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Glite Dictionary
Tahitian language

Tahitian language

8.2
A language of the Pacific Islands spoken in Tahiti and nearby islands
  • noun
: idioma tahitiano
  • When visiting Tahiti, I decided to study the Tahitian language to better understand the local culture.

Examples

  • -You've been appointed for one purpose: To make me a dictionary of the Tahitian language.

    Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)

  • Understanding the Tahitian language can greatly enhance your experience when traveling in French Polynesia.

  • The students are learning the basics of the Tahitian language in their Polynesian culture class.

Synonyms

Tahitian
vsTahitian language
1 8.9

The language spoken on Tahiti and nearby islands

uses a Polynesian subgroup label more specific than the broader family

Surface Forms

Tahitian language singular
Tahitian languages plural

Morphology

Tahitian + language

The phrase is fully compositional: 'Tahitian' specifies origin/ethnic identity and 'language' denotes a system of speech, so together they plainly mean 'the language of Tahiti/Tahitians.' This adjective+noun pattern is regular and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Tahitian language comes from the island name Tahiti and literally means 'the language of the Tahitian people'. So it now refers to the Polynesian language spoken on Tahiti and nearby islands.