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P. 71

Practice 10




                Census data from 2000 is used in general, but some
                contributors preferred using figu es taken from a
                partial census by the Instituto Nacional de Estadística,
                Geografía e Informática  (INEGI, National Institute of
                Statistics, Geography and Computer Science). Only
                speakers five y ars of age or older are included in the
                census figu es.

                Here follow a few examples of statistics for all of
                Mexico’s indigenous languages. In the last ten years,
                the number of indigenous language speakers has not
                greatly changed: the number of Pame speakershas
                increased from 5,700 to 7,736; Huave  from 136 to 206.
                Others have decreased: for example, Mazahuan from
                127,826 to 115,935; Chichimec from 1,582 to 1,362;
                Mazatecan from 168,374 to 165,596; Matlatzinca from
                1,452 to 651; and Ocuiltec from 755 to 405. Whether
                there are considerable numbers of speakers or not,
                unless children acquire those languages, they will
                eventually die out.


                Wrapping up, there are forty-six languages in Mexico
                that seem to be vulnerable, thirty-five a e endangered,
                thirty-three are seriously endangered and nineteen are
                gravely endangered.





















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