Nuclear Polynesian refers to those languages comprising the Samoic and the Eastern Polynesian branches of the Polynesian group of Austronesian languages. The Eastern Polynesian group comprises two major subgroups: Rapa Nui, spoken on Easter Island, and Central-Eastern, which is itself composed of Rapan, and the Marquesic and Tahitic languages. Nuclear Polynesian is differentiated, among Polynesian languages, by its distinguishing characteristics from the Tongic languages spoken in most of Tonga and in Niue. Languages Samoic East Uvean–Niuafo'ou languages Ellicean languages Futunic languages Pukapuka Samoan Tokelauan Eastern Polynesian Rapa Nui Central Eastern Polynesian Rapa Marquesic languages Hawaiian Marquesan Northern Southern Mangerevan Tahitic languages Austral Māori Tuamotuan Penrhyn Rarotongan Rakahanga-Manihiki Tahitian Alternative classification Futunic languages Pukapuka Ellicean languages Samoic Samoan Tokelauan Ellicean–Outlier Tuvaluan Nukuoro Kapingamarangi Nukuria Takuu Nukumanu Ontong Java Sikaiana Pileni Eastern Polynesian References