LANGUAGES OF MEXICO

By : Muhammad Syaiful Afieq bin Nazri (161420066)

HISTORY OF MEXICAN LANGUAGES

• The slow process of replacing Mexico's indigenous languages with Spanish began with the arrival of Spanish forces and colonists in Mexico in the 16th century.
• Philip II of Spain decreed in 1570 that Nahuatl become the official language of the colonies of New Spain in order to facilitate communication between the natives of the colonies.
• In 1696 Charles II reversed that policy and banned the use of any languages other than Spanish throughout New Spain.
• Beginning in the 18th century, Mexican colonizers no longer learned the indigenous languages.
• For most of the 20th century successive governments denied native tongues the status of valid languages. Indigenous students were forbidden to speak their native languages in school and were often punished for doing so.
• In 2002, Mexico's constitution was amended to reinforce the nation's multicultural nature by giving the State the obligation to protect and nurture the expressions of this diversity.

LIST OF LANGUAGES IN MEXICO

• Nahuatl (Nahuatl, Nahuat, Nahual, Macehualtlahtol) – 1,376,026 Speakers
• Yucatec Maya (Maaya t'aan) - 759,000 Speakers
• Mixtec (Tu'un sávi) - 423,216 Speakers
• Zapotec (Diidxaza) - 410,901 Speakers
• Tzeltal Maya (K'op o winik atel) - 371,730 Speakers
• Tzotzil Maya (Batsil k'op) - 329,937 Speakers
• Otomí (Hñä hñü)  - 239,850 Speakers
• Totonac (Tachihuiin) - 230,930 Speakers
• Mazatec (Ha shuta enima) - 206,559 Speakers
• Ch'ol (Mayan) (Winik) - 185,299 Speakers
• Huastec (Téenek) - 149,532 Speakers
• Chinantec (Tsa jujmí) - 125,706 Speakers
• Mixe (Ayüük) - 115,824 Speakers
• Mazahua (Jñatho) - 111,840 Speakers
• Purépecha (P'urhépecha) - 105,556 Speakers
• Tlapanec (Me'phaa) - 98,573 Speakers
• Tarahumara (Rarámuri) - 75,371 Speakers
• Amuzgo (Tzañcue) - 43,761 Speakers
• Chatino (Cha'cña) - 42,791 Speakers
• Tojolab'al (Tojolwinik otik) - 43,169 Speakers
• Popoluca (Zoquean) (Tuncápxe) - 54,004 Speakers
• Chontal de Tabasco (Yokot t'an) - 43,850 Speakers
• Huichol (Wixárika) - 35,724 Speakers
• Mayo (Yoreme) - 32,702 Speakers
• Tepehuán (O'dam and Ódami) - 31,681 Speakers
• Trique (Tinujéi) - 24,491 Speakers
• Cora (Naáyarite) - 17,086 Speakers
• Popoloca (Oto-manguean) - 18,926 Speakers
• Huave (Ikoods) - 15,993 Speakers
• Cuicatec (Nduudu yu) - 12,610 Speakers
• Yaqui (Yoem Noki or Hiak Nokpo) - 14,162 Speakers
• Q'anjob'al - 10,833 Speakers
• Tepehua (Hamasipini) - 10,625 Speakers
• Pame (Xigüe) - 9,768 Speakers
• Mam (Qyool) - 8,739 Speakers
• Chontal de Oaxaca (Slijuala sihanuk) - 5,534 Speakers
• Chuj - 2,143 Speakers
• Tacuate (Mixtec de Santa María Zacatepec) - 2,067 Speakers
• Chichimeca jonaz (Úza) - 1,987 Speakers
• Guarijío (Warihó) - 1,905 Speakers
• Chocho (Runixa ngiigua) - 1,078 Speakers
• Pima Bajo (Oob No'ok) – 836 Speakers
• Q'eqchí (Q'eqchí) – 835 Speakers
• Lacandón (Hach t'an) – 731 Speakers
• Jakaltek (Poptí) (Abxubal) – 584 Speakers
• Matlatzinca/Ocuilteco (Tlahuica) – 522 Speakers
• Seri (Cmiique iitom) – 518 Speakers
• Ixcatec – 406 Speakers
• K'iche' – 286 Speakers
• Kaqchikel – 230 Speakers
• Paipai (Jaspuy pai) – 221 Speakers
• Cucapá (Kuapá) – 206 Speakers
• Mototzintleco (Qatok)      - 186 Speakers
• Kumiai (Ti'pai) – 185 Speakers
• Pápago (O'odham) – 153 Speakers
• Kikapú (Kikapoa) – 144 Speakers
• Ixil – 108 Speakers
• Cochimí (Laymón, mti'pá) – 96 Speakers
• Kiliwa language (Ko'lew) – 55 Speakers
• Aguacatec – 27 Speakers

OTHER LANGUAGES IN MEXICO

•      English ( by Mormon Colony of Nueva Casas Grandes in Chihuahua)
•      German ( by people in Mexico City and Puebla)
•      Greek ( by people in Mexico City, Guadalaraja, Sinaloa State)
•      Arabic and Venetian ( Chipilo)
•      French, Italian, Occitan, Catalan, Basque, Galician, Asturian, Filipino, Chinese, Hebrew, Korean, Ladino, Plautdietsch, Armenian, Japanese, and Cherokee.

POPULAR LANGUAGES IN MEXICO

Nahuatl Languages

1. Known as Aztec

2. Languages of Aztecan peoples

3. Spoken by 1.5 million Nahuan peoples

4.  The speakers who spoke this language are  in central Mexico

Yucatec Maya

1. Known as Màaya t'àan that spoke by Yucatan Peninsula and Northern Belize.

2. Yucatec language is a tag linguists use to distinguish it from other Mayan languages (such as K'iche' and Itza').

3. Used as an ascribed ethnic, social, cultural, historical, national, racial, or civilizational term of identity or name.

4. In the Mexican states of Yucatán, some parts of Campeche, Tabasco, Chiapas, and Quintana Roo, Maya remains many speakers' first language today, with 800,000 speakers.