Niuatoputapu language

The Niuatoputapu languague (Tongan: Lea Faka-Niuatoputapu) was a Polynesian language and the indigenous language of the people of Niuatoputapu, Tonga and possibly Tafahi, Tonga due to its close proximity. Sometime between the 18th to 19th century, it became extinct and its use was replaced by modern Tongan (Tongan: Lea Faka-Tonga), although small remnants of the old Niuatoputapu language can still be heard in the Tongan language spoken on Niuatoputapu and Tafahi today, as well as in the islands' geographic features. For example, the islet of Nukuseilala (Land of the Seilala Tree) appears to use the old Niuatoputapu and modern Samoan pronunciation of "seilala" instead of the modern Tongan "heilala".

The Niuatoputapu language is believed to have been very distinct from the modern Tongan and Niuafoʻou languages, being closely related instead to Samoan, East Futunan, Tokelauan, Tuvaluan and Pukapukan.

Practically all knowledge of the Niuatoputapu language comes from a word list of 32 words compiled by Jacob Le Maire in 1616 after visits to both Niuatoputapu and Tafahi.