Ramari Dongosaro
Emaho nimarieri
One of the sixteen states in Palau, Sonsorol is located in
western Micronesia above Australia. Sonsorol is part of Palau, but the language
and culture resemble that found in Yap and Chuuk more than that of Palau.
While the Sonsorolese language is recognized as an official
language of Palau there are only a few remaining speakers of this language.
With fewer than 2000 speakers worldwide, only 600 or so live in Palau and
roughly 60 in Sonsorol.
Never heavily populated the Sonsorol islands shared the same
fate as many pacific islands did during the 19th and 20th
centuries. During early encounters with explorers many Sonsorolese were taken
from the islands to work in copra industries. Many of their descendants were
brought back to Sonsorol in the 1950s. The islands also suffered from natural disasters
and were occupied during World War 2.
Today many most people who speak are bilingual, also speaking
either Palauan or English. Many of the younger generation mix English phrases
with their Sonsorolese, causing the language to change from how it is spoken by
older generations.
In addition to gaining words from English, Sonsorolese is
also slowly merging with another nearby language, Tobian. Closely related to
Sonsorolese and found on the nearby island of Tobi, the two languages are
slowly forming a language called Echangese.
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