- Indigenous languages of the Mexican State of Oaxaca
- Indigenous languages of Oaxaca in danger of extinction
- References
The state of the Mexican Republic with the most indigenous languages is Oaxaca. Those with the highest number of speakers are: Zapotec, Mixtec, Mazatec and Mixe. The list is completed: muzgos, chatino, chinanteco, chocho, chontal, cuicateco, huave, ixcateco, nahuatl, popoloca, triqui, and zoque.
The state of Chiapas is in second place. Until February 21, 2007, the constitution recognized only nine indigenous languages in that state: Tzeltal, Tzotzil, Chol, Zoque, Tojolabal, Mame, Kakchiquel, Lacandón and Mocho. From that date on, the existence of three more was recognized: Jacalteco, Chuj and Kanjobal.
These two states, along with Veracruz, Puebla, and Yucatán, account for almost 60% of the total speakers of indigenous languages in Mexico.
Indigenous languages of the Mexican State of Oaxaca
The origin of many of the indigenous languages of Mexico is in the Mesoamerican culture, since its linguistic data is dated in approximately 5,000 years. The archaic period of Mesoamerica produced 3 main language families: Maya, Mixe-Zoque, and Oto-Mangue.
Around 2,000 BC, when the Olmec civilization began to emerge, many people began to migrate through the region. This produced the contact between languages and their diversification.
The Olmec civilization disappeared, but other civilizations emerged that incorporated other linguistic families, such as Uto-Aztec, and allowed the other languages to develop further.
Certain civilizations, such as the Aztec, Mixtec, and Zapotec, remained in power and influenced the language spoken within their region of power. Such was their degree of influence that some of those languages are still spoken today.
Currently, Oaxaca has the highest concentration of indigenous language-speaking population in Mexico.
By 2015, all of its inhabitants numbered 3,967,889, of which 34% spoke an indigenous language.
Due to the diversity of languages spoken in this territory, Oaxaca is considered a cultural mosaic.
These ethno-linguistic groups have varied characteristics and have settled in areas that are difficult to access. This fact has contributed to the isolation of entire communities; therefore, the maintenance of their language and traditions has been facilitated.
Oaxaca has 8 geoeconomic regions: Isthmus, Mixteca, Sierra Sur, Costa, Sierra Norte, Valles Centrales, Tuxtepec or Papaloapam and Cañada. Most of its 16 ethnolinguistic groups speak Oto-Manguean languages.
Indigenous languages of Oaxaca in danger of extinction
Approximately 7,000 languages are spoken in the world and almost half are believed to be in danger of extinction.
The disappearance rate is roughly one every two weeks. Some disappear instantly, when the only speaker of the language dies. Others are gradually being lost in bilingual cultures. In such cases, the dominant language is preferred in various social interactions.
The most vulnerable languages are those that do not have a written form. And by not having any kind of written records, the culture disappears with it.
That is the case of several indigenous languages of Oaxaca. Four people speak the Ixcatec language. Similarly, there are only 232 Chocho or Chocholtecan speakers.
Other languages that have seen their number of speakers reduce are Zoque, Zapotec, Cuicateco and Chontal.
References
- National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI). Population and Housing Census 2010.
- González Arredondo, MJ (2014). Mexico: Indigenous Languages and Culture by Region. Portland State University. Recovered from pdx.edu.
- Tuxtla Gutiérrez, C. (2007, February 22). The number of indigenous languages in Chiapas Diario Proceso is enriched. Recovered from proces.com.mx.
- Garza Cuarón, B. (1991). Speakers of indigenous languages in Mexico: the case of Oaxaca. Caravelle, Vol. 56, No. 1, pp. 15-35.
- National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI). Intercensal Survey 2015.
- What Languages Are Spoken In Mexico? (s / f). World Atlas. Recovered from worldatlas.com.
- WILFORD, J. (2007, September 18). World's Languages Dying Off Rapidly. The New York Times. Recovered from nytimes.com.