Costa Rica

Spanish

[spa] 1 (National). Statutory national language (1949, Constitution, Article 76). 5,055,400 in Costa Rica, all users. L1 users: 5,020,000 in Costa Rica (Instituto Cervantes 2019). L2 users: 35,400 (Instituto Cervantes 2019).

5 (Dispersed)

English

[eng] 5* (Dispersed). 399,500 in Costa Rica, all users. L1 users: 17,500 in Costa Rica (2021 Joshua Project), based on ethnicity. L2 users: 382,000 (2020 census).

5 (Developing)

Costa Rican Sign Language

[csr] 5 (Developing). Recognized language (2012, Ley 9049, Official Recognition of Costa Rican Sign Language). Recognized language (2020, Law 9822 Recognition and promotion of Lenguaje de Señas Costarricense (LESCO)). 15,000 in Costa Rica (2021 DBS/DOOR/SIL). Estimated 10,000–20,000 deaf signers, assuming 0.2%–0.4% of the general population; 70,700 people with hearing loss (2011 census).

6b (Threatened)

Bribri

[bzd] 6b* (Threatened). 7,000 (2011 census). Ethnic population: 12,800 (2011 census).

Cabécar

[cjp] 6b* (Threatened). 11,100 (2011 census). 2,000 monolinguals (2015 M. Porras). The only language in Costa Rica with monolingual speakers, mostly women (Adelaar 2007). Ethnic population: 12,700 (2011 census).

Ngäbere

[gym] 6b (Threatened). 2,840 in Costa Rica (2011 census). Ethnic population: 3,650 (2011 census).

Plautdietsch

[pdt] 6b* (Threatened). 2,000 in Costa Rica (Salminen 2007).

7 (Shifting)

Maléku Jaíka

[gut] 7 (Shifting). Recognized language (2014, Reforma del Subsistema de Educación Indígena N° 37801-MEP). 300 (Yasugi 2007). Ethnic population: 1,070 (2000).

Yiddish, Eastern

[ydd] 7 (Shifting).

8a (Moribund)

Brunca Sign Language

[rnb] 8a (Moribund). Unknown number of users but the language is still presumably in use (2021 J. Woodward).

Southwestern Caribbean English Creole

[jam] 8a (Moribund). 55,100 in Costa Rica (Winkler 2013).

9 (Dormant)

Boruca

[brn] 9 (Dormant). No known L1 speakers (2010 D. Castro-Garcia). 3 semi-speakers (Adelaar 2007). Ethnic population: 2,590 (2011 census).

Bribri Sign Language

[rib] 9 (Dormant). No known L1 users (2021). The 3 deaf people who used it died in 1991, with only very elderly hearing people remembering any of it (2021 J. Woodward).

Teribe

[tfr] 9 (Dormant). No known L1 speakers in Costa Rica. Ethnic population: 1,270 (2011 census).

Unestablished

Chinese, Yue

[yue] Unestablished. 4,500 in Costa Rica (2011 J. Leclerc).

Costa Rica

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