Editing Carolinian language (section)

==History==

===Early history===
The Carolinian language is derived from closely related languages and dialects within the [[Austronesian languages|Austronesian language]] family. The first inhabitants of the [[Caroline Islands]] were the [[Austronesians]], who migrated from [[Taiwanese aborigines|Taiwan]]. European contact with the Caroline Islands began in 1652, and by the late 1600s, the Carolinians were already communicating with Europeans in their native language. Between 1795 and 1797, a [[Spaniards|Spanish]] official on [[Guam]], Don Luis de Torres, studied the Carolinian language and identified its [[dialect continuum]]. Throughout the 1700s, multiple Carolinian drift voyages reached the [[Philippines]] and [[Guam]], spreading Carolinian culture and language across these regions.<ref name="Ellis 2012" />

During the 1800s, inter-island travel persisted for various reasons, such as survival, communication, trade, and family relations, thereby maintaining the Carolinian language continuum. The evolution of the Carolinian language continued as the Carolinian people migrated to [[Saipan]] under [[Chamorro people|Chamorro]] occupation. However, after the abandonment of Saipan around 1815, Carolinians had the island largely to themselves, and the first Carolinian-speaking group there became the initial speakers of Saipan Carolinian. Subsequent migrations introduced additional linguistic diversity, blending various languages over time.

Tracing the development of Saipan's language from 1815 to today is challenging due to inconsistent historical records. The Carolinian language on Saipan was in constant flux during the 19th century, shaped by ongoing migrations between Saipan and neighboring atolls. The lack of reliable data makes it difficult to establish a clear historical timeline.<ref name="Ellis 2012" />

===Late history===
Significant demographic changes occurred in the Carolinian population of the [[Northern Mariana Islands]] after the 1850s, especially with the arrival of immigrants from atolls east of [[Satawal]]. Between 1865 and 1868, an English entrepreneur, H.G. Johnson, relocated about 1,500 Carolinians to the [[Mariana Islands|Marianas]] to work on plantations in [[Guam]], [[Rota (island)|Rota]], and [[Tinian]]. The removal of these Carolinians from their original islands faced push-back up until the end of the 19th century, with groups such as the Spanish showing disapproval until the Tinian Carolinians eventually moved to [[Saipan]].<ref name="Ellis 2012" />

When the [[United States|Americans]] took control of [[Guam]] in 1898, the Carolinians in Maria Cristina village remained there, despite American efforts to make them abandon their traditional dress. Most migrations that shaped the Carolinian community on [[Saipan]] occurred by 1911, with the most significant influx from outer islands happening between 1905 and 1907. During this period, [[Germany|German]] ships transported hundreds of [[Mortlockese language|Mortlockese]] and other atoll dwellers to Saipan due to typhoon devastation on their home islands. However, this migration had minimal impact on the linguistic traits of the Carolinian language, as the new arrivals were settled away from established Carolinian villages. Many of these islanders eventually returned to their original homes once conditions improved, with only a few remaining on Saipan.<ref name="Ellis 2012" />

Today, Saipan Carolinians are dispersed throughout the island, including in new homestead areas like Kagman, developed by the government on the eastern shore. The 1970s marked the beginning of a reconnection between Saipan Carolinians and their outer-island roots, notably when a navigator made a voyage from the outer islands to Saipan in 1969 after a lapse of 60 to 70 years. However, the overwhelming influence of the [[United States|U.S.]] and global culture, coupled with the introduction of modern media, has profoundly impacted the Carolinian language. While there remains interest in preserving native languages, the realities of modern life pose significant challenges to these efforts.<ref name="Ellis 2012" />