Austronesian languages

Austronesian languages form a widespread language family that includes over 1,200 languages spoken across Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, Madagascar, and parts of East Asia. They originated from a common ancestor called Proto-Austronesian, believed to have been spoken around 4,000-5,000 years ago in Taiwan or the Philippines. These languages share certain grammatical and vocabulary features, but they are diverse and have evolved separately in different regions. Well-known Austronesian languages include Malay (Indonesian and Malaysian), Tagalog (Filipino), Hawaiian, Maori, and Malagasy. They are notable for their dispersal across vast oceanic distances, reflecting impressive maritime skills.