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Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Americas > United States > Dakota

Dakota

A language of United States

ISO 639-3: dak

Population	15,400 in United States (1990 census), decreasing. 31 monolinguals (1990 census). 250 Yanktonais (1997 D. Parks); Census (2000) data may include Lakota [lkt]. Population total all countries: 19,280. Ethnic population: 5,000 Yanktonais (1997 D. Parks); 20,475 (2000 census).
Region	Northern Nebraska, southern Minnesota, North and South Dakota, northeastern Montana. Also in Canada.
Language map	Northern Central United States of America
Alternate names	Sioux
Dialects	Dakota (Dakhota, Santee, Santee-Sisseton), Nakota (Nakoda, Yankton, Yankton-Yanktonais). Lexical similarity: 83%–86% with Stoney [sto], 89%–94% with Assiniboine [asb], 90%–95% among dialects.
Classification	Siouan, Siouan Proper, Central, Mississippi Valley, Dakota
Language use	Most younger ones prefer English or do not speak the language. Few children (1998).
Language development	Grammar. Bible: 1879.
Writing system	Latin script.

Also spoken in:

Canada

Language name	Dakota
Population	3,880 in Canada. Population of Dakota and Lakota [lkt] 4,950 (2001 census).
Region	Southern Manitoba and Saskatchewan, Oak River and Oak Lake, Long Plain west of Winnipeg, Standing Buffalo, Birdtail, Stony Wahpeton, and Moose Woods. May be at Wood Mountain.
Language maps	Canada, reference number 11 Canada, reference number 4
Alternate names	Sioux
Dialects	Dakota (Santee), Nakota (Yankton).
Language use	In some communities most children and young adults do not speak Dakota. Also use English.
Language development	Literacy rate in L1: Below 1%. Literacy rate in L2: 50%–75%.

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

Pinson, Thomas M. 1990. "Possessor ascension in Dakota Sioux."

Pinson, Thomas M. 1994. "Dakota Sioux objects."

Stark, Donald S. 1962. "Boundary markers in Dakota."