Languages of Colombia

Languages of Colombia
Languages of Colombia
	Dialectical map of Colombian Spanish
Official	Spanish
Indigenous	Arawakan languages, Barbacoan languages, Bora–Witoto languages, Cariban languages, Chibchan languages, Choco languages, Guajiboan languages, Nadahup languages, Quechuan languages, Piaroa–Saliban languages, Tucanoan languages; Andoque, Ticuna, Kamëntsá, Cofán, Páez,
Vernacular	Colombian Spanish, San Andrés-Providencia Creole, Palenquero, Andean Spanish, Amazonic Spanish, Equatorial Spanish
Minority	Romani, Portuguese
Foreign	English, French
Signed	Colombian Sign Language, Providence Island Sign Language, Equatorial Spanish
Keyboard layout	Spanish Latinamerican QWERTY;

Around 99.2% of Colombians speak the Spanish language.^[1] 65 Amerindian languages, 2 Creole languages, the Portuguese language and the Romani language are also spoken in the country. English has official status in the San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina Islands.^[2]^[3]^[4]

The majority of Colombians speak Spanish (see also Colombian Spanish), but in total 90 languages are listed for Colombia in the Ethnologue database. The specific number of spoken languages varies slightly since some authors consider as different languages what others consider to be varieties or dialects of the same language. Best estimates recorded 71 languages that are spoken in-country today—most of which belong to the Chibchan, Tucanoan, Bora–Witoto, Guajiboan, Arawakan, Cariban, Barbacoan, and Saliban language families. There are currently about 850,000 speakers of native languages, however its estimated to be higher.^[5]^[6]

Sixty-five indigenous languages that exist today can be regrouped into 12 language families and 10 language isolates, not yet classified.^[2]

The languages are: the great linguistic family Chibchan, of probable Central American origin; the great South American families Arawakan, Cariban, Quechuan and Tupian; seven families only present at the regional level (Chocó, Guahibo, Saliba, Nadahup, Witoto, Bora, Tucano). The ten isolated languages are: Andoque, Awa Pit, Cofán, Misak, Kamentsá, Páez, Ticuna, Tinigua, Yagua, Yaruro.^[2]

There are also two Creole languages spoken in the country. The first is San Andrés Creole, which is spoken alongside English in the San Andrés, Providencia, and Catalina insular regions of Colombia. It is related to and mutually intelligible with many other English-based Creole languages (also known as Patois/Patwa) spoken in West Indian and Caribbean islands, although San Andres Creole (which is also sometimes called Saint Andrewan or Bende) has had more Spanish influence.

The second Creole language is called Palenquero. During the days of Spanish colonization, hundreds of thousands of African slaves were brought to Colombia via the Atlantic Coast. Some of these slaves were able to escape, and many of them fled inland and created walled cities known as palenques. Some of these palenques grew very large, holding hundreds of people, and they all developed their own creole languages, developing similarly to Haitian Creole. In the early 1600s, the King of Spain began sending his armies to crush the palenques and send their inhabitants to slavery. Most of the palenques fell, and their languages went extinct, but with one exception: San Basilio de Palenque. San Basilio successfully repelled Spanish attacks for almost 100 years, until 1721, when it was declared a Free City. Any slave who ran away and successfully made it to San Basilio was considered a free man. The creole language spoken in San Basilio de Palenque is called Palenquero and it has survived to this day.

Classification

Some 80 languages of Colombia, grouped into 11 families are classified. Also appear isolated or unclassified languages. Extinct languages are indicated by the sign (†).

Classification of the indigenous languages of Colombia
Language family	Group		Language	Territory
Arawakan languages	Northern Arawak		Wayuunaiki	La Guajira
			Achagua	Meta
			Kurripako	Içana River
			Cabiyari	Mirití-Paraná River
			Maipure (†)	Vichada
			Piapoco	Guainía, Vichada, Meta
Barbacoan languages	Awan		Awa Pit	Nariño
			Barbacoa (†)	Nariño
			Pasto (†)	Nariño
			Sindagua (†)	Nariño
	Coconucan		Coconucan (†)	Cauca
			Guambiano	Cauca
			Totoró	Cauca
Bora–Witoto languages	Bora		Bora	Amazonas
			Miraña	Amazonas
			Muinane	Amazonas
	Witoto		Meneca-Murui	Amazonas
			Nonuya	Amazonas
			Ocaina	Amazonas
Cariban languages	Northern	Coastal	Yukpa	Cesar
	Northern	Coastal	Opón-carare (†)	Santander
	Southern	Southeast Colombia	Carijona	Amazonas, Guaviare
Chibchan languages	Magdalénico	Arhuaco	Ika (arhuaco)	Cesar, Magdalena
			Kankuí	Cesar
			Kogui	Magdalena
			Tayrona	Magdalena, La Guajira, Cesar
			Wiwa	Cesar
		Cundicocúyico	Duit (†)	Boyacá
			Muisca (†)	Cundinamarca, Boyacá
			Guane (†)	Santander
			Tunebo	ARA, BOY, NSA, SAN
		Barí	Barí	Cesar, Norte de Santander
		Chimila	Chimila	Magdalena
	Ístmico	Kuna	Kuna	Gulf of Urabá, Atrato River
Choco languages	Embera		Embera	Pacific/Chocó natural region
Choco languages	Waunana		Wounaan	Chocó, Cauca, Valle del Cauca
Guajiboan languages	Northern		Hitnü	Arauca
	Northern		Hitanü	Arauca
	Central		Sikuani (Guahibo)	Meta, Vichada, Arauca, Guainía, Guaviare
	Central		Cuiba	Casanare, Vichada, Arauca
	Southern		Guayabero	Meta, Guaviare
Indo-European languages	Romance	West Iberian	Spanish	Nationwide
	Romance	West Iberian	Portuguese	Guainía, Vaupés, Amazonas
	Germanic	Anglic	English	San Andrés and Providence Island
	Indo-Iranian	Indic	Romani	Main cities
Nadahup languages	Northern	Kakwa-Nukak	Kakwa	Papuri and lower Vaupés rivers
		Kakwa-Nukak	Nukak	Guaviare
		Puninave	Puinave	Guainía
	Nadajup	Jup	Yujup	Japurá and Tiquié rivers
	Nadajup	Jup	Jupda	Papuri and Tiquié rivers
Quechuan languages	Peripheral Quechua	Chinchay (Q II-B)	Quichua norteño	Cauca, Nariño, Putumayo
Piaroa–Saliban languages	Saliban		Saliban	Arauca, Casanare
Piaroa–Saliban languages	Piaroa		Piaroa	Vichada
Tucanoan languages	Western	Northwest	Koreguaje	Orteguaza River
	Western	Northwest	Siona	Putumayo River
	Central	North	Cubeo	Vaupés, Cuduyarí Querarí, Pirabotón
	Central	South	Tanimuca	Guacayá, Mirití Oikayá, Aporis
	Eastern	North	Piratapuya	Papurí
			Tucano	Papurí, Caño Paca
			Wanano	Vaupés
		Central	Bará	Colorado, Fríjol Lobo, Tiquié
			Desano	Vaupés
			Siriano	Vaupés
			Tatuyo	Vaupés
			Tuyuca	Tiquié
			Yurutí	Vaupés
		South	Barasana	Vaupés
			Carapana	Vaupés
			Macuna	Vaupés
Language isolate			Andoque	Japurá River
			Ticuna	Leticia, Puerto Nariño
			Betoi (†)	Casanare
			Camsá	Putumayo
			Cofán	Nariño, Putumayo
			Tinigua-pamigua (†)	Meta, Caquetá
Unclassified language			Paez	Cauca, Huila, Valle del Cauca
			Andaquí (†)	Caquetá
			Colima (†)	Cundinamarca
			Malibú (†)	Tamalameque, Tenerife
			Mocana (†)	Cartagena de Indias
			Muzo (†)	Cundinamarca
			Panche (†)	Cundinamarca
			Pijao (†)	Tolima
			Yarí	Caquetá
			Yurí	Amazonas