Western Malayo-Polynesian languages

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The Western Malayo-Polynesian languages, also known as the Hesperonesian languages, are those Malayo-Polynesian languages which are not in the Central-Eastern branch. Since there are no features which define these languages positively as a group, many recent classifications have abandoned it. In Wouk et al. some of its languages have been split off in an "Outer" group as a primary branch of Malayo-Polynesian, and the rest retained in an "Inner" group within a Nuclear Malayo-Polynesian branch. These Inner and Outer groups may also be called the Borneo-Philippines languages and Sunda-Sulawesi languages, after their geographic spread.

[edit] Ethnologue.com Classification

Ethnologue has classified Western Malayo-Polynesian languages into 23 groups. The country or countries listed beside individual group(s) is where the group is primarily spoken.

Bali-Sasak, Gayo, Javanese, Kayan-Murik, Lampungic, Madurese, Sulawesi, Sumatra, Sundanese- Indonesia

Meso-Philippine, Northern Philippine, Sama-Bajaw, South-Mindanao, South-Philippine- Philippines

Land Dayak, Malayic, Northwest- Indonesia and Malaysia

Barito- Indonesia and Madagascar

Punan-Nibong- Malaysia

Chamorro- Guam and Northern Marianas Islands

Palauan- Palau

Unclassified- Gorap and Hukumina of the Moluccas, Indonesia; Rejang of Sumatra, Indonesia; and Katabaga of the Philippines