List_of_endangered_languages_in_North_America

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.

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.

Canada

Canada
Language Comments Speakers Source ISO 639-3 Ethnologue entry
Beaver language 300 speakers in 1991. Red Book of Endangered Languages bea
Bella Coola language Also: Nuxalk language 20 (2002 Poser) 700 (1991 Kinkade). Ethnologue blc
Cayuga language 40 to 60 speakers in 2002. Red Book of Endangered Languages cay
Chinook Wawa language Also: Chinook Jargon language 83 in Canada (1962 Chafe)Population total all countries: 100. Ethnologue chn
Northern Haida language See Haida language 30 in Canada (1995 M Krauss)Population total all countries: 45 1,100 in Canada (1995 M Krauss). Ethnologue hdn
Southern Haida language See Haida language 10 (1995 M Krauss) 500 (1995 M Krauss). Ethnologue hax
Haisla language 25 (1991 M Dale Kinkade) 1,000 (1977 SIL). Ethnologue has
Heiltsuk language Hai?zaqvla 300 (1991 M Dale Kinkade). Ethnologue hei
Han language 7 or 8 in Canada (1997 Krauss) 300. Ethnologue haa
Kutenai language Kutanaxa 6 in Canada (2002 Poser)Population total all countries: 12. Ethnologue kut
Maritime Sign Language Ethnologue nsr
Michif language About 600 speakers in 1998. Red Book of Endangered Languages crg
Munsee language 7 or 8 (1991 M Dale Kinkade) 400 (1991 M Dale Kinkade). Ethnologue umu
Oneida language fewer than 250 speakers in 1991. Red Book of Endangered Languages one
Onondaga language 50 to 100 speakers in 1991. Red Book of Endangered Languages ono
Potawatomi language 100 speakers Red Book of Endangered Languages pot
Salish language   Red Book of Endangered Languages isocode
Straits Salish language 20 in Canada (2002 Poser) 3,000 (1977 SIL). Ethnologue str
Sechelt language Also: Shishalh language 40 (1990 M.D Kinkade) 550 (1977 SIL). Ethnologue sec
Sekani language 30 to 40 (1997 Sharon Hargus) 600 (1982 SIL and 1997 S Hargus). Ethnologue sek
Seneca language 25 speakers in 1991. Red Book of Endangered Languages see
Squamish language 15 (2002 Poser) 2,300. Ethnologue squ
Tagish language 2 (1995 M Krauss) 400 possibly (1995 M Krauss). Ethnologue tgx
Tahltan language 35 (2002 Poser) 750 (1977 SIL). Ethnologue tht
Tlingit language 145 speakers in Canada in 1998. Red Book of Endangered Languages tli
Tsuut’ina language Also: Tsuu T'ina language, Sarsi language, Sarcee language 50 (1991 M. Dale Kinkade) Red Book of Endangered Languages srs
Tuscarora language 7 or 8 in Canada (1991 Kinkade)Population total all countries: 11 to 13. Ethnologue tus
Western Abnaki language 20 (1991 M Krauss) 1,800 including Eastern Abnaki in USA (1982 SIL). Ethnologue abe

Mexico

Mexico
Language Comments Speakers Source ISO 639-3 Ethnologue entry
Cocopah language Red Book of Endangered Languages coc
Ixcatec language 213 speakers in 2006. Red Book of Endangered Languages ixc
Kiliwa language 24 to 32 (1994 SIL). Ethnologue klb
Lacandon language 44 speakers in 2006. (SIL counted 1000 speakers in 2000?) Red Book of Endangered Languages lac
Mocho' language   Red Book of Endangered Languages  
Atzingo Matlatzinca language 50 to 100 (1993 SIL) 642 (1990 census). Ethnologue ocu
San Francisco Matlatzinca language 1,167 (2000 WCD). Ethnologue mat
Oluta Popoluca language around 30 speakers Red Book of Endangered Languages plo
Opata language 15 Population includes 11 in Distrito Federal, 4 in State of Mexico (1993 Instituto Nacional Indigenista). Ethnologue opt
Otomi language   Red Book of Endangered Languages  
Texistepec Popoluca language around 400 elderly speakers Red Book of Endangered Languages poq
Zapotec, Asunción Mixtepec language 100 (1990 census) 2,476 (1990 census). Ethnologue zoo
Zapotec, San Agustín Mixtepec language 59 (1994 SIL). Ethnologue ztm
Tabasco Zoque language 40 (1971 García de León) 367 (1960 census). Ethnologue zoq

USA

USA
Language Comments Speakers Source ISO 639-3 Ethnologue entry
Achumawi language 10 nonfluent speakers (1997 Nevin) 1,000 (1997 Bruce Nevin). Ethnologue acv
Ahtena language 80 (1995 M Krauss) 500 (1995 M Krauss). Ethnologue aht
Kiowa Apache language 18 (1990 census) 1,000 (1977 SIL). Ethnologue apk
Lipan Apache language 2 or 3 (1981 R W Young) 100 (1977 SIL). Ethnologue apl
Arikara language 20 (1997 Parks) 3,000. Ethnologue ari
Atsugewi language 3 (1994 L Hinton) 200 (1977 SIL)1,350 with Achumawi (2000 A Yamamoto). Ethnologue atw
Caddo language 25 (1997 Chafe) 3,371 (1997 W Chafe). Ethnologue cad
Cahuilla language 7 to 20 (1994 L Hinton) 35 (1990 census). Ethnologue chl
Chetco language 5 (1962 Chafe) 100 possibly (1977 SIL). Ethnologue ctc
Chinook language 12 speakers of Kiksht dialect (1996) 300 possibly (1977 SIL). Ethnologue chh
Chinook Wawa language 17 in the USA (1990 census). Ethnologue chn
Clallam language 10 (1997 Timothy Montler) Several thousands (1997 T Montler). Ethnologue clm
Coeur d'Alene language 5 (1999 R McDonald) 800 (1977 SIL). Ethnologue crd
Coos language 1 or 2 (1962 Chafe) 250 (1977 SIL). Ethnologue csz
Degexit'an language 20 to 30 (1997 Sharon Hargus) 250 to 300 (1997 M Krauss). Ethnologue ing
Eyak language 1 (1996 N Barnes) 50 (1995 M Krauss). Ethnologue eya
Gros Ventre language 10 (1977 SIL)Very few semispeakers in 2000 (2001 Goddard) 1,200 (1977 SIL). Ethnologue ats
Northern Haida language 15 in the USA (1995 M Krauss) 600 in the USA (1995 M Krauss). Ethnologue hdn
Han language 7 or 8 in Alaska (1995 M Krauss)Population total all countries: 14 300. Ethnologue haa
Hawai'i Pidgin 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). Ethnologue hps
Holikachuk language 12 (1995 M Krauss) 200 (1995 M Krauss). Ethnologue hoi
Hupa language 8 (1998 Brook) 2,000. Ethnologue hup
Kalapuya language 1 or 2 (1962 Chafe). Ethnologue kyl
Kansa language 19 (1990 census) 250 (1986 SIL). Ethnologue ksk
Karok language 10 (1997 William Bright) 1,900 (2000 A Yamamoto). Ethnologue kyh
Kashaya language 45 (1994 L Hinton). Ethnologue kju
Kawaiisu language 8 to 10 (2000 L Hinton) 35 (2000 A Yamamoto). Ethnologue xaw
Klamath-Modoc language 1 (1998 N.Y Times, April 9, p A20) 2,000 (1997 Scott DeLancey). Ethnologue kla
Upper Kuskokwim language 40 (1995 Krauss)3 households (1997) 160 (1995 Krauss). Ethnologue kuu
Kutenai language 6 in the USA (2002). Ethnologue kut
Luiseño language 30 to 40 (2000 L Hinton) 2,000 (2000 A Yamamoto). Ethnologue lui
Lushootseed language 60 (1990 M D Kinkade)Population evenly divided between the northern and southern dialects 2,000 (1990 M D Kinkade). Ethnologue lut
Northeast Maidu language 1 to 2 (1994 L Hinton) 108 (1990 census). Ethnologue nmu
Northwest Maidu language 3 to 6 (1994 L Hinton) 200 (1977 SIL). Ethnologue mjd
Mandan language 6 (1992 M Krauss) 400 (1986 SIL and 1997 M Mixco). Ethnologue mhq
Menominee language 39 (3,500 ethnic) (1977 SIL). Ethnologue mez
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). Ethnologue csm
Lake Miwok language 1 to 2 (1994 L Hinton). Ethnologue lmw
Northern Sierra Miwok language 6 (1994 L Hinton). Ethnologue nsq
Plains Miwok language 1 (1962 H Landar in Sebeok 1977). Ethnologue pmw
Southern Sierra Miwok language 7 Southern Central Sierra Miwok (1994 L Hinton). Ethnologue skd
Mono language 37 to 41 (1994 L Hinton)Population includes 10 to 12 North Fork, 15 Auberry, 7 to 8 Big Sandy, 5 to 6 Dunlap, no Waksachi 600 (2000 A Yamamoto). Ethnologue mnr
Nisenan language 1 (1994 L Hinton). Ethnologue nsz
Osage language 5 (1991 M Krauss) 15,000 (1997 Carolyn Quintero). Ethnologue osa
Panamint language 20 100 (1998 John E McLaughlin). Ethnologue par
Pawnee language 20 (1997 Parks) 2,500 (1997 Parks). Ethnologue paw
Central Pomo language 2 to 5 (1997 Mithun) 4,766 (1997 Mithun). Ethnologue poo
Southeastern Pomo language 5 (1994 L Hinton). Ethnologue pom
Southern Pomo language 1 (1994 L Hinton). Ethnologue peq
Quapaw language 34 (1990 census) 2,000 (1986 SIL). Ethnologue qua
Quileute language 10 (1977 SIL) 300 (1977 SIL). Ethnologue qui
Straits Salish language Ethnologue str
Serrano language 1 (1994 Coker). Ethnologue ser
Snohomish language 10 (1998 J Brooke) 800 (1977 SIL). Ethnologue sno
Tanacross language 35 (1997 G Holton)Population includes 3 in the Healy Lake dialect, 32 in Mansfield-Ketchumstuck 120 (1997 G Holton). Ethnologue tcb
Tanaina language 75 (1997 M Krauss) 900 (1997 M Krauss). Ethnologue tfn
Lower Tanana language 30 (1995 M Krauss) 380 (1995 M Krauss). Ethnologue taa
Tolowa language 4 to 5 (1994 Hinton) 1,000 (2000 Yamamoto). Ethnologue tol
Tübatulabal language 6 900 (2000 Yamamoto). Ethnologue tub
Tuscarora language 4 to 5 in the USA (1997 Mithun) 1,200 in the USA (1997 Mithun). Ethnologue tus
Tututni language 10 (1962 Chafe). Ethnologue tuu
Wasco-Wishram language 69 (1990 census)7 monolinguals 750 possibly (1977 SIL). Ethnologue wac
Washo language 10 (1998 J Brooke) 1,500 (2000 A Yamamoto). Ethnologue was
Wichita language 3 (2000 Brian Levy) 1,400 (2000 David S Rood). Ethnologue wic
Wintu language 5 or 6 (1997 Shepherd) 2,244 (1997 Shepherd) Ethnologue wit
Yokutsan languages 78 speakers of Northern Foothill Yokuts (1990 census) 2,500 (2000 A Yamamoto). Ethnologue yok
Yuchi language 10 to 12 (1997 Mary Linn) 1,500 (1977 SIL). Ethnologue yuc
Yurok language 12 (2002 Goddard) 3,000 to 4,500 possibly (1982 SIL). Ethnologue yur

Notes

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