Nahuat

A language of El Salvador

ISO 639-3

Alternate Names

Nawat, Nicarao, “Pipil” (pej.)

Autonym

Nahuat

Population

1,300, all users. L1 users: 500 (2015 J. Stuart), increasing. L2 users: 800 (2015 J. Stuart). Ethnic population: 11,100 (2005 census).

Location

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

Language Status

8a (Moribund). 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. Videos. Grammar. NT: 2012.

Language Resources

Writing

Latin script [Latn].