Purepecha

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A language of Mexico

ISO 639-3
tsz
Alternate Names
Eastern Lake Purepecha, P’orhe, P’orhépecha, P’urhe, P’urhépecha, Phorhépecha, Porhé, Purépecha de la Zona Lacustre, Tarascan, Tarasco
Population

40,000 in Mexico (2005 census). Population total all countries: 55,000.

Location

Michoacán, Lake Pátzcuaro area, Cuanajo southeast edge, San Francisco Pichataro west edge, and Zipiajo north edge. Also in United States.

Language Maps
Language Status

5 (Developing).

Classification
Tarascan
Dialects

Cienega de Zacapu, Cuanajo, Ihuatzio, Isla Janitzio, Puacuaro, San Jeronimo. All Purépecha varieties have functional intelligibility of other Purépecha varieties; Eastern varieties have 60%–80% intelligibility of the Western. A standard variety is emerging through radio and literature.

Language Use

All domains. All ages.

Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 40%. Literacy rate in L2: 60%. Poetry. Newspapers. New media. Radio programs. Dictionary. Grammar. NT: 1969–2012.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Purepecha
Writing
Latin script.

Also spoken in:

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