Mískito

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A language of Nicaragua

ISO 639-3
miq
Alternate Names
Marquito, Mískitu, Mísquito, Mosquito
Population

154,400 in Nicaragua (1993 census). Population total all countries: 183,400. Ethnic population: 154,000 (1993).

Location

Autonomous Region of the North Atlantic, from Pearl lagoon to Black river, coast and lowlands; Puerto Cabeza city; Prinzapolka, Tronquera, San Carlos (Río Coco), Waspam, Leimus, Bocana de Paiwas, Karawala, Sangnilaya, Wasla, Sisin, Rosita, Bonanza, Siuna, Bihmuna, and all along Río Coco area; South Atlantic Autonomous Region. Also in Honduras.

Language Maps
Language Status

2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial language in northern, southern Atlantic regions (1993, Atlantic Coast Languages Act, Article 4).

Classification
Misumalpan
Dialects

Baymuna (Baldam, Baymunana), Cabo (Kabo), Honduran Mískito (Mam), Tawira (Tauira), Wanki (Wangki). Most similar to Mayangna [yan]. Wanki dialect spoken in Puerto Cabeza area; other dialects in settlements southwest.

Typology

SOV; articles, relatives after noun heads, word order distinguishes subject and object; verb affixes mark person and number; ergative; passive; CVC; nontonal

Language Use

Mainly adults. Also use Spanish [spa] or English [eng].

Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 52%–58%. Taught in primary schools. Bible: 1999.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Mískito
Writing
Latin script.
Other Comments

Educational materials in Wanki. Christian.

Also spoken in:

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