Mapudungun

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A language of Chile

ISO 639-3
arn
Alternate Names
“Araucano” (pej.), Mapuche, Mapudungu
Population

250,000 in Chile (Crevels 2007). Population total all countries: 258,620. Ethnic population: 604,000 (2002).

Location

Central-south, mainly in IX Region, Cautín and Malleco provinces; also in VIII and X regions, Arauco, Bío-Bío, Valdivia, Osorno provinces.

Language Maps
Language Status

6b (Threatened).

Classification
Mapudungu
Dialects

Moluche (Manzanero, Ngoluche), Pehuenche, Picunche. Easy intelligibility among dialects. Pehuenche and Moluche are reportedly very similar.

Typology

SVO.

Language Use

All ages. Also use Spanish [spa].

Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: Below 1%. Literacy rate in L2: 21%. 85,000 are literate in Spanish [spa]. Intercultural Bilingual Education programs may contribute to the survival of Mapundung (Crevels 2007). New media. Radio programs. Dictionary. Grammar. NT: 1997–2011.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Mapudungun
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Ethnic autonym: Mapuche. Traditional religion, Christian.

Also spoken in:

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