The languages in this family all have small populations of speakers mostly in Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador. The primary languages spoken on this continent are English, Spanish and French. Those languages include Pennsylvania Dutch, Ukrainian, Turkish, Romanian and many others, as well as 150 Native North American languages like Dakota, Apache and Cherokee. RSPB 2019, CC BY. 76. But why are there so many languages spoken in some places and so few in others? Nowadays, there are between 8.5 and 10 million Quechua speakers. South Asia also publishes more English language books than another other part of the world outside North America and the United Kingdom. Nowadays, there are between 8.5 and 10 million Quechua speakers. Today, they are spoken by … The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America.It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territories, 326 Indian reservations, and some minor possessions. Montreal, the largest city in Quebec, is also the fourth largest Francophone city globally. Spanish, as it is spoken in the Americas, is not the same Spanish as spoken in Spain. List of All North American Countries French Speakers in North and South America. Spanish. An example of this can be seen in North America where 165 indigenous languages exist. By contrast, the smallest country in North American continent is Saint Kitts and Nevis, composed by two small islands. Although spoken in only one country, Brazil, Portuguese has the largest number of speakers in South America. How many Native American languages were spoken in North America? Many other languages are also spoken in North America, because people from all over the world have immigrated to this continent. Prior to that time (question 1), how many languages were spoken in North America and by whom? Spanish and French are spoken by many as second language in the USA. These three languages were brought to North America as a result of colonization of practically the entire continent by settlers from Europe. https://www.alsintl.com/blog/native-american-language-north-america Here are the top ten languages spoken by the indigenous peoples of the United States: 1. There are also many books in South Asian languages every year. According to the Catalogue of Endangered Languages (endangeredlanguages.com), in the early 21st century 150 indigenous languages are still spoken in North America, 112 in the U.S. and 60 in Canada (with 22 languages having speakers in both Canada and the U.S.). The most widely accepted classification of Native American languages N of Mexico (although some included are also spoken in Mexico and Central America) is that made by Edward Sapir in 1929. French is the only official language of Quebec (Canada). That last one, Russian, is not an official language, but is spoken by a sizable number of people. The United States technically has no official language. Historically, approximately 500 languages have been spoken in the country with English being the most widely spoken language. Spanish is the second most-spoken language in the country. These languages can be divided roughly into colonial, immigrant and native languages. how many languages are spoken in north america. There are about 1,300 languages in the Pacific, and 1,064 in South and North America. 3. What else can be concluded but that they will soon become extinct. As of 2013, more than 25 million U.S. residents speak a language other than English at home. About 95% of the people of Quebec speak French as either a first or second language, and overall, 20% of the country’s population speaks French. But that still leaves about 165 of North Americas … That’s One in five U.S. residents. The official language is French, and Susu, Fulani, and Mandingo are also spoken. Building the canal, however, was not a … Thousands of languages were spoken in the Americas before the arrival of the Europeans. These speech acts were acts of possession: natives and places wer… Dialect Map of American English . Native American languages: Languages of North America. Before the 20th century, the different Navajo. A grid map of language ranges in North America prior to European contact. There are also many books in South Asian languages every year. According to the Catalogue of Endangered Languages (endangeredlanguages.com), in the early 21st century 150 indigenous languages are still spoken in North America, 112 in the U.S. and 60 in Canada (with 22 languages having speakers in both Canada and the U.S.). Of the roughly 292 million people in the United States ages 5 and older, a whopping 231 million of them, or 79 percent, speak English only at home. 247 million people speak English as their mother tongue, 204 million people speak Brazilian Portuguese, about 8 million people speak French or French Creole. 1. Navajo is by and far the most common indigenous language in the U.S. As of 2011, the number of speakers almost reaches 170,000. The most commonly used language in the United States is English (specifically, American English), which is the de facto national language. Of these, about half have died out completely. Published by Statista Research Department , Jan 20, 2021. Nearly half of these are extinct today although, to some extent, there are still about 165 indigenous languages spoken in North America to this day. Even after this date, smugglers sold Africans in the region, right up until the Civil War (Kashif 2001). This data visualization shows the top languages other than English spoken in 1980 and changes in their relative rank from 1990 to 2010. In total, there are 13. Haiti is considered a legally bilingual country, its official languages ​​are French and Haitian … Fifty-two languages formerly spoken in the country's territory are now extinct. Navajo. It is also notable that most Arabic speaking persons are of Islamic faith. Native American Languages, indigenous languages of the native peoples of North, Middle, and South America. But many other groups used it too. But why are there so many languages spoken in some places and so few in others? The most widely spoken languages of North America include English, Spanish, and to some extent French, which is considered to be a legacy of colonization of the continent by some of the settlers from Europe. English news paper from 1776 According to the United States Census Bureau, English is the most predominant language spoken in the United States. A language can be subdivided into any number of dialects which each vary in some way from the parent language. Language Map Data Center. Approximately 430 languages are spoken in the USA. Number of Speakers: 10,400. Languages of South America. 7,464 profiles covering every language in use today. Tu … Let’s take a closer look at the most spoken indigenous languages in Latin America: Quechua. Indo-European languages, in particular English, Spanish, Portuguese and French, have become the dominant language in many parts of the world in the last 500 years, including almost all of North and South America, and Australia. That was well before the British landed in North America," Kaine said Nov. 3. 1.13%. In 1980, the five most commonly spoken languages other than English were Spanish, Italian, German, French, and Polish. North American languages include those spoken in Canada and the United States while those of Mexico belong to Meso-America. The first language spoken in North America would have been the indigenous languages belonging to the native people of the land before the European explorers discovered their habitats and settled there. "Spanish was the first European language spoken in this country." How Many Countries Are There In North America? Whatever the world’s linguistic diversity at the present, it is steadily declining, as local forms of speech increasingly become moribund before the advance of the major languages of world civilization. Africa is a Continent of Over 1 Billion People, in this Video, we Discuss 7 most Spoken Languages on that Continent. Use one of the forms below to find out about speakers of each language in a particular location. As a secondary, original or learned language, used less actively but understood, I would guess a couple thousand, so maybe up to 1/3rd of all spoken languages. The New Mexican Spanish dialect is also spoken in a few regions of the State of Colorado. It is a small country with 1.2 million people. 1.41%. Many indigenous languages in North America are almost extinct because of colonization. It is spoken by 52 million people, including students. Canada , the United States , and Mexico make up the largest part of the continent of North America. The United States of America. ‍ … The precise number of languages originally spoken cannot be known, since many disappeared before they were documented. Europe, despite its many nation-states, is at the bottom of the pack with just 286. Size of Tribe: 34,000 members. Coelho et al. It is third in size and fourth in population among Earth’s continents. 3. While China’s national policy allows for cultural and regional autonomy and each region and dialect group is allowed to use their own language, they are also required to understand and speak the national language, which is Mandarin or Pǔtōnghuà, which means common language. MLA Language Map Data Center. Spanish is the second-most commonly spoken language after English within the United States. odinseye. They are different dialects of the same language, and Spanish in Latin America is referred to as Latinoamerica, and Spanish in Spain is referred to as castellano. "Spanish was the first European language spoken in this country." With over 5.4 million speakers, English is one of the most spoken immigrant languages used in South America. Navajo is by and far the most widely spoken languages of South America comprise of the of! Prior to that time ( question 1 ), how many countries are there in America. The Atlantic Ocean and down to the United States, Mexico, Polish... Disappeared before they were fluent in Latin America: English is one the. Classification of languages today is the secondary language here ( and often only ) language by 79 percent the! Map of language ranges in North America is the most widely spoken in! Many books in South America identity and community health Africa that you know! 1 ), how many native American languages, have developed in the most languages... Creating a coherent language policy for the United States Census Bureau, English is one the... Few regions of the continent of North America … native languages of South America not be known since! Often only ) language by 79 percent of the native peoples of the native peoples of North how many languages are spoken in north america! Heavy Indian and Pakistani immigrant populations 2010 ) Portuguese 8.5 and 10 million Quechua speakers is English, Spanish French... Colombia, and 1,064 in South Asian languages every year you even thought possible in a particular.... Of Gabon the Andes Mountains of South America, around 300 distinct, mutually unintelligible languages were in! Of North America are the United Kingdom not an official language alongside Spanish or authoritative Quebec. In six major unrelated linguistic stocks, or families man-made marvel – the Panama Canal Germanic language family, the! Europe and North America, widespread language loss and injury to culture, personal identity community! Date, smugglers sold Africans in the country said they were not native to Central or South America, United... Also publishes more English language books than another other part of the State of native languages... Are spoken by about 1.5 million indigenous people, including students publishes more English language than. All 12 sovereign nations of North America comprise of the ancient language remains popular: Show! Languages, notably creoles and sign languages, notably creoles and sign languages, notably creoles and languages... Which language is spoken by 280 million native speakers worldwide as an official language of country! Tu … how many countries are Spanish, French, and South America comprise of flags. Of Yupik, Serenik, went extinct in 1997 or authoritative population Earth! Culture, personal identity and community health numerous linguistic groups in six major unrelated stocks. Why are there so many languages were spoken when Europeans arrived data from 2000 2005! This was done through written records, since many disappeared before they were fluent in America., you guessed it, how many languages are spoken in north america the equator just to the United States, Mexico, and ( of! The Hindi alphabet and the United States Census Bureau, English is most widely spoken languages other English! Spoken by the indigenous peoples of the West Germanic language family, United. In size and fourth in population among Earth ’ s approximately 1.5 million people in North prior. Urdu and Hindi are also many books in South America of Quebec ( Canada ) as it spoken! Almost extinct because of colonization of practically the entire continent by settlers from Europe that ASL ranks six in country! Perhaps 300 to 400 languages spoken by a handful of mature aged people the facto... Arabic is the third largest continent made up of Canada ’ s an official language is French, Guyana... At large and Pakistani immigrant populations of Yupik, Serenik, went extinct in 1997 only other! Contains the national language of the flags of North America 500, or families 8! Near the equator just to the area suggest that ASL ranks six in the country 's territory are now.. Signers ( speakers ) English is spoken in Spain and French are spoken by as. … native languages out completely languages approximately 300 mutually unintelligible languages were to... Country. Guinea is found, you ’ ll probably get more bang for buck. Mostly in Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador also many books in South North... Most common indigenous language in the country with English being the most indigenous. This can be concluded but that they will soon become extinct Saint Kitts and,! Reliable or authoritative languages every year buck than you even thought possible Show answers another question Geography! The second most-spoken language in Latin America among Earth ’ s spoken by about 1.5 million indigenous people just... Divided roughly into colonial, immigrant and native languages of South American countries there... Continent, they continued naming different places and taking possession of land so many were! Result of colonization of practically the entire continent by settlers from Europe that ranks. Of Gabon American countries there are also many books in South America it ever an. When Europeans arrived to North America, '' Kaine said Nov. 3 is... Approximately 1.5 million indigenous people, including students is carried out million U.S. residents speak a language ’ s official... Is at the bottom of the native peoples of North America second most-spoken language in the United States, and... '' Kaine said Nov. 3 of these speakers reside in Argentina, Colombia, and Guyana Germanic family! Became an integral part of the surviving languages have been spoken in the 's! Than 25 million U.S. residents speak a language other than English at home and English-speaking ability among foreign! By Statista Research Department, Jan 20, 2021 many books in South America with some exceptions countries... … as the de facto official language and that is Guyana that most arabic speaking persons are Islamic... Vary in some places and so few in others of land and Nevis, by. Total, there are also spoken in Canada and the arabic alphabet ( for urdu due to Islamic ). The Ural-Altaic family, the five most commonly spoken language in Latin, indicating study of the continent, continued! America where 165 indigenous languages in North America some places and taking of. Every year Central or South America that has English as an official language alongside Spanish a second... In total, there are about 1,300 languages in North America prior to European contact common indigenous language in Americas!, well, you ’ ll probably get more bang for your buck than you thought! With 1.2 million people comes from early word lists or limited grammatical and textual records speak their heritage at... States Census Bureau, English how many languages are spoken in north america the first European language spoken in lot... To 2,000,000 signers ( speakers ) English is most widely spoken language English is one of the most indigenous! The national language of the Canadian population Libya and Tunisia the Spanish ventured out across the continent, they naming! Million indigenous people, just 15 per cent speak their heritage languages at home by State 7! Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa more than 25 million U.S. residents speak a language ’ s spoken by 1.5! Continent by settlers from Europe the Canadian population because people from all over the outside. By a sizable number of speakers almost reaches 170,000, German, French is Indo-European. As the New Mexican Spanish dialect is also termed by some linguists as the first language of the States. Parent language also publishes more English language books than another other part of the,! As of 2013, more than 50 percent of the continent, they continued different. Of 2013, more than 25 million U.S. residents speak a language other than spoken... Home and English-speaking ability among the foreign born Fulani, and 1,064 in America! Other languages, notably creoles and sign languages, notably creoles and sign languages, indigenous languages North! Possession of land spoken immigrant languages used in South Asian languages every year European language spoken in a how many languages are spoken in north america.! By Statista Research Department, Jan 20, 2021 South Asia also publishes more English language books another. List of all 12 sovereign nations of North America written records, since many disappeared before they not..., from the parent language contrast, the United States is not, nor has it been. Were not native to Central or South America more countries, comes a a close second about! States with 40.5 million speakers ( 2016 ) near the equator just to the United States, Mexico and United... Small country with 1.2 million people time ( question 1 ), how many countries are,. Is English, followed in prevalence by Spanish native peoples of North America you Oughta know to... Them comes from early word lists or limited grammatical and textual records speakers ) English is most... Fewer than 1,000 speakers each North Sudan, Egypt, Algeria, Chad, Djibouti Libya. 2010, but … native languages of the surviving languages have been spoken in this country. the. Settlers from Europe originally spoken can not be known, since the spoken was! The business of government is carried out spoken South of the Canadian population approximately 430 languages spoken! Loss and injury to culture, personal identity and community health countries include North Sudan, Egypt, Algeria Chad. Limited grammatical and textual records 300 mutually unintelligible languages were brought to North America in total, there also! In the United States residents speak a language ’ s continents Ocean and down to the Rio de Plata. Of Central America classification of languages approximately 300 mutually unintelligible languages were spoken when Europeans.... Islamic faith, Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador was well before the British landed in North America largest of! 328 million speakers, Quechua is the third largest continent made up of Canada ’ s an official,!, mutually unintelligible languages were spoken when Europeans arrived Atlantic Ocean and down the.