List of endangered languages in North America
An endangered language is a language that it is at risk of falling out of use, generally because it has few surviving speakers. If it loses all of its native speakers, it becomes an extinct language. UNESCO defines four levels of language endangerment between "safe" (not endangered) and "extinct":[1]
- Vulnerable
- Definitely endangered
- Severely endangered
- Critically endangered
North America is a continent in the Earth's northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. It is bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southeast by the Caribbean Sea, and on the south and west by the North Pacific Ocean; South America lies to the southeast. It covers an area of about 24,709,000 square kilometers (9,540,000 sq mi), about 4.8% of the planet's surface or about 16.5% of its land area. As of July 2007, its population was estimated at nearly 524 million people.
Today, North America only has a total of 256 living languages. However, out of those 256 languages, 238 are in the realm of extinction.[2] That is, 92% of languages that are dying. The United States has the highest number of dying languages, 143 out of 219 languages,[3] then Canada with 75 dying out of its 94 languages,[4] and lastly, Greenland has the smallest number, nil of its two spoken languages.[5]
Canada
| Language | Comments | Speakers | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beaver language | 300 speakers in 1991. | Red Book of Endangered Languages | |
| Bella Coola language | Also: Nuxalk language | 20 (2002 Poser) 700 (1991 Kinkade). | |
| Cayuga language | 40 to 60 speakers in 2002. | Red Book of Endangered Languages | |
| Chinook Wawa language | Also: Chinook Jargon language | 83 in Canada (1962 Chafe)Population total all countries: 100. | |
| Northern Haida language | See Haida language | 30 in Canada (1995 M Krauss)Population total all countries: 45 1,100 in Canada (1995 M Krauss). | |
| Southern Haida language | See Haida language | 10 (1995 M Krauss) 500 (1995 M Krauss). | |
| Haisla language | 25 (1991 M Dale Kinkade) 1,000 (1977 SIL). | ||
| Heiltsuk language | Hai?zaqvla | 300 (1991 M Dale Kinkade). | |
| Han language | 7 or 8 in Canada (1997 Krauss) 300. | ||
| Inuiuuk | ᐃᓄᐃᐆᒃ | 40 in Nunavut (2012 Joke Schuit). | University of Central Lancashire[6] |
| Kutenai language | Kutanaxa | 6 in Canada (2002 Poser)Population total all countries: 12. | |
| Maritime Sign Language | |||
| Michif language | About 600 speakers in 1998. | Red Book of Endangered Languages | |
| Munsee language | 7 or 8 (1991 M Dale Kinkade) 400 (1991 M Dale Kinkade). | ||
| Oneida language | fewer than 250 speakers in 1991. | Red Book of Endangered Languages | |
| Onondaga language | 50 to 100 speakers in 1991. | Red Book of Endangered Languages | |
| Potawatomi language | 100 speakers | Red Book of Endangered Languages | |
| Plains Sign Talk | |||
| Salish language | Red Book of Endangered Languages | ||
| Straits Salish language | 20 in Canada (2002 Poser) 3,000 (1977 SIL). | ||
| Sechelt language | Also: Shishalh language | 40 (1990 M.D Kinkade) 550 (1977 SIL). | |
| Sekani language | 30 to 40 (1997 Sharon Hargus) 600 (1982 SIL and 1997 S Hargus). | ||
| Seneca language | 25 speakers in 1991. | Red Book of Endangered Languages | |
| Squamish language | 15 (2002 Poser) 2,300. | ||
| Tagish language | 2 (1995 M Krauss) 400 possibly (1995 M Krauss). | ||
| Tahltan language | 35 (2002 Poser) 750 (1977 SIL). | ||
| Tlingit language | 145 speakers in Canada in 1998. | Red Book of Endangered Languages | |
| Tsuut’ina language | Also: Tsuu T'ina language, Sarsi language, Sarcee language | 50 (1991 M. Dale Kinkade) | Red Book of Endangered Languages |
| Tuscarora language | 7 or 8 in Canada (1991 Kinkade)Population total all countries: 11 to 13. | ||
| Western Abnaki language | 20 (1991 M Krauss) 1,800 including Eastern Abnaki in USA (1982 SIL). | ||
United States
| Language | Comments | Speakers | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Achumawi language | 10 nonfluent speakers (1997 Nevin) 1,000 (1997 Bruce Nevin). | ||
| Alutiiq language | 30 speakers (2009) 1,000 . | ||
| Ahtena language | 80 (1995 M Krauss) 500 (1995 M Krauss). | ||
| Kiowa Apache language | 18 (1990 census) 1,000 (1977 SIL). | ||
| Lipan Apache language | 2 or 3 (1981 R W Young) 100 (1977 SIL). | ||
| Arikara language | 20 (1997 Parks) 3,000. | ||
| Atsugewi language | 3 (1994 L Hinton) 200 (1977 SIL)1,350 with Achumawi (2000 A Yamamoto). | ||
| Caddo language | 25 (1997 Chafe) 3,371 (1997 W Chafe). | ||
| Cahuilla language | 7 to 20 (1994 L Hinton) 35 (1990 census). | ||
| Chetco language | 5 (1962 Chafe) 100 possibly (1977 SIL). | ||
| Chinook language | 12 speakers of Kiksht dialect (1996) 300 possibly (1977 SIL). | ||
| Chinook Wawa language | 17 in the USA (1990 census). | ||
| Clallam language | 10 (1997 Timothy Montler) Several thousands (1997 T Montler). | ||
| Coeur d'Alene language | 5 (1999 R McDonald) 800 (1977 SIL). | ||
| Comanche language | less than 130 (less than 1% of 13,000 tribal members as of 2006) | ||
| Coos language | 1 or 2 (1962 Chafe) 250 (1977 SIL). | ||
| Degexit'an language | 20 to 30 (1997 Sharon Hargus) 250 to 300 (1997 M Krauss). | ||
| Gros Ventre language | 10 (1977 SIL)Very few semispeakers in 2000 (2001 Goddard) 1,200 (1977 SIL). | ||
| Northern Haida language | 15 in the USA (1995 M Krauss) 600 in the USA (1995 M Krauss). | ||
| Han language | 7 or 8 in Alaska (1995 M Krauss)Population total all countries: 14 300. | ||
| Hawai'i Sign Language | A few users out of about 6,000 profoundly deaf people in Hawaii (1987 Honolulu Star-Bulletin), 72,000 deaf or hard-of-hearing people in Hawaii (1998 Honolulu Advertiser). | ||
| Holikachuk language | 12 (1995 M Krauss) 200 (1995 M Krauss). | ||
| Hupa language | 8 (1998 Brook) 2,000. | ||
| Kalapuya language | 1 or 2 (1962 Chafe). | ||
| Kansa language | 19 (1990 census) 250 (1986 SIL). | ||
| Karok language | 10 (1997 William Bright) 1,900 (2000 A Yamamoto). | ||
| Kashaya language | 45 (1994 L Hinton). | ||
| Kawaiisu language | 8 to 10 (2000 L Hinton) 35 (2000 A Yamamoto). | ||
| Klamath-Modoc language | 1 (1998 N.Y Times, April 9, p A20) 2,000 (1997 Scott DeLancey). | ||
| Upper Kuskokwim language | 40 (1995 Krauss)3 households (1997) 160 (1995 Krauss). | ||
| Kutenai language | 6 in the USA (2002). | ||
| Louisiana Creole language | 9,600 (2010). | ||
| Louisiana French language | 150,000 to 200,000 (2012). | ||
| Luiseño language | 30 to 40 (2000 L Hinton) 2,000 (2000 A Yamamoto). | ||
| Lushootseed language | 60 (1990 M D Kinkade)Population evenly divided between the northern and southern dialects 2,000 (1990 M D Kinkade). | ||
| Northeast Maidu language | 1 to 2 (1994 L Hinton) 108 (1990 census). | ||
| Northwest Maidu language | 3 to 6 (1994 L Hinton) 200 (1977 SIL). | ||
| Mandan language | 6 (1992 M Krauss) 400 (1986 SIL and 1997 M Mixco). | ||
| Menominee language | 39 (3,500 ethnic) (1977 SIL). | ||
| Central Sierra Miwok language | 12 Population includes 6 Eastern Central Sierra, 6 Western Central Sierra (1994 L Hinton) Possibly 5,000 all Miwok (2000 Yamamoto). | ||
| Lake Miwok language | 1 to 2 (1994 L Hinton). | ||
| Northern Sierra Miwok language | 6 (1994 L Hinton). | ||
| Plains Miwok language | 1 (1962 H Landar in Sebeok 1977). | ||
| Southern Sierra Miwok language | 7 Southern Central Sierra Miwok (1994 L Hinton). | ||
| Mono language | Western Mono: 37 to 41 (1994 L Hinton) Population includes 10-12 North Fork, 15 Auberry, 7-8 Big Sandy, 5-6 Dunlap, no Waksachi. Eastern Mono: 50 (1994 L Hinton) 600 (2000 A Yamamoto). | ||
| Nisenan language | 1 (1994 L Hinton). | ||
| Osage language | 5 (1991 M Krauss) 15,000 (1997 Carolyn Quintero). | ||
| Panamint language | 20 100 (1998 John E McLaughlin). | ||
| Pawnee language | 20 (1997 Parks) 2,500 (1997 Parks). | ||
| Plains Sign Talk | |||
| Central Pomo language | 2 to 5 (1997 Mithun) 4,766 (1997 Mithun). | ||
| Southeastern Pomo language | 5 (1994 L Hinton). | ||
| Southern Pomo language | 1 (1994 L Hinton). | ||
| Quapaw language | 34 (1990 census) 2,000 (1986 SIL). | ||
| Quileute language | 10 (1977 SIL) 300 (1977 SIL). | ||
| Straits Salish language | |||
| Serrano language | 1 (1994 Coker). | ||
| Snohomish language | 10 (1998 J Brooke) 800 (1977 SIL). | ||
| Tanacross language | 35 (1997 G Holton)Population includes 3 in the Healy Lake dialect, 32 in Mansfield-Ketchumstuck 120 (1997 G Holton). | ||
| Tanaina language | 75 (1997 M Krauss) 900 (1997 M Krauss). | ||
| Lower Tanana language | 30 (1995 M Krauss) 380 (1995 M Krauss). | ||
| Tolowa language | 4 to 5 (1994 Hinton) 1,000 (2000 Yamamoto). | ||
| Tübatulabal language | 6 900 (2000 Yamamoto). | ||
| Tuscarora language | 4 to 5 in the USA (1997 Mithun) 1,200 in the USA (1997 Mithun). | ||
| Tututni language | 10 (1962 Chafe). | ||
| Wasco-Wishram language | 69 (1990 census)7 monolinguals 750 possibly (1977 SIL). | ||
| Washo language | 10 (1998 J Brooke) 1,500 (2000 A Yamamoto). | ||
| Wichita language | 3 (2000 Brian Levy) 1,400 (2000 David S Rood). | ||
| Wintu language | 5 or 6 (1997 Shepherd) 2,244 (1997 Shepherd) | ||
| Yokutsan languages | 78 speakers of Northern Foothill Yokuts (1990 census) 2,500 (2000 A Yamamoto). | ||
| Yuchi language | 10 to 12 (1997 Mary Linn) 1,500 (1977 SIL). | ||
| Yurok language | 12 (2002 Goddard) 3,000 to 4,500 possibly (1982 SIL). | ||
Notes
- Moseley, Christopher, ed. (2010). Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger. Memory of Peoples (3rd ed.). Paris: UNESCO Publishing. ISBN 978-92-3-104096-2. Retrieved 2015-04-11.
- "Northern America". Ethnologue. Retrieved 2017-02-10.
- "United States". Ethnologue. Retrieved 2017-02-10.
- "Canada". Ethnologue. Retrieved 2017-02-10.
- "Greenland". Ethnologue. Retrieved 2017-02-10.
- "Cataloguing Endangered Sign Languages". UNESCO.
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