Amuzgo, Guerrero

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A language of Mexico

ISO 639-3
amu
Alternate Names
Nomndaa, Ñomndaa
Population

30,600 (2000 INALI). 10,000 monolinguals (1990 census). 19,900 Amuzgo del Norte speakers, 12,700 Amuzgo del Sur speakers (2000 INALI).

Location

Southeast Guerrero, Xochistlahuaca municipality, Zacoalpan, Cochoapa, Huehuetonoc, Tlacoachistlahuaca, Guadalupe Victoria, Cozoyoapan, Huistepec, and Rancho del Cura. Santa Catarina river separates Guerrero variety from Oaxaca varieties.

Language Maps
Language Status

4 (Educational).

Classification
Otomanguean, Eastern Otomanguean, Amuzgo-Mixtecan, Amuzgo
Dialects

Amuzgo del Norte, Amuzgo del Sur. Most towns in Guerrero understand the Amuzgo spoken in Xochistlahuaca (Amuzgo del Norte). Huixtepec is a Guerrero town but has various dialectical differences (Amuzgo del Sur).

Typology

VSO; short word, affixes, clitics; tonal

Language Use

Vigorous. All domains: some local adminstration, business. All ages. Positive attitudes. Spanish [spa] proficiency increases with education.

Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 10% adults, 15% children. Literacy rate in L2: 30% adults; 80% children. 5,000 readers, 500 can write. Bilingual school system grades 1 to 6. Poetry. Radio programs. Videos. Dictionary. Grammar. NT: 1973–2001.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Amuzgo, Guerrero
Writing
Latin script.
Other Comments

Many youth leave the area to find work. Christian.