Nahuat

A language of El Salvador

ISO 639-3

Alternate Names

Nawat, Nicarao, “Pipil” (pej.)

Population

500 (2015 J. Stuart), increasing. L2 users: 800 (2015 J. Stuart). Ethnic population: 11,100 (2005 census).

Location

Ahuachapan, Chalatenango, Cuscatlan, La Libertad, La Paz, San Salvador, Santa Ana, Sonsonate, and Usulutan departments. West, interior highlands.

Language Status

8b (Nearly extinct). Recognized language (1993, Law to protect the national patrimony, Decree 513).

Classification

Dialects

None known. Not intelligible with Isthmus Nahuatl [nhk] of Mexico.

Language Use

Some young adults now teach their children Nahuat. Older adults as L1. School children and young adults as L2.

Language Development

Now taught in schools. Salvadorans who are not ethnic Nahuat are choosing to learn, as well. New media. Videos. Grammar. NT: 2012.

Language Resources

Writing

Latin script [Latn].