Some accounts say that Hawaiian was even outlawed, and people went to prison for speaking it. At one point in 1985, only 32 children under the age of 18 spoke the language. Since then, people had no reason to speak the official languages. Simply put, most people don’t speak Hawaiian because the government stopped education in Hawaiian in 1896. Uncovering What Language is Spoken in Hawaii Now that you have some background let’s explore more about the Hawaiian language. Even if most people don’t speak it today, keeping the Hawaiian language alive helps preserve the traditions passed down for centuries.

However, thanks to the state government’s efforts, the language is still alive and well. Hawaiian came in at number five at only 5.7 percent of total speakers on the island.Īt one point, linguists were concerned that the Hawaiian language would fade into the past, never to be spoken again. There are at least 130 different languages spoken in Hawaii, with English, Tagalog, Ilocano, and Japanese being the most predominant. The state is a melting pot of many cultures and, consequently, the languages attached to them. While only 1.4 million people live there, it’s one of the most densely populated US states. This subtropical paradise is also the only American state that isn’t part of the North American continent. Hawaii is an archipelago consisting of eight major islands and numerous smaller landmasses, totaling 137 “islands” altogether. Do you know what language is spoken in Hawaii?

Hawaiian pidgin conversation