| Kiai | |
|---|---|
| Fortsenal | |
| Vara Kiai | |
| Native to | Vanuatu |
| Region | Espiritu Santo Island |
Native speakers | 450 (2001)[1] |
| Official status | |
Official language in | Vanuatu |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | frt |
| Glottolog | fort1240 |
| ELP | Kiai |
 Kiai is not endangered according to the classification system of theUNESCOAtlas of the World's Languages in Danger | |
Kiai is anOceanic language spoken by about 450 people in the central highlands ofEspiritu Santo island (Sanma Province), inVanuatu.[2]
The nameKiai derives fromkiai, meaning "no", due to a trend in the area to name languages based on their word for "no", used as a linguisticshibboleth. The language is calledvara Kiai (fromvara "speech, language"), i.e. 'the language that sayskiai [forno]".
The same language has been named Fortsenal, based on the name of the village (locallyVorozenale) where the speakers live.[3]
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