Mexico has a surprising lingusitic diversity; apart from Spanish, the government recognizes 62 Indigenous Amerindian languages as national languages. According to the Council for the Development of the Indigenous Peoples (CDI), 13% of the population is of Amerindian origin; nonetheless only 6% of the population speaks an Indigenous language.
Legislation
Spanish is the predominant language of Mexico. Nontheless, the second article of the constitution defines the country as a "pluricultural" nation, and recognizes the right of the Indigenous peoples to "preserve and enrich their languages..." and promotes "bilingual and intercultural education" [1].
In 2003 the Conress aproved the "Law of Lingusitic Rights" that recognizes that Spanish and the Indigenous languages of México are "national languages" due to their historic origin and "have the same validity in their territory, location and context". This law allows the Indigenous peoples to present and request official documents in their respective languages. The state commits to the preservation and promotion of the use of the national languages through the activities of the "Institute of Indigenous Languages" [2].
Classification
Map of the Languages of Mexico
This is the classification of the 62 Indigenous languages grouped by family:
- Algonquina family: Kikapú
- Yumana: Paipai, Kiliwa, Cucapá, Cochimí i Kumiai
- Seri family: Seri
- Tlequistateco family: Chontals of the Coast, Chontals of the Heights (mountains)
- Tepimano family: Pápago, Pima, Northren Tepahuano and Southern Tepahuano
- Tarahita family: Tarahumara, Guarijío, Yaqui and Mayo
- Coratxol family: Cora and Huichol
- Nahua family: Nahuatl and its dialects
- Totonaca family: Totonaca and Tepehua
- Otopame family: Northern Pame, Southern Pame, Chichimeca onaz, Otomí (and its dialects), Mazahua, Matlatzinca and Ocuilteco.
- Popoloca family: Popoloca (and its dialects), Chocho, Ixcateco*, Mazateca (and its dialects),
- Tlapaneco family: Tlapaneco
- Amuzgo family: Amuzgo de Guerrero, Amuzgo de Oaxaca
- Mixteca family: mixteca (and its dialects), Cuicateco and Triqui (and its dialects)
- Chatino-Zapoteca family: Chatino (and its dialects), Zapoteca (and its dialects).
- Chinanteca family: Chinanteca (and its dialects)
- Chiapaneca-mangue family: Chiapaneco*
- Purépecha family: Purépecha
- Huave family: Huave
- Mixe-Zoque family: Zoque (and its dialects), Popoluca, Mixe
- Maya family: Huasteco, Peninsular Maya, lacandon, Chol, Chontal de Tabasco, Tzeltal, Tzotzil, Chuj, Tojolabal, Kanjobal, Jacalteco, Motozintleco, Mam, Teco, Ixil, Aguacateco, Quitx, Cakchiquel i Kekchí.
*In danger of extinction.
Speakers
This is the list of the 15 most spoken national languages (speakers 5 years of age and older), according to INEGI (2000):
- Nahuatl 1.448.936 (1.5% of the country's populationl)
- Maya (Yucatan Maya or Peninsular Maya): 800.291 (0.9% of the country's population)
- Zapoteca: 452.887
- Mixteco: 446.236
- Tzotzil: 297.561
- Otomí: 291.722
- Tzeltal: 284.826
- Totonaca: 240.034
- Mazatecp: 214.477
- Chol: 161.766
- Huasteco: 150.257
- Mazahua: 133.430
- Chinanteco: 133.374
- Purépecha: 121.409
- Mixe: 118.924
Non indigenous languages
The "pluricultural" composition of Mexico, according to the constitution, has its roots in the Indigenous peoples of Mexico. However, apart from Spanish, the government does not recognize any other non-indigenous language spoken by immigrants and their descendants, even if their numer of speakers is greater than that of some of the 62 national languages. Some of the non-indigenous languages spoken in Mexico are: English (by British, and more recently American immigrants, as well as by the residents of border states), German (mainly in Mexico City and Puebla), Arabic, Venitian (in Chipilo), French, Chinese, Korean, Ladino, Plautdietsch and some others in smaller numbers. Of these, Venet and Plautdietsch are spoken in isolated communities or villages, while the rest are spoken by immigrants or their descendents that live in the big cities.
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