Languages of Paraguay
Encyclopedia
The Republic of Paraguay
is a mostly bilingual country, where both Spanish
, an Indo-European language, and Guaraní
, an indigenous language of the Tupian
family, have official status.
Guaraní is the only indigenous language of the Americas
whose speakers include a large proportion of non-indigenous people. This is an anomaly in the Americas
where language shift
towards European colonial languages (in this case, the other official language
of Spanish
) has otherwise been a nearly universal cultural and identity marker of mestizo
s (people of mixed Spanish
and Amerindian ancestry), and also of culturally assimilated
, upwardly-mobile Amerindian people.
Maskoy Pidgin is a Mascoian
-based pidgin language.
Besides Spanish, Guaraní and all other previous languages, Plautdietsch
and Standard German
are spoken as well.
Emok is an extinct language of Paraguay.
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
is a mostly bilingual country, where both Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, an Indo-European language, and Guaraní
Guaraní language
Guaraní, specifically the primary variety known as Paraguayan Guaraní , is an indigenous language of South America that belongs to the Tupí–Guaraní subfamily of the Tupian languages. It is one of the official languages of Paraguay , where it is spoken by the majority of the population, and half of...
, an indigenous language of the Tupian
Tupian languages
The Tupi or Tupian language family comprises some 70 languages spoken in South America, of which the best known are Tupi proper and Guarani.-History, members and classification:...
family, have official status.
Spanish and Guaraní
Spanish is spoken by about 87 percent of the population, while Guaraní is spoken by more than 90 percent, with about 4,650,000 speakers. 52% of rural Paraguayans are monolingual in Guaraní.Guaraní is the only indigenous language of the Americas
Indigenous languages of the Americas
Indigenous languages of the Americas are spoken by indigenous peoples from Alaska and Greenland to the southern tip of South America, encompassing the land masses which constitute the Americas. These indigenous languages consist of dozens of distinct language families as well as many language...
whose speakers include a large proportion of non-indigenous people. This is an anomaly in the Americas
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
where language shift
Language shift
Language shift, sometimes referred to as language transfer or language replacement or assimilation, is the progressive process whereby a speech community of a language shifts to speaking another language. The rate of assimilation is the percentage of individuals with a given mother tongue who speak...
towards European colonial languages (in this case, the other official language
Official language
An official language is a language that is given a special legal status in a particular country, state, or other jurisdiction. Typically a nation's official language will be the one used in that nation's courts, parliament and administration. However, official status can also be used to give a...
of Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
) has otherwise been a nearly universal cultural and identity marker of mestizo
Mestizo
Mestizo is a term traditionally used in Latin America, Philippines and Spain for people of mixed European and Native American heritage or descent...
s (people of mixed Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
and Amerindian ancestry), and also of culturally assimilated
Cultural assimilation
Cultural assimilation is a socio-political response to demographic multi-ethnicity that supports or promotes the assimilation of ethnic minorities into the dominant culture. The term assimilation is often used with regard to immigrants and various ethnic groups who have settled in a new land. New...
, upwardly-mobile Amerindian people.
Other languages
About 50,000 Paraguayans speak an indigenous language besides Guaraní:- Aché languageAché languageAché, also known as Guayaki, is a Guarani language of Paraguay. The six Aché dialects are distinct enough to cause some problems with communication....
- Ayoreo languageAyoreo languageAyoreo is a Zamucoan language spoken in both Paraguay and Bolivia. It is also known as Morotoco , Moro, Ayoweo, Ayoré, and Pyeta Yovai. However, the name "Ayoreo" is more common in Bolivia, and "Morotoco" in Paraguay...
- Chamacoco languageChamacoco languageChamacoco is a Zamucoan language spoken in Paraguay and maybe Brazil. It is also known as Xamicoco or Xamacoco, although the tribe itself prefers the name Ishír, which is also spelled Ishiro or Jewyo. It is spoken by a traditionally hunter-gatherer society that has now turned to agriculture...
- Iyo'wujwa Chorote language
- Guana language
- Lengua language
- Maka languageMaká languageMaká is a Matacoan language spoken in Paraguay by the Maká people. Its 1500speakers live primarily in Presidente Hayes Department near the Río Negro, as well as in and around Asunción.-Phonology:...
- Nivaclé language
- Ñandeva language
- Pai Tavytera language
- Sanapaná languageSanapaná languageSanapana is a language of the Paraguayan Chaco. Use is vigorous, and it is a language of instruction in primary schools....
- Toba Qom language
- Toba-Maskoy language
Maskoy Pidgin is a Mascoian
Mascoian languages
The Mascoian languages are a small language family of Paraguay. They are part of the Mataco–Guaicuru proposal.The languages are:*Emok*Guana *Lengua...
-based pidgin language.
Besides Spanish, Guaraní and all other previous languages, Plautdietsch
Plautdietsch
Plautdietsch, or Mennonite Low German, was originally a Low Prussian variety of East Low German, with Dutch influence, that developed in the 16th and 17th centuries in the Vistula delta area of Royal Prussia, today Polish territory. The word is another pronunciation of Plattdeutsch, or Low German...
and Standard German
Standard German
Standard German is the standard variety of the German language used as a written language, in formal contexts, and for communication between different dialect areas...
are spoken as well.
Emok is an extinct language of Paraguay.