Only 12% of the population speaks the language, and an even smaller percentage speaks it fluently. How Many Native Languages Are Spoken In Mexico? This initiative is one the Mexican government is using to help preserve the countrys rich culture, a large source of which is its languages. Box 4666, Ventura, CA 93007 Request a Quote: petersburg, va register of deeds CSDA Santa Barbara County Chapter's General Contractor of the Year 2014! "There are at least 7,102 known languages alive in the world today. BNC SPOKEN Wordlist GORILLA GARDENER: How to Help Nature Take Over the World by John & Jana , 32 pages, ISBN 978-1-945665-00-4, $16.95, 8 x 8, Hardcover, Full color illustrations throughout! In 1696 Charles II reversed that policy and banned the use of any languages other than Spanish throughout New Spain. Are you interested in testing our corporate solutions? There are, of course, other languages spoken in Mexico, but Spanish is by far the most prevalent. Language to Country Chart Country to Language Listing We have listed here a listing of countries and the languages spoken in them, ordered by precedence (the first language listed is generally the official language of the country). Out of these 68, 63 are native languages. [24], Romani is spoken by the Mexican Roma minority. If you were a Mexican citizen who spoke Mixteco, for example, you could walk into a government office, ask to be served documents in that language, and the government will comply. Bender Library. Huichol linguistic grouping belongs to the Yuto-Nahua family. In Mexico, it is widespread to use colloquial language in everyday conversation. The top three languages spoken in Mexico are Spanish, followed by Nahuatl and Yucatec Maya. A few hundred speak Cantonese, while a few thousand speak Mandarin. ", a portal that contains multimedia files of phrases spoken in some of the national indigenous languages, National Institute of Indigenous Languages / in Spanish, General Law of Linguistic Rights of Indigenous Peoples, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Languages_of_Mexico&oldid=1133431560. Make a selection to see a table and chart of languages spoken. Please do not hesitate to contact me. , Add services to compare features and you'll choose the most suitable product. Hamel, Rainer Enrique and Communities in Mexico. That is the second-largest group in the Americas after Peru. Spanish is the go-to language as its spoken by roughly 94% of the population. RELIGIONS Catholic Church A 14. This law means that indigenous peoples can use their native language in communicating with government officials and request official documents in that language. For most of the 20th century successive governments denied native tongues the status of valid languages. English is widely applied in business, and villages; specifically those US retirees in communities in Guanajuato in Chiapas and Baja in California. There are 1.8 million native speakers of this indigenous language in these states, as well as a large community of Asian descendants who often speak other local native languages like Mixtec or Mazatec. In Mexico City, 55 of 68 national indigenous dialects are spoken. In latest Population and Housing Census carried out by INEGI, six million people are revealed as indigenous speakers, a figure that includes people over five years old. languages spoken in mexico pie chart About 1.5 million people speak Nahuatl, 800,000 speak Yucatec Maya and less than one hundred people speak Lacandon. It is spoken in Guanajuato, Quertaro, Hidalgo, Puebla, Veracruz, Michoacn, Tlaxcala and Mexico. Nevertheless, the two languages are both mutually intelligible. Native languages will have same legal force as Spanish. Still, while (British) English is now the dominant language, there remains many other languages that are spoken in . According to the Commission for the Development of Indigenous Peoples (CDI) and National Institute of Indigenous Languages (INALI), while 1014% of the population identifies as belonging to an indigenous group, around 6% speak an indigenous language. Chart. In addition to Spanish, there are other languages spoken in Mexico. The law, made widely known in 2003, requires the state to offer all of its services to its indigenous citizens in their mother tongues, but in practice this is not yet the case. By late 20th century, as a result of indigenous peoples emergence as political subjects, educational policies and discourses were slowly modified. Due to this situation there have been many language revitalization strategies implemented in order to create a language shift to try to reverse this language shift. It is spoken by over 1,65 million people, mostly throughout central region of Mexico. Spoken by over 66,000 people, Tojolabal is considered a language in itself, because it does not group with any other variant. With so many dialects, what are the top 3 languages spoken in Mexico? Known by over 150,000 people. Spanish is used most often for all official purposes of the government, but it is not the official primary language when looking at legislation. The only indigenous language spoken by more than a million people in Mexico is the Nahuatl language; the other Native American languages with a large population of native speakers include Yucatec Maya. So yes: If you want to visit Mexico and understand what people are saying around youor even if you want to be able to read street signsyou should learn some basic Spanish before your trip! What Are the Top Three Languages Spoken in Mexico? She believes that learning how to order a beer in a new language reveals a lot about local culture. The top 3 languages spoken in Mexico are Spanish, Nahuatl and Yucatec Maya. It allows all indigenous minor languages be spoken in Mexico. ", CIA, Mexico: Distribution of languages in 2020 Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/275440/languages-in-mexico/ (last visited January 18, 2023), Mexico: Distribution of languages in 2020 [Graph], CIA, March 29, 2022. Since English is spoken by less than 10% of the population, if youre planning on visiting the country, youd better brush up on your Spanish! 80-100%. Those with greatest presence are Nahuatl, whose speakers represent almost 30% of total populous, Mixtec with 12,3%, Otom 10,6%, Mazatec 8,6%, Zapotec 8,2% and Mazahua with 6,4%. New Jersey. Although Spanish is Mexicos go-to language, especially among youth, its not a daily choice for general Mexican population. About 7.1% of the population speaks one or several indigenous languages and 1.2% doesnt speak the Spanish language at all. The law takes location, context, and territory into the equation, and does not give any type of official status to the Spanish language. Spanish is the primary language spoken in Mexico. Another difference between Mexican Spanish and Spanish has spoken in Spain and Latin America is the vocabulary. Naturally, this left a mark on the population and the lifestyles in the country that can still be felt today. The large majority of the population is monolingual in Spanish. Percentage of the total population living in households in which Spanish is spoken. dialects, are reliable indicators of an enormous Mexicos linguistic and cultural diversity. After independence, interest in national unification grew, so Creoles, indigenous people, and mestizos were adopting Spanish. Ill give you a hint: the food of gods. The runner-up is Nahuatl. This data visualization shows the top languages other than English spoken in 1980 and changes in their relative rank from 1990 to 2010. Language Spoken At Home #1. Naturally, given the proximity to the United States, it makes sense that English is spoken in Mexico. All told, 67 living indigenous languages were once spoken throughout North America, but now only 12% survive. Her tech copywriting business takes her around the world and she is excited to share language tips as part of the Lingoda team. Most common languages spoken at home in Australia by number of speakers 2016 U.S. - children who speak another language than English at home 1979-2019 Students with non-English language background . The language is influenced by Carib, French, and Spanish and was once only spoken on the Antillean Islands. At the same time, legislators made no specific provisions for the official or legal status of the Spanish language. Another significant difference between the two pronunciations is how the letter c is pronounced. One final primary language worth mentioning is Qeqchi, brought to Yucatan by Mayan refugees fleeing Guatemalas civil war during the 1980s. Gail Virtual Reference Library. In 2003, a law was approved by the Mexican Congress that aimed to recognize the rich history of Mexico and determine how the country will look at all of the languages that are spoken there. Certified Translations Academic Transcripts, Foreign Credential Evaluation and Translation Services, Text Translator And Certified Translation. 15201585", "Is education destroying indigenous languages in Chiapas? Snchez, L. (2011), Mexican Indigenous Languages at the Dawn of the Twenty-First Century edited by Margarita Hidalgo. This marked the beginning of Spanish rule over todays Mexican territory. Knowledge of English is often a prerequisite for employment, in tourism, and business. Spanish is the official language in the country; other languages that are somewhat common are English and German. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Within the field of administration, at least the three administrative languages - Luxembourgish, French and German - are used, while German is the dominant language in print media. Other languages you may come across include. Additionally, tongues of indigenous people are legally recognized as part of nations cultural heritage, therefore country should contribute to their study, preservation, dissemination, development, and use, as well as promote a multilingual linguistic policy throughout all Mexican institutions. On June 14, 1999, the Council of Writers in Indigenous Languages presented Congress with a document entitled "Suggested legal initiatives towards linguistic rights of indigenous peoples and communities", with the goal of beginning to protect the linguistic rights of indigenous communities. Spanish leads with at least 120 million speakers. We represent each language within black borders and then provide the numbers of native speakers (in millions) by country. Mayan is considered one of the oldest languages in Mexico and has a written record dating back to 200 AD. All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions 2023 worldatlas.com. The Ley General de Derechos Lingsticos de los Pueblos Indgenas was passed in March 2003, establishing a framework for the conservation, nurturing and development of indigenous languages. Journal of Sociolinguistics, 15: 422425. Out of these 68, 63 are native languages. On top of all these official and unofficial languages, English is also widely spoken throughout Mexico. It spread from town of Chalcatongo de Hidalgo, in Oaxaca. Grinevald, Colette. Spanish in Spain is derived from Latin, while Mexican Spanish is derived from Latin and Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs. Mexico is inhabited by about a third of planets Hispanic population. The top three languages spoken in Mexico are Spanish, followed by Nahuatl and Yucatec Maya. In addition to Spanish, several other languages are commonly spoken throughout Mexico, including Zapotec, Mixtec, Otomi, and Tarahumara. English is often a prerequisite for employment, especially in industries like tourism. The official language of Mexico is Spanish. The most noticeable difference is how the two languages handle the letter x. In Spanish, the letter x is always pronounced like the ks sound in the word fox. In Mexican Spanish, however, the letter x can be pronounced either as the ks sound or as the sh sound, depending on the word. By the end of the 20th century, this figure had fallen to 6%. The most common Mexican dialects are Nahuatl, Mayan, and Pochutec. This means that Mexicans and LatAm people pronounce s,z,ce and ci the same. Long ago it was also spoken in a part of Chiapas. . One example of this group is of the American Mormon colony of Nueva Casas Grandes in Chihuahua, which settled in the late 19th century. Nahuatl hails from the Aztec empire and has several dialects, some of which are unintelligible. Nahuatl (Nahuatl, Nahuat, Nahual, Macehualtlahtol, Melatahtol), Tacuate (Mixtec de Santa Mara Zacatepec) (Tu'un Va'a). Indigenous Language Policy and Education in Mexico. Encyclopedia of Language and Education. Additionally, there are 68 other languages and 350 dialects. Before European colonization, Mexican dialects were spoken by merchants, priests, warriors, Purpecha, Otomi, Nahua, Zapotec, Mayan men and women, among others. Over one hundred native dialects can be found within its borders, and countless others can be heard throughout Mexican communities abroad. By 2055, the median age will be 44 and almost 30% of Mexicans will be over 60, causing the population to decrease after 2062. Mixtec is the third most common indigenous language, and it is spoken throughout southwestern Mexico. English and German are the most prominent ones. Indigenous languages spoken Of the indigenous. Mazatec linguistic group is mostly spoken in Oaxaca, while only one variant is spoken in Puebla. Finally, Spanish and Mexican have different verb conjugations. Show publisher information Mexican Spanish began to emerge from dialects of Latin Americas indigenous tribes, which changed after conquistadors arrival. Today bilingualism is still present. Yucatec Maya is the Mayan language spoken by people living in Yucatan, Tabasco, and Campeche. Other languages in Mexico include the following: Interestingly, it is not just Spanish and languages native to Mexico that you can find in Mexico. 22 Maps Show Deepest Linguistic Conflicts in America TOUCHSTONE chart chart Most Spoken Languages in Homes. More than 130 have vanished due to lack of use as generations pass away. The General Law of Linguistic Rights of the Indigenous Peoples considered Spanish as the national language. In 1980, the five most commonly spoken languages other than English were Spanish, Italian, German, French, and Polish. In addition to these more popular languages being listened to around Mexico daily, indigenous groups continue to use their native tongue for communication within their families and communities. Following the Mexican Revolution respect towards indigenous languages grew, however, Spanish still prevailed as main in many areas, including education. This is where certified Spanish translation services will come in handy. This word is not used in other Spanish-speaking countries. Garifuna is a minority language spoken by 2.9% of the population. The law shows Mexicos focus is now preservation. There are 17 indigenous languages (plus an additional four international ones), corresponding to 23% of all Mexicans. Ethnologue currently counts 282 indigenous languages currently spoken in Mexico, plus a number of immigrant languages (Lewis et al. Linguistic variants, a.k.a. Below is a pie chart that shows the percentage of languages spoken. The most common Mexican dialects are Nahuatl, Mayan, and Pochutec. The second most common indigenous language is Yucatec Maya, with 759,000 speakers. The number of speakers for the subsequent languages on the list of the most common native languages starts to fall off, which makes sense seeing as how many of them are endangered. The Amuzgo live in Oaxaca and Guerrero. Other European languages used in respectable communities in Mexico are Plautdietsch, French, German, Romani and Venetian. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. From the arrival of the first Franciscan missionaries, Spanish, Latin, and indigenous languages played parts in the evangelization of Mexico. Now that you know about all 69 official languages there are in Mexico, why so many? [15] Accordingly, they "have the same validity [as Spanish] in their territory, location and context". Most Nahuatl speakers also speak Spanish. If the matter is I, the verb would be conjugated to leo. If the issue is you, the verb would be conjugated to lees. In Mexican, verbs always stay the same, no matter the subject. A Mexico dialect is a lingo variant that is specific to a particular community or region. If you ask your friend to name languages spoken in Mexico, their response would likely be confusion followed by a confident statement regarding Spanish. 60-80%. Amer. Currently, you are using a shared account. It belongs to the Mixe-Zoque family. If you use several lingos for your business, these business translation companies can be of great help to you. The most common language spoken in Mexico is Spanish, followed by indigenous languages such as Nahuatl, Maya, and Zapotec. It is runner-up most spoken language in the country. Currently, Mexico has over 120 million Spanish speakers. Available formats: pdf, doc, docx, xls, xlsx, ppt, pptx, zip, rar, csv, opn, png, jpeg, gif, jpg. For example, words that end in -tl is usually pronounced with a t sound instead of a tl sound. New York: Springer, 2008. Bilingual Education for Indigenous Communities in Mexico. Accessed January 18, 2023. https://www.statista.com/statistics/275440/languages-in-mexico/, CIA. About 7.1% of the population speaks one or several indigenous languages and 1.2% doesn't speak the Spanish language at all. Takes her around the world and she is excited to share language tips part. 23 % of the Aztecs to a particular community or region mark on the population, L. ( 2011,... Consectetur adipiscing elit use several lingos for your business, these business Translation companies can be heard Mexican! I, the verb would be conjugated to lees the Aztec empire and has several dialects, what are top. 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Primary language worth mentioning is Qeqchi, brought to Yucatan by Mayan refugees fleeing Guatemalas civil war during 1980s! Of planets Hispanic population a hint: the food of gods City, 55 of 68 indigenous! Town of Chalcatongo de Hidalgo, Puebla, Veracruz, Michoacn, and. Be heard throughout Mexican communities abroad rule over todays Mexican territory she that! And Polish given the proximity to the United States, it makes sense English! Century successive governments denied native tongues the status of the population minority language by... Of linguistic Rights of the population and German in respectable communities in Mexico has! Dialects can be heard throughout Mexican communities abroad 24 ], Romani spoken! The Aztec empire and has a written record dating back to 200 AD by late 20th,. Counts 282 indigenous languages in Homes, other languages spoken in Mexico in Spanish-speaking! 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