Although Spanish is the most widely spoken language in Mexico, it is by no means the only language spoken by the country’s indigenous people. In fact, there are a few hundred indigenous languages, some of which are dying out slowly as others, like Maya, are spoken more and more. Here’s a short guide to the most popular native languages of Mexico.
Stats on the Native Languages of Mexico
It’s estimated that around 6% of Mexico’s population speaks at least one indigenous language. Yet more than 12% of the country’s population claim to be part of indigenous groups. It’s undeniable that plenty of indigenous languages are still in use today.
But in the last decade or two, more than 130 of them have died out. Mexico was once home to 287 individual languages, but four of them are already extinct. Eighty-seven of the native languages of Mexico are in trouble, and 33 of them are critically endangered. Some reports even put the number of dying native languages at as many as 60.
Preservation of Native Languages
Mexico’s government is working hard to help protect and promote the use of its remaining indigenous languages. Efforts to encourage bilingual education are aimed at preserving the cultural and traditional aspects that are so deeply ingrained in indigenous language learning and usage.
According to the Law of Linguistic Rights, 68 indigenous languages are declared as the joint official languages of Mexico. Since Spanish is also an official language, this means that there are 69 official languages in Mexico. Looking back at the 20th century when speaking an indigenous language in a school environment was banned, the country has come a very long way in promoting its native languages.
Most Widely Spoken Indigenous Languages of Mexico
Out of all the indigenous languages of Mexico, the most spoken is Náhuatl. There are roughly 1.4million Náhuatl speakers in Mexico, and this language is followed closely by Yucatec Maya (750,000 speakers) and Mixteco (500,000 speakers). The majority of Náhuatl speakers live in Puebla, Veracruz, and Hidalgo. Yucatec Maya is predominantly spoken in the Yucatán peninsula, and Mixteco is generally spoken around southwestern Mexico.
Some of the other popular native languages of Mexico include:
- Zapotec – spoken by around 400,000 speakers in Oaxaca, Tzeltal, and Tzotzil
- Otomí – spoken by 240,000 speakers
- Totonaca Mazateco
- Chol
Unique Languages of Mexico
Did you know that Mexico is home to four indigenous languages that are known as language isolates and have NO significant ties to any nearby languages? These languages are like islands, or the Basque language that’s spoken in Spain.
The unique languages of Mexico are:
- Purépecha, predominantly spoken in Michoacán
- Huave, spoken in four villages in the Pacific coast of Oaxaca
- Seri, spoken in two small villages in Sonora
- Tequistlatecan, spoken by the Chontal people in Oaxaca
Final Thoughts
Although we’ve merely highlighted Mexico’s most popular indigenous languages in this post, Day Translations loves languages and actively promotes the fight for the preservation of some of Mexico’s lesser-spoken indigenous languages that are virtually on the brink of extinction.
Ayapenaco is an indigenous language that is spoken by just two elderly men in Mexico, and these men don’t even speak to each other!
Kiliwa has a mere 36 living speakers left, according to National Geographic.
Other language groups that are at risk of extinction include those in the Chatino, Seri, and Zapotec language families, but thankfully the rise of smartphones and new technology is boosting their chances of survival. One such example is an audio dictionary of the Zapotec language that’s currently under development.