The Rama language is severely endangered. Two forms of English are spoken in Nicaragua: Creole English, with about 30,000 speakers, and Standard English, with about 20,334 speakers. There are several dialects of the Sumo language, with some being so different from the others that they can be treated as separate languages. The country has several Indigenous languages, many of which have become extinct, while others are spoken by small groups of Nicaraguans. 23, No. The Matagalpa people live in the Central highlands of Nicaragua in the departments of Matagalpa and Jinotega. The Garifuna language is spoken by the Garifuna people living in Nicaragua. Nicaragua’s people are an interesting blend of different ethnic groups and languages, all of which contribute to the beauty of this land. Revival efforts to save the languages were not successful. The Central American Spanish dialect is spoken in the country. Spanish spoken in Nicaragua is a different dialect to that spoken in Spain.Certain words may differ as well as pronunciation. In order to provide a better website, we need to know what you, the user, want. Many ethnic groups in Nicaragua, such as the Chinese Nicaraguans and Palestinian Nicaraguans, have maintained their ancestral languages while also speaking Spanish and/or English. It is spoken by about 90% of the country’s population. The language belongs to the family of Arawakan languages but uses loanwords from European and Carib languages. In 1925, Edward Sapir wrote an article based on scant evidence arguing for the inclusion of Subtiaba in his hypothesized Hokan languages group. Speakers of this language arrived in Nicaragua from Honduras after the British deported these people en masse from their native land in the Antillean islands to Honduras in 1797. This page was last edited on 6 August 2020, at 03:41. When Sapir wrote about Subtiaba in 1925, it was already very endangered or moribund.[8]. Towns With The Lowest Violent Crime Rates In The US, Countries With The Biggest Population Decline. Below is a list of these languages along with some details about them: Spanish is also known as Espanol or Castellano. Nicaragua is home to seven languages. Review: Dictionary of the Rama Language. Spanish: Spanish is also known as Espanol or Castellano. [2] By 1980, the Rama were noted as having "all but lost their original ethnic language", and had become speakers of a form of English creole instead, Rama Cay Creole which is spoken by 8,000–9,000 people.[3]. Home » Culture in Nicaragua, Tradition, Religion, People » Languages in Nicaragua, Spanish, Espanol, Culture. otherwise distributed without the express, written consent of Nicaragua.com. It is spoken by about 90% of the country’s population. What Do The Colors And Symbols Of The Flag Of Nicaragua Mean? Please help us out and disable your ad-blocker. We are using cookies to make the website better. Several indigenous peoples on the Caribbean coast still use their native language, the main languages being Miskito language, Sumo language, and Rama language. Although this Central American country was a colony of Spain for over 300 years, 6 other languages have asserted themselves and let them be counted as part of the overall Nicaraguan culture. The official language of Nicaragua is Spanish; however, Nicaraguans on the Caribbean coast speak indigenous languages and also English. International Journal of American Linguistics 56.2:293-304. Other Indigenous languages spoken include Garifuna. Spanish is the official language of Nicaragua. The number of speakers on Rama Cay island was only 4 in 1992, due to language shift to English that engendered Rama Cay Creole. Sumo (also known as Sumu) is a Misumalpan language spoken in Nicaragua by the Sumo people. No part of this site shall be reproduced, copied, or However, these people usually can also speak in Spanish and/or English. Certain words may differ as well as pronunciation. Mangue is a language closely related to the Chiapanec language spoken in Mexico, and is classified as belonging to the Oto-Manguean language family. Spanish is regarded as the official language of Nicaragua. The use of the language seems to be decreasing, with about 200 000 individuals speaking it. All trademarks and web sites that appear throughout Do you enjoy having something to say? Rama is one of the indigenous languages of the Chibchan family spoken by the Rama people on the island of Rama Cay and south of lake Bluefields on the Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua. Garífuna, also known as Caribe, Black Carib or Central American Carib, is a Cariban language (a group of languages endemic to South America). Spanish is widely used in government administration, media, as a medium of instruction in educational institutions, and by the public in their daily lives. 238–257. The Subtiaba language was an Oto-Manguean language which was spoken on the Pacific slope of Nicaragua by the indigenous Subtiaba people (also sometimes referred to as Maribios, Hokan Xiu, or Xiu-Subtiabas). © Copyright 1995-2020 Nicaragua.com. http://www.indiana.edu/~langacq/E105/Nicaragua.html, Federal Republic of Central America (1823–1838), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Languages_of_Nicaragua&oldid=971434403, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. It was closely related to the Cacaopera language. London: Chapman and Hall, Craig, Colette (1990). It is quick and simple and will only take a few clicks of the mouse but the help you give us by filling it out will go a long way to improving the standard of our services. In 1981, the population of the Matagalpa people was estimated at 18,000–20,000. The country has several Indigenous languages, many of which have become extinct, while others are spoken by small groups of Nicaraguans. All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions © 2020 worldatlas.com. Their language was described as "dying quickly for lack of use" as early as the 1860s. Subtiaba is an indigenous Oto-Manguean language. Do you enjoy getting involved with the Nicaragua forums?