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": Vulnerable Definitely endangered Severely endangered Critically endangered
Languages
LanguageSpeakersStatusCommentsRefAcatepec Mazatec language, Acatepec Mazatec Vulnerable Akatek language, Akatek Vulnerable Awakatek language, Awakatek Critically endangered Ayapanec language, Ayapanec Critically endangered Ayapenaco language, Ayapenaco Critically endangered Ayautla Mazatec language, Ayautla Mazatec Vulnerable Central Cuicatec language, Central Cuicatec Vulnerable Central Náhuatl language, Central Náhuatl Vulnerable Central Otomí language, Central Otomí Definitely endangered Central Pame language, Central Pame Vulnerable Central Popoloc language, Central Popoloc Severely endangered Central Tlapanec language, Central Tlapanec Vulnerable Central Zoque language, Central Zoque Definitely endangered Chatino of the western lowlands Definitely endangered Chatino of Zacatepec language, Chatino of Zacatepec Definitely endangered Chichimec language, Chichimec Vulnerable Chihuahua Lower Pima language, Chihuahua Lower Pima Definitely endangered Chilchotla Mazatec language, Chilchotla Mazatec Vulnerable Chiquihuitlán Mazatec language, Chiquihuitlán Mazatec Definitely endangered Chontal Tabasco language, Chontal Tabasco Severely endangered Chuj language, Chuj Critically endangered Cocopa language, Cocopa Definitely endangered Eastern Chocho language, Eastern Chocho Severely endangered Eastern Cuicatec language, Eastern Cuicatec Vulnerable Eastern Mazahua language, Eastern Mazahua Definitely endangered Eastern Popoloc language, Eastern Popoloc Vulnerable Eastern Tlapanec language, Eastern Tlapanec Vulnerable Eloxochitlán Mazatec language, Eloxochitlán Mazatec Vulnerable Filomeno Mata Totonac language, Filomeno Mata Totonac Vulnerable Higher Reservoir Mazatec language, Higher Reservoir Mazatec Vulnerable Highland Chontal language, Highland Chontal Severely endangered Highland Mazatec language, Highland Mazatec Vulnerable Huasteca Náhuatl language, Huasteca Náhuatl Vulnerable Huehuetla Tepehua language, Huehuetla Tepehua Definitely endangered Huehuetlán Mazatec language, Huehuetlán Mazatec Vulnerable Huichol language, Huichol Vulnerable Isthmus Náhuatl language, Isthmus Náhuatl Vulnerable Ixcatec language, Ixcatec Critically endangered Ixcatlán Mazatec language, Ixcatlán Mazatec Vulnerable Ixil language, Ixil Critically endangered Ixtenco Otomí language, Ixtenco Otomí Severely endangered Jakaltek language, Jakaltek Severely endangered Kʼicheʼ language, Kʼicheʼ Definitely endangered Kaqchikel language, Kaqchikel Critically endangered Kickapoo language, Kickapoo Critically endangered Kiliwa language, Kiliwa Critically endangered Lacandón language, Lacandón Critically endangered Lower Mixe language, Lower Mixe Vulnerable Lower Northwestern Otomí language, Lower Northwestern Otomí Vulnerable Lowland Chontal language, Lowland Chontal Critically endangered Lowland Mazatec language, Lowland Mazatec Vulnerable Malinaltepec Tlapanec language, Malinaltepec Tlapanec Vulnerable Mam language, Mam Severely endangered Matlatzinca language, Matlatzinca Definitely endangered Mayo language, Mayo Critically endangered Mazatlán Mazatec language, Mazatlán Mazatec Vulnerable Mezquital Otomí language, Mezquital Otomí Definitely endangered Misantla Totonac language, Misantla Totonac Critically endangered Mixtec of San Miguel Piedras language, Mixtec of San Miguel Piedras Severely endangered Mixtec of San Pedro Tidaá language, Mixtec of San Pedro Tidaá Severely endangered Mixtec of Santa Cruz Itundujia language, Mixtec of Santa Cruz Itundujia Definitely endangered Mixtec of Santa Inés de Zaragoza language, Mixtec of Santa Inés de Zaragoza Definitely endangered Mixtec of the central Ravine Definitely endangered Mixtec of the northeast lowlands Severely endangered Mixtec of the Puebla-Oaxaca border(several Mixtec languages go by this name; UNESCO intends Chazumba Mixtec) Definitely endangered Mixtec of the southwest of Puebla Definitely endangered Mixtec of Tlaltempan language, Mixtec of Tlaltempan Definitely endangered Mixtec of Villa de Tututepec language, Mixtec of Villa de Tututepec Definitely endangered Mixtec of Zapotitlán language, Mixtec of Zapotitlán Severely endangered Motocintlec language, Motocintlec Critically endangered Mountain Guarijío language, Mountain Guarijío Vulnerable Northern Cuicatec language, Northern Cuicatec Vulnerable Northern Pame language, Northern Pame Definitely endangered Northern Popoloc language, Northern Popoloc Vulnerable Northern Tepehuán language, Northern Tepehuán Definitely endangered Northern Tlapanec language, Northern Tlapanec Vulnerable Northern Totonac language, Northern Totonac Critically endangered Northwestern Otomí language, Northwestern Otomí Vulnerable Northwestern Tarahumara language, Northwestern Tarahumara Vulnerable Northwestern Tlapanec language, Northwestern Tlapanec Vulnerable Oʼodham language, Oʼodham Definitely endangered Ocopetatillo Mazatec language, Ocopetatillo Mazatec Vulnerable Ocoyoacac Otomí language, Ocoyoacac Otomí Severely endangered Olultecan language, Olultecan [typo] Severely endangered Ozumatlán Totonac language, Ozomatlán Totonac Critically endangered Paipai language, Paipai Severely endangered Papantla Totonac language, Papantla Totonac Definitely endangered Patla-Chicontla Totonac language, Patla-Chicontla Totonac Severely endangered Purépecha language, Purépecha Vulnerable Pisaflores Tepehua language, Pisaflores Tepehua Vulnerable Puebla Mazatec language, Puebla Mazatec Vulnerable River Guarijío language, River Guarijío Vulnerable San Dionisio del Mar Huave language, San Dionisio del Mar Huave Definitely endangered San Francisco del Mar Huave language, San Francisco del Mar Huave Critically endangered San Mateo del Mar Huave language, San Mateo del Mar Huave Vulnerable Santa María del Mar Huave language, Santa María del Mar Huave Severely endangered Sayultec language, Sayultec Definitely endangered Seri language, Seri Vulnerable Sierra de Puebla Nahuatl language, Sierra de Puebla Náhuatl Definitely endangered Sierra Otomí language, Sierra Otomí Vulnerable Sierra Popoluca language, Sierra Popoluca Vulnerable Sierra Totonac language, Sierra Totonac Severely endangered Sonora Lower Pima language, Sonora Lower Pima Severely endangered Southeastern Tarahumara language, Southeastern Tarahumara Vulnerable Southern Chocho language, Southern Chocho Severely endangered Southern Tlapanec language, Southern Tlapanec Severely endangered Southern Zoque language, Southern Zoque Definitely endangered Southwestern Tepehuan language, Southwestern Tepehuan Vulnerable Southwestern Tlapanec language, Southwestern Tlapanec Vulnerable Soyaltepec Mazatec language, Soyaltepec Mazatec Vulnerable Tabasco Náhuatl language, Tabasco Náhuatl Critically endangered Tecóatl Mazatec language, Tecóatl Mazatec Vulnerable Teko language, Teko Severely endangered Texistepecan language, Texistepecan Severely endangered Tilapa Otomí language, Tilapa Otomí Severely endangered Tipai language, Tipai Severely endangered Tlachichilco Tepehua language, Tlachichilco Tepehua Definitely endangered Tlahuica language, Tlahuica Severely endangered Tuzantec language, Tuzantec Critically endangered Valle Nacional Chinantec language, Valle Nacional Chinantec Definitely endangered Western Chocho language, Western Chocho Severely endangered Western Mazahua language, Western Mazahua Definitely endangered Western Mazatec language, Western Mazatec Vulnerable Western Náhuatl language, Western Náhuatl Severely endangered Western Otomí language, Western Otomí Severely endangered Western Popoloc language, Western Popoloc Severely endangered Western Tarahumara language, Western Tarahumara Vulnerable Western Tlapanec language, Western Tlapanec Vulnerable Western Zoque language, Western Zoque Vulnerable Yaqui language, Yaqui Vulnerable Zapotec of Asunción Tlacolulita language, Zapotec of Asunción Tlacolulita Critically endangered Zapotec of Mixtepe language, Zapotec of Mixtepe Critically endangered Zapotec of Petapa language, Zapotec of Petapa Definitely endangered Zapotec of San Antonino el Alto language, Zapotec of San Antonino el Alto Definitely endangered Zapotec of San Bartolo Yautepec language, Zapotec of San Bartolo Yautepec Severely endangered Zapotec of San Felipe Tejalapan language, Zapotec of San Felipe Tejalapan Critically endangered eastern lowlands Zapotec of the Southern mountains Definitely endangered northeast Zapotec of the Southern mountains Definitely endangered northwest lowlands Zapotec of the Southern mountains Definitely endangered north Zapotec of the Valleys Severely endangered central Zapotec of the Valleys Severely endangered middle northwest Zapotec of the Valleys Definitely endangered west Zapotec of the Valleys Definitely endangered Zapotec of Zimatlán de Álvarez language, Zapotec of Zimatlán de Álvarez Definitely endangered
Number of speakers +Indigenous languages of Mexico in 2005 Language Speakers Nahuatl (Nahualt, Nahuat, Nahual, Melatahtol) 1,376,026Yucatec Maya (Maaya tʼaan)759,000Mixtec (Tuʼun sávi)423,216Zapotec (Diidxaza/Dizhsa)410,901Tzeltal Maya (Kʼop o winik atel)371,730Tzotzil Maya (Batsil kʼop)329,937Otomí (Hñä hñü)239,850Totonac (Tachihuiin)230,930Mazatec (Ha shuta enima)206,559Chʼol (Mayan) (Winik)185,299Huastec (Téenek)149,532Chinantec (Tsa jujmí)125,706Mixe (Ayüük)115,824Mazahua (Jñatho)111,840Purépecha (Pʼurhépecha)105,556Tlapanec (Mephaa)98,573Tarahumara (Rarámuri)75,371Amuzgo (Tzañcue)43,761Chatino (Chaʼcña)42,791Tojolabʼal (Tojolwinik otik)43,169Popoluca (Zoquean) (Tuncápxe)54,004Chontal de Tabasco (Yokot tʼan)43,850Huichol (Wixárika)35,724Mayo (Yoreme)32,702Tepehuán (Oʼdam)31,681Trique (Tinujéi)24,491Cora (Naáyarite)17,086Popoloca (Oto-manguean) 18,926Huave (Ikoods)15,993Cuicatec (Nduudu yu)12,610Yaqui (Yoem Noki or Hiak Nokpo)14,162Qʼanjobʼal10,833Tepehua (Hamasipini)10,625Pame (Xigüe)9,768Mam (Qyool)8,739Chontal de Oaxaca (Slijuala sihanuk)5,534Chuj 2,143Tacuate (Mixtec de Santa María Zacatepec) (Tuʼun Vaʼa)2,067Chichimeca jonaz (Úza)1,987Guarijío (Warihó) 1,905Chocho (Runixa ngiigua) 1,078Pima Bajo (Oob Noʼok) 836Qʼeqchiʼ 835Lacandón (Hach tʼan) 731Jakaltek (Poptí) (Abxubal) 584Matlatzinca/Ocuilteco (Tlahuica) 522Seri (Cmiique iitom) 518Ixcatec 406Kʼicheʼ286Kaqchikel 230Paipai (Jaspuy pai) 221Cucapá (Kuapá) 206Mototzintleco (Qatok) 186Kumiai (Tiʼpai) 185Pápago (Oʼodham) 153Kikapú (Kikapoa) 144Ixil 108Cochimí (Laymón, mtiʼpá) 96Kiliwa language (Koʼlew) 55Aguacatec 27Ayapenaco21Other languages 1 3371 Including: Òpata, Soltec, and PapabucanOnly includes population 5 and older. Source: INEGI (2005)
See also Languages of Mexico
References