It is a creole consisting of English and Sapwuahfik Pohnpeian spoken primarily by men, especially when engaged in communal activities such as fishing or boat-building, but is readily understood by women and children.

[2] It is used as a secret language by Ngatikese people when they are in the presence of Pohnpeian speakers.

[3] "Ngatikese" also refers to the non-creolized language, descending from Pohnpeian, that is spoken on the atoll.

[4] The Ngatik Men's Creole developed as a result of the 1837 Ngatik massacre, during which the island's male population was wiped out by the crew of Australian captain C. H. Hart's ship Lambton and Pohnpeian warriors.

Some of the Europeans and Pohnpeians settled and repopulated the island, taking the local women as wives.