Kotava

Kotava is an indigenous language spoken by the people of Vanuatu. It is a member of the Austronesian family of languages, which includes Hawaiian, Maori, and Malay. Kotava is one of the official languages of Vanuatu, along with English and French. The Kotava people have lived on the islands of Vanuatu for centuries. They are a proud and independent people, and their language reflects this. Kotava is a complex language, with a rich history and culture behind it. There are thought to be about 30,000 Kotava speakers in the world. The language is most commonly spoken on the island of Espiritu Santo, where the majority of Kotava people live. However, it is also spoken on the islands of Tanna and Aniwa. Kotava is a tonal language, which means that the pitch of a word can change its meaning. For example, the word for ‘sun’ can be said in two different ways, with the high pitch version meaning ‘day’, and the low pitch version meaning ‘night’. Kotava is a very expressive language, and has a wide range of words to describe emotions and concepts. For example, there are different words for ‘happy’, depending on whether you are feeling joyful, content, or just satisfied. The Kotava people have a strong oral tradition, and their language is used in many different types of storytelling. Kotava stories are often passed down from generation to generation, and are used to teach lessons about life and morality. The Kotava language is in danger of dying out. This is because many Kotava people are leaving their traditional homes on the islands, and moving to cities like Port Vila, where they are exposed to other languages. In addition, the younger generation is often not taught Kotava, as it is seen as old-fashioned. However, there are some efforts being made to preserve the Kotava language. There is a Kotava dictionary, and a number of schools on the islands are teaching Kotava to their students. The Kotava language is an important part of the history and culture of Vanuatu. It is a complex and beautiful language, with a rich tradition of storytelling. The Kotava people are proud of their language, and are working to preserve it for future generations.