Purepecha, Western Highland
PrintA language of Mexico
ISO 639-3
Alternate Names
P’orhe, P’orhépecha, P’urhe, P’urhépecha, Purépecha de la Meseta, Purépecha de las Sierras, Purépecha del Oeste de Sierra Occidental, Tarascan, Tarasco
Population
135,000 in Mexico (2005 census). Population total all countries: 180,000.
Location
Michoacán, Tarecuato west edge, Cañada de los Once Pueblos north edge, Comachuén east edge, and Nuevo Parangaricutiro south edge. Also in United States.
Language Maps
Language Status
4 (Educational).
Classification
Dialects
Angahuán, Arantepacua, Cañada de los Once Pueblos, Cantera, Cheran, Nurío, Pamatacuaro. All Purépecha varieties have functional intelligibility of other Purépecha varieties: the Western varieties have 60%–80% intelligibility of the Eastern. A standard variety is emerging through radio and literature.
Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 40%. Literacy rate in L2: 60%. New media. Dictionary. Grammar. NT: 1968.
Language Resources
Writing
Latin script.