Costa Rica

Summary

Official Name
Population: 5,094,000
Principal Languages: Spanish
Literacy Rate: 98% (2018 UNESCO)
International Conventions: CDE (1960), CPPDCE (2006), CSICH (2012), ICCPR (1966), (), UNCRPD (2006), UNDRIP (2007)
General References: Adelaar 2007, Campbell 1997
Deaf Population: 26,240
Language Counts: The number of established languages listed for Costa Rica is 14. All are living languages. Of these, 8 are indigenous and 6 are non-indigenous. Furthermore, 1 is institutional, 2 are developing, 6 are in trouble, and 5 are dying. Also listed is 1 unestablished language.

Languages

Boruca brn: Puntarenas province: south coast between Golfito and Playa Bonita. Users: No known L1 speakers (2010 D. Castro-Garcia). 3 semi-speakers (Adelaar 2007). Ethnic population: 2,590 (2011 census). Status: 9 (Dormant). Alternate Names: Boruka, Borunca, Bronca, Brunca, Brunka, Burunca Classification: Chibchan, Chibchan A
Bribri bzd: Limón province: Talamanca cantón, along Lari, Telire, and Uren rivers; Puntarenas province: Buenos Aires cantón. Users: 7,000 (2011 census). Ethnic population: 12,800 (2011 census). Status: 6b* (Threatened). Alternate Names: Talamanca Autonym: Bribri Classification: Chibchan, Chibchan A, Viceitic
Bribri Sign Language rib: Limón province. Users: No known L1 users. The 3 deaf people who used it died in 1991, with only very elderly hearing people remembering any of it (2021 J. Woodward). Status: 9 (Dormant). Classification: Sign language, Shared sign language
Brunca Sign Language rnb: Puntarenas province: Buenos Aires cantón, Brunca village. Users: Unknown number of users but the language is still presumably in use (2021 J. Woodward). Status: 8a (Moribund). Classification: Sign language, Shared sign language
Cabécar cjp: Cartago, Limón, Puntarenas, San José provinces: Turrialba region. Users: 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). Status: 6b* (Threatened). Alternate Names: Chirripó Autonym: Cabécar Classification: Chibchan, Chibchan A, Viceitic
Chinese, Yue yue: Guanacaste, Limón, Puntarenas, and San José provinces. Users: 4,500 in Costa Rica (2011 J. Leclerc). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
Costa Rican Sign Language csr: Scattered. Users: 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). Status: 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)). Alternate Names: LESCO, Lengua de Señas Costarricense, Lenguaje de Señas Costarricense Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language
English eng: Users: 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). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English
Maléku Jaíka gut: Alajuela province: Tonjibe and Margarita reservations; northern lowlands. Users: 300 (Yasugi 2007). Ethnic population: 1,070 (2000). Status: 7 (Shifting). Recognized language (2014, Reforma del Subsistema de Educación Indígena N° 37801-MEP). Alternate Names: Guatuso, Malécu lhaíca Classification: Chibchan, Chibchan B, Votic
Ngäbere gym: Puntarenas province. Users: 2,840 in Costa Rica (2011 census). Ethnic population: 3,650 (2011 census). Status: 6b (Threatened). Alternate Names: Guaymí, Nove Classification: Chibchan, Chibchan A, Guaymiíc
Plautdietsch pdt: Heredia province: Sarapiqui area. Users: 2,000 in Costa Rica (Salminen 2007). Status: 6b* (Threatened). Alternate Names: Low German, Mennonite German Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, Low Saxon-Low Franconian, Low Saxon
Southwestern Caribbean English Creole jam: Limón province: East of San José, principally railroad area between Limón and Siquirres, road south of Limón. Users: 55,100 in Costa Rica (Winkler 2013). Status: 8a (Moribund). Alternate Names: Jamiekan, Limonese Creole, Limón Creole English Classification: Creole, English based, Atlantic, Western
Spanish spa: Users: 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). Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (1949, Constitution, Article 76). Alternate Names: Castellano, Español Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, West Iberian, Castilian
Teribe tfr: Puntarenas province: near Boruca Reservation. Users: No known L1 speakers in Costa Rica. Ethnic population: 1,270 (2011 census). Status: 9 (Dormant). Alternate Names: Naso, Terraba Classification: Chibchan, Chibchan A
Yiddish, Eastern ydd: San José. Status: 7 (Shifting). Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, Yiddish

Languages by Status

1 (National)

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. 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).

Maps

Costa Rica

Graphs

Language Vitality Profile
Full explanation
This graph shows the profile of languages in Costa Rica with respect to their level of language vitality. Each individual language that has an entry for Costa Rica 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 Costa Rica with respect to their status of language development versus language endangerment. Each individual language that has an entry for Costa Rica 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 Costa Rica 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 Costa Rica ($149.95, 24 page PDF)

Costa Rica

Summary

Languages

Languages by Status

Maps

Costa Rica

Graphs

Language Vitality Profile

Language Status Profile

Resources

Contributions

Editorial Action