Tongan (/ˈtɒŋən/ or /ˈtɒŋɡən/;[4] lea fakatonga) is an Austronesian language of the Polynesian branch spoken in Tonga. It has around 187,000 speakers[5] and is a national language of Tonga. It is a VSO (verb–subject–object) language.
One of the first publications of Tongan texts was in William Mariner's grammar and dictionary of the Tongan language, edited and published in 1817 by John Martin as part of volume
In addition there are special, traditional counting systems for fish, coconuts, yams, etc.[15]
One of the first publications of Tongan texts was in William Mariner's grammar and dictionary of the Tongan language, edited and published in 1817 by John Martin as part of volume 2 of Mariner's Account of the Natives of the Tonga Islands, in the South Pacific Ocean.[16] Orthography has changed since Mariner's time.
An annotated list of dictionaries and vocabularies of the Tongan language is available at the website of the Bibliographical Society of America under the resource heading 'Breon Mitchell": https://bibsocamer.org/bibsite-home/list-of-resources/.
Tongan is primarily a spoken, rather than written, language. The Bible and the Book of Mormon were translated into Tongan and few other books were written in it.[citation needed]
There are several weekly and monthly magazines in Tongan, but there are no daily newspapers.
Weekly newspapers, some of them twice per week:
Monthly or two-monthly papers, mostly church publications:
Tongan is primarily a spoken, rather than written, language. The Bible and the Book of Mormon were translated into Tongan and few other books were written in it.[citation needed]
There are several weekly and monthly magazines in Tongan, but there are no daily newspapers.
Weekly newspapers, some of them twice per week:
Monthly or two-monthly papers, mostly church publications:
| Name | Compared to Modern Calendar | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lihamuʻa | mid-November to early December | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lihamui | mid-December to early January | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vaimuʻa | mid-January to early February | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vaimui | mid-February to early March | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fakaafu Moʻui | mid-March to early April | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fakaaafu Mate | mid-April to early May | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hilingakelekele | mid-May to early June | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hilingameaʻa | mid-June to early July | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ʻAoʻaokimasisiva | mid-July to early August | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fuʻufuʻunekinanga | mid-August to early September | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ʻUluenga | mid-September to early October | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tanumanga | early Oct
|