Chamorro

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A language of Guam

ISO 639-3

cha

Alternate Names

Chamorru, Tjamoro

Population

62,500 in Guam (Bender and Rehg 1991). Population total all countries: 94,700.

Language Maps

Guam and Northern Mariana Islands

Language Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (1974, Guam Code Annotated, Chapter 7, Section 706, amended).

Classification

Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Chamorro

Dialects

Chamorro, Rotanese Chamorro.

Typology

SVO, VSO.

Language Use

Gaining in importance. Taught at the University of Guam.

Language Development

Dictionary. Grammar. NT: 2007.

Language Resources

OLAC resources in and about Chamorro

Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Influence from Spanish [spa]. Christian.

Also spoken in:

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Northern Mariana Islands

Language nameChamorro

Population

14,200 in Northern Mariana Islands (2000 census). Very few monolinguals.

Location

Saipan, Rota, Tinian.

Alternate Names

Tjamoro

Status

3 (Wider communication). Statutory language of national identity (1978, Constitution, Article 22(3)), dominant indigenous language; co-official with English [eng] and Carolinian [cal].

Language Use

Vigorous. All domains. All ages. Positive attitudes. Also use English [eng]. Used as L2 by Carolinian [cal], Tanapag [tpv].

Language Development

Active language use development (2011). Taught in primary and secondary schools.

Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Christian (Roman Catholic).

View other languages of Northern Mariana Islands

United States

Language nameChamorro

Population

18,000 in United States (2010 census).

Location

Widely scattered throughout the United States.

Status

6b (Threatened).

Writing

Latin script [Latn].

View other languages of United States

Ethnologue

Chamorro

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A language of Guam

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Chamorro

Primary tabs

A language of Guam

Also spoken in: