Spanish is, of course, considered Mexicos official national language, but there are so many other languages that are used within Mexican borders. Distribution of the workforce across economic sectors in Mexico 2019, Mexico: open unemployment rate per month after COVID-19 2020, Mexico: adults who lost their job due to COVID-19. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Furthermore, English learning proficiency is low, especially in public schools. Considering Mexican Spanishs unique quality, its hard to translate documents that use it. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Follow her culinary and cultural experiences on Twitter. Diversity, Endangered, Matthias Brenzinger. A few examples of how Mexican Spanish differs from Spanish include: Heres a YouTube video highlighting the significant differences between Spanish from Mexico and Spanish from Spain: The two Spanish forms also differ in terms of addressing the second person. In Spanish, all nouns are either masculine or feminine, affecting the form of adjectives and articles. Percentages in a pie chart should always add up to 100. Gail Virtual Reference Library. statistic alerts) please log in with your personal account. Another significant difference between the two pronunciations is how the letter c is pronounced. If you are among those who, dont click away, as today we will be exploring Mexican dialects, delving deep into this beautiful countrys linguistic heritage. No surprise there. Some languages spoken in Mexico are Spanish, Nahuatl, and Yucatec Maya, which are the most common. Additionally, 5.4% of the population speaks Spanish and indigenous languages, such as Nahuatl or Maya. Use Ask Statista Research Service. So, what language is spoken in Mexico? Critics claim that the law's complexity makes enforcement difficult.[10][11][12][13][14]. This linguistic grouping belongs to the Oto-Mangue family of languages of Mexico., It is an endangered language spoken by about 38,000 locals in Sonora and Sinaloa.. The biggest differences between Mexican Spanish and Spanish has spoken in Spain, and Latin America is pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar. A few hundred speak Cantonese, while a few thousand speak Mandarin. Despite this, not all foreign language-speaking communities that immigrated into the country are known with precision. The second article of the 1917 Constitution defines the country as multicultural, recognizes the right of the indigenous peoples to "preserve and enrich their languages" and promotes "bilingual and intercultural education". Most Commonly Spoken Mexican Languages (by number of speakers today) This chart lists the top thirty Mexican languages with the most native speakers. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. When visiting the following cities, you can expect English to be spoken in resorts, restaurants, bars, and tourist attractions: You are also more likely to come across English-speaking Mexicans in areas where ex-pats live, like Mexico City and San Miguel de Allende. Ever heard a word in Nahuatl? By the end of the 20th century, this figure had fallen to 6%. The second most common indigenous language is Yucatec Maya, with 759,000 speakers. While most Spanish words are universal, Mexican slang is a world of its own. Another Germanic language that is considered native to Mexico is Plautdietsch which currently has about 40,000 speakers. In 2003, the Mexican Congress approved the General Law of Linguistic Rights of the Indigenous People. [1] The indigenous languages are from eleven language families, including four isolates and one that immigrated from the United States. It has over 18,000 speakers in Oaxaca. 301313. The law shows Mexicos focus is now preservation. It is home to many different languages, with Spanish being the most widely spoken. Note that in several of these cases, a "language" may actually include several related, but not identical, languages. These are not the only languages that have a larger number of speakers, however. For most of the 20th century successive governments denied native tongues the status of valid languages. Enter the name of a district, an incorporated place, a township, or another administrative division. 5: Bilingual Education. Languages: Spanish, various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional indigenous . How Many Different Languages Are Spoken in China, The More Languages You Know: The Best Languages to Learn, Weird Sentences in the English Language that Confuse Foreigners, 9 Oldest Languages Still Spoken in the World Today, 25 English Words Borrowed From Other Languages, Interesting Facts About Punctuation in Different Languages. The top three languages spoken in Mexico are Spanish, followed by Nahuatl and Yucatec Maya. Additionally, there are 68 other languages and 350 dialects. Since many people that live in Mexico are immigrants or from an immigrant descent, it comes as no surprise that other languages are being spoken in the country as well. Mixe is spoken by almost 140,000 speakers in Oaxaca. Spoken by over 66,000 people, Tojolabal is considered a language in itself, because it does not group with any other variant. "[21] The result of the conflict between indigenous languages and Spanish has been a language shift in Mexico from indigenous languages being spoken to more people using Spanish in every domain. 6061. By speaking someones language you learn about them, their culture and their ideas. Countries Located In The Southern Hemisphere. This language is a part of the Uto-Aztecan family of languages and is spoken today by 1,376,026 people in Mexico. Indigenous languages spoken Of the indigenous. From the arrival of the first Franciscan missionaries, Spanish, Latin, and indigenous languages played parts in the evangelization of Mexico. Spanish, Nahuatl, and Yucatec Maya are the main languages spoken in Mexico. Spaniards pronounce them like a voiceless /th/. "Mexico: Distribution of Languages in 2020. The rest are spoken by immigrants or their descendants who tend to live in the larger cities and towns. Today bilingualism is still present. Languages are spoken in Mexico percentage? It has about 144,000 speakers. For example, Oaxaca City has a large population who speak Mixtec as their first language. Ethnologue currently counts 282 indigenous languages currently spoken in Mexico, plus a number of immigrant languages (Lewis et al. Even though the Spanish language is the most widespread in Mexico, there are many other indigenous (native) languages spoken in the country to this day. 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! This language is a part of the Uto-Aztecan family of languages and is spoken today by 1,376,026 people in Mexico. Currently, Mexico has over 120 million Spanish speakers. Bilingual Education for Indigenous Communities in Mexico. But, Spanish speakers around the world can all understand one another. Also, 6,5% of national populous is registered as speaking an indigenous language or dialect, representing 7,4 million people. Spanish is the most widely spoken language in Guatemala. Statista. Wisconsin. However, there are an estimated 1.5 million people of Aztec descent in Mexico who still speak the language. "There are at least 7,102 known languages alive in the world today. About 95% of the population speaks Spanish. Sadly, people inhabiting countries that have so many local dialects tend to scarcely use many of them due to globalization and the spread of more commonly and universally spoken languages., However, modern Mexicans largely recognize the importance of indigenous languages and try to preserve them, making sure that their descendants would have access to these vessels of ancient wisdom and unique historical flavor. Maya is spoken primarily in southern Mexico. 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. Curiously, they couldnt be more wrong! Known as one of the six cradles of civilization, Mexico is rich in both culture and history. If you need further help navigating through various local dialects and want to ensure accurate translation of your projects, try online translation services that are well-versed in multiple foreign languages, even rare ones. Literature projects done with the Nahua people [22] include "Keeping the fire alive: a decade of language revitalization in Mexico" showing the experiences of language revitalization in South Mexico.[23]. Allow all cookies to ensure you get the best user experience. Mexico has about six million citizens who speak indigenous languages. While Spanish in Spain and Latin America are similar, there are also some significant differences. ), Linguistic Minorities and Literacy: Language Policy Issues in Developing Countries, Mouton Publishers, Berlin, pp. This means that in Spanish, you must change the ending of the verb to match the subject. Some other languages that are used sometimes are Italian, Portuguese, French, and Greek, among others. Knowledge of English is often a prerequisite for employment, in tourism, and business. Profit from the additional features of your individual account. If you ask your friend to name languages spoken in Mexico, their response would likely be confusion followed by a confident statement regarding Spanish. Journal of Sociolinguistics, 15: 422425. 5 April 2009. Chinese, Japanese, Telugu, and Hawaiian are all classified here. One final difference between Mexican Spanish and Spanish has spoken in Spain and Latin America is the grammar. The 23 languages make up the native tongue of 4.1 billion people. Ill give you a hint: the food of gods. Spanish is the official language in the country; other languages that are somewhat common are English and German. Continuing the list, Otona, Totomac, and Mazatec all have over 200,000 speakers. Facebook: quarterly number of MAU (monthly active users) worldwide 2008-2022, Quarterly smartphone market share worldwide by vendor 2009-2022, Number of apps available in leading app stores Q3 2022, Profit from additional features with an Employee Account. Learn more about our Cookies Policy. The historical settlements of Chinanteco are in Oaxaca. 2018). There are at least 7,102 known languages alive in the world today. By far and away the most spoken of Mexico's indigenous languages are Nhuatl (1.4 million speakers), Yucatec Maya (750,000 speakers) and Mixteco (500,000 speakers). 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. Yet, there are 68 national languages that the Mexican government recognizes, 63 of which are indigenous. English is widely applied in business, and villages; specifically those US retirees in communities in Guanajuato in Chiapas and Baja in California. View a chart below to see detailed information about what languages are spoken in Mexico in 2020. Percentage of the total population living in households in which Spanish is spoken. Currently, you are using a shared account. This is where certified Spanish translation services will come in handy. These differences can be traced back to the different origins of the two languages. Unfortunately, many of Mexicos indigenous languages are endangered, and the government is trying to preserve them by recognizing them as official languages alongside Spanish. At work, in the public sphere and as part of collective activities, however, it all depends on the context. Over 120 million Spanish speakers reside in Mexico, while 6% of the country speaks an indigenous language. Linguistic variants, a.k.a. [4][5][6][7][8][9], In 2002, Mexico's constitution was amended to reinforce the nation's pluricultural nature by giving the State the obligation to protect and nurture the expressions of this diversity. Chart. The most common Mexican dialects are Nahuatl, Mayan, and Pochutec. According to a recent study, approximately 93.8% of the population in Mexico speaks Spanish as their first language. Manage Settings [3] Beginning in the 18th century, decrees ordering the Hispanization of indigenous populations became more numerous and Spanish colonizers no longer learned the indigenous languages. With so many dialects, what are the top 3 languages spoken in Mexico? 2nd ed. For the Indigenous language sometimes called "Mexicano" or "The Mexican language", see. The other two languages have a combined figure of 3.8 million speakers. Private schools teach in English, but that only accounts for 20% of students. Below you can find a list of most commonly used ones in descending order. Despite having over 62 languages, some of Mexicos languages are endangered and on the brink of extinction. At the same time, legislators made no specific provisions for the official or legal status of the Spanish language. New Jersey. This is a pie chart detailing the Most Spoken Languages in Homes. Development of modern Mexico language took a long time. The most common ones include Purhepecha (spoken by about 110,000 people), Mayo (over 100,000), and Tzeltal (over 75,000). Tepehuan variants are spoken by about 55,000 people. It is spoken by 92,7% of Mexican population. Her tech copywriting business takes her around the world and she is excited to share language tips as part of the Lingoda team. (March 29, 2022). The indigenous population of Mexico speaks an array of native tongues, many of whom are endangered or extinct, with speakers dying off at alarming rates. For example, the verb to read is leer in Spanish. March 29, 2022. In Mexico, the informal second-person singular pronoun vos is widespread. However you slice it, though, Spanish remains dominant throughout Mexico 95% of Mexicans speak it fluently, and roughly 90% use it regularly when conducting business or speaking with their families. 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. Enter a city or town name. Publicado el junio 1, 2022 por junio 1, 2022 por She studied abroad in Spain, has lived in multiple countries, and now calls Mexico home. Countries, Mouton Publishers, Berlin, pp Linguistic Minorities and Literacy language. About them, their culture and history language Policy Issues in Developing Countries, Publishers! 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