Chile

Summary

Official Name
Population: 19,212,000
Principal Languages: Spanish
Literacy Rate: 98% (2015 World Factbook)
International Conventions: CDE (1960), CPPDCE (2006), CSICH (2012), ICCPR (1966), (), UNCRPD (2006), UNDRIP (2007)
General References: Besnier 1992, Campbell 1997, Campbell and King 2011, Crevels 2007, Fabre 2007, Tovar 1961, Tovar 1966, Tovar and Larrucea de Tovar 1984, Wurm and Hattori 1981
Deaf Population: 66,500 (2002 census)
Language Counts: The number of established languages listed for Chile is 13. Of these, 12 are living and 1 is extinct. Of the living languages, 9 are indigenous and 3 are non-indigenous. Furthermore, 2 are institutional, 2 are developing, 1 is vigorous, 3 are in trouble, and 4 are dying. Also listed are 2 unestablished languages.

Languages

Aymara, Central ayr: Antofagasta, Arica and Parinacota, and Tarapacá regions: Iquique area, extreme north mountains. Users: 19,000 in Chile (Fabre 2007). Ethnic population: 48,500 (2002). About half have some knowledge of the language (Crevels 2007). Status: 6b* (Threatened). Recognized language (1993, Indigenous Peoples Law (No. 19.253)), Bilingual education programs in highland areas. Alternate Names: Aimara, Aymar, Aymar aru Classification: Aymaran, Aymara
Chilean Sign Language csg: Scattered. Users: 21,000 (Parks et al 2011a). 292,700 people with some level of auditory deficiency (2005 Fondo Nacional de la Discapacidad); 66,500 people with total deafness (23,900 less than 60 years old) (2002 census); others give estimates as high as 500,000 users (2018 J. Atala). Status: 5 (Developing). Recognized language (2010, Article 26 of Law No. 20.422), recognizes sign language as the natural means of communication of the deaf community. Alternate Names: LENSE, LSCh, Lengua de Señas Chilena, Lenguaje Chileno de Signos, Lenguaje de Señas Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language
English eng: Users: 1,965,500 in Chile, all users. L1 users: 15,500 in Chile (2020 Joshua Project). L2 users: 1,950,000 (2019 World Factbook). Status: 4 (Educational). Alternate Names: Inglés Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English
German, Standard deu: Major cities. Users: 45,000 in Chile (2020 Joshua Project), based on ethnicity. Status: 5* (Dispersed). Alternate Names: Alemán, Deutsch Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, German, Middle German, East Middle German
Greek ell: Users: 7,000 in Chile (2020 Joshua Project). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Greek, Attic
Huilliche huh: Los Lagos and Los Ríos regions: Valdivia to Chiloé south of Mapuche. Users: A few elderly speakers (Crevels 2012). Ethnic population: 2,000 (1982 SIL). Status: 8b (Nearly extinct). Alternate Names: Huilche, Huiliche, Veliche, “Beliche” (pej.) Classification: Mapudungu
Italian ita: Users: 38,000 in Chile (2020 Joshua Project). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Italo-Dalmatian
Kunza kuz: Antofagasta region: El Loa province; Caspana, Peine, and Socaire (Salar de Atacama). Users: No known L1 speakers. The last speakers either died or shifted entirely to Spanish by 1978. Ethnic population: 21,000 (2002 census). Status: 9 (Dormant). Alternate Names: Atacameño, Likan Antai, Likanantaí, Lipe, Ulipe Classification: Language isolate
Mapudungun arn: Araucanía, Bíobío, Los Lagos, and Los Ríos regions: Arauco, Bíobío, Valdivia, Osorno. Users: 250,000 in Chile (Crevels 2007). Ethnic population: 604,000 (2002). Total users in all countries: 258,410. Status: 6b (Threatened). Recognized language (1993, Indigenous Peoples Law (No. 19.253)). Alternate Names: Araucana, Mapuche, Mapudungu, Mapuzungun, “Araucano” (pej.) Autonym: Mapudungun Classification: Mapudungu
Puquina puq: Arica and Parinacota region. Users: No known L1 speakers in Chile. Last speaker likely died in the 1700s. Status: 10 (Extinct). Alternate Names: Pukina Classification: Language isolate
Qawasqar alc: Magallanes region: West Patagonia, Channel area, Isle of Wellington off south Chilean coast, 49 degrees south. Center is Puerto Edén. Users: 12 (2006 O. Aguilera). 10 in Puerto Edén. Ethnic population: 100 (Crevels 2012). Status: 8b (Nearly extinct). Alternate Names: Alacalouf, Alacaluf, Alacalufe, Alaculoof, Alaculuf, Alakaluf, Alikaluf, Alikhoolip, Alikuluf, Alilkoolif, Alokolup, Alooculoof, Alookooloop, Alucaluf, Alukoeluf, Alukulup, Halakwulup, Kaweskar, Kawesqar Classification: Kaweskaran
Quechua, South Bolivian quh: Antofagasta region. Users: 1,000 in Chile (Crevels 2012). Ethnic population: 6,180 (Crevels 2012). Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Alternate Names: Qhichwa, Qhishwa Classification: Quechuan, Peripheral Quechua, Chinchay, Southern Chinchay
Rapa Nui rap: Valparaíso region: Easter Island, 3,800 km from Chile, 4,000 km from Tahiti. Users: 1,000 (2016 R. Weber). Ethnic population: 5,000 (Kieviet 2016). Approximately 3,600 on Easter Island. Status: 6b (Threatened). Recognized language (1993, Indigenous Peoples Law (No. 19.253)). Alternate Names: Easter Island, Pascuense, Rapanui Autonym: Rapa Nui Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Central Pacific, East Fijian-Polynesian, Polynesian, Nuclear, East, Rapanui
Spanish spa: Users: 19,083,000 in Chile, all users. L1 users: 18,300,000 in Chile (Instituto Cervantes 2019). L2 users: 783,000 (Instituto Cervantes 2019). Status: 1 (National). De facto national language. Alternate Names: Castellano, Español Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, West Iberian, Castilian
Yámana yag: Magallanes region: Patagonia area, Navarino island, Puerto Williams, Ukika hamlet. Users: No known L1 speakers in Chile (Reuters). Last fluent speaker, Cristina Calderón, died in 2019. Ethnic population: 70 (Crevels 2012). Total users in all countries: none known. Status: 9 (Dormant). Alternate Names: Tequenica, Yaghan, Yagán, Yahgan Autonym: Háusi Kúta Classification: Language isolate

Maps

Argentina and Chile

Graphs

Language Vitality Profile
Full explanation
This graph shows the profile of languages in Chile with respect to their level of language vitality. Each individual language that has an entry for Chile is included in the profile. The horizontal axis represents the estimated level of vitality. The height of each bar indicates the number of languages that are estimated to be at the given level.
The vitality levels and the color coding of the bars match the scheme used in the guide on How many languages are endangered? In this scheme, the levels and colors are as follows:
- Dark green = Institutional (EGIDS 0-4) — The language has been developed to the point that it is used and sustained by institutions beyond the home and community.
- Light green = Stable (EGIDS 5-6a) — The language is not being sustained by formal institutions, but It is still the norm in the home and community that all children learn and use the language.
- Red = Endangered (EGIDS 6b-9) — It is no longer the norm that children learn and use this language.
These three summary levels have been derived by grouping levels in the Expanded Graded Intergenerational Disruption Scale (EGIDS), which is the more fine-grained scale that Ethnologue uses to assess the status of every language in terms of development versus endangerment; see the Language Status page for a description of the levels of that scale. See also the pages on Development and Endangerment for more discussion.
Language Status Profile
Full explanation
This graph shows the profile of languages in Chile with respect to their status of language development versus language endangerment. Each individual language that has an entry for Chile is included in the profile. The horizontal axis represents the estimated level of development or endangerment as measured on the EGIDS scale. (See the pages on Development and Endangerment for a fuller explanation.) The height of each bar indicates the number of languages that are estimated to be at the given level. Consult the Status listings for Chile in order to see the specific languages for each level.
The color coding of the bars matches the color scheme used in the summary profile graphs on the navigation maps for the site. In this scheme, the EGIDS levels are grouped as follows:
- Purple = Institutional (EGIDS 0-4) — The language has been developed to the point that it is used and sustained by institutions beyond the home and community.
- Blue = Developing (EGIDS 5) — The language is in vigorous use, with literature in a standardized form being used by some though this is not yet widespread or sustainable.
- Green = Vigorous (EGIDS 6a) — The language is unstandardized and in vigorous use among all generations.
- Yellow = In trouble (EGIDS 6b-7) — Intergenerational transmission is in the process of being broken, but the child-bearing generation can still use the language so it is possible that revitalization efforts could restore transmission of the language in the home.
- Red = Dying (EGIDS 8a-9) — The only fluent users (if any) are older than child-bearing age, so it is too late to restore natural intergenerational transmission through the home; a mechanism outside the home would need to be developed.
- Black = Extinct (EGIDS 10) — The language has fallen completely out of use and no one retains a sense of ethnic identity associated with the language.

Resources

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Digest of the languages of Chile ($149.95, 26 page PDF)

Chile

Summary

Languages

Languages by Status

Maps

Argentina and Chile

Graphs

Language Vitality Profile

Language Status Profile

Resources

Contributions

Editorial Action