Mexico Languages

Languages spoken in Mexico

Spoken by more than 95 percent of the population, Spanish is the official language of Mexico and was introduced during conquest and colonization of Mexico . Mexican Spanish has its roots in the Spanish language. In terms of grammar, syntax, and spelling there are no significant differences between the two, but the pronunciation and sound maybe different.

Words from the popular Indian languages (Nahuatl) are incorporated into Mexican Spanish. Especially in the areas of food and household such local words are popular. Some of these words have also been incorporated into other languages such as the English 'chocolate' from the Nahuatl 'chocolat'. Also each family has their own language. Such as the Zapotecan family also one of the largest families in Otomanguean speaks Chatino and its variants. The Zapotecan languages are spoken in the state of Oaxaca , primarily in the central valleys near Oaxaca City . Similarly the Mayan family has languages spoken in seven states Chipas, Tobasco , Yucatan , Quintana Roo , Campeche , San Luis Potosi and Veracruz .

The Mayan languages comprise of five sub families. The total numbers of Mayan speakers are over 1.5 million making it one of the largest in Mexico . Nahuatl too has over a million and a half speakers that are more than any other family of indigenous languages in Mexico today. The national culture of Mexico boasts sixty-two indigenous languages. In 1995 at least 5.5 million people spoke an indigenous language. The level of bilinguism, however, was high at 85 percent.