the language could well be the last, according to Alexandre François.

Vitality & transmission: Lemerig is on the brink of extinction. It is no longer spoken or handed down, having probably been given up in favor of Vurës. It is also rather unknown, and was discovered by linguist Alexandre François in 2003. Since then, he’s been working on trying to save and rebuild the language from what the last speakers remember of it, before they disappear.

Further sources & links

Alexandre François’ personal website

Access all the existing recordings of Lemerig available on the CRDO (“Oral Documentation Resource Centre”) website