Navajo
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A language of United States
ISO 639-3
Alternate Names
Navaho
Autonym
Diné
Population
169,000 (2011 census). 7,600 monolinguals. Ethnic population: 266,000 (Ichihashi-Nakayama et al 2007).
Location
Arizona: northeast; Colorado; New Mexico: northwest; Utah: southeast.
Language Maps
Language Status
6b (Threatened).
Classification
Typology
SOV; postpositions; dual number; indefinite article; tense and aspect; 33 consonant and 16 vowel phonemes; tonal (2 tones: high, low).
Language Use
Vigorous in some families. L1 speakers among first graders are 30% versus 90% in 1968 (1998). Immersion program in several schools; formally taught at several universities (Golla 2007). Wide range of functions.
Language Development
High literacy. Grammar. Bible: 1985–2000.
Language Resources
Writing
Latin script [Latn].