Latvia

Summary

Official Name: Republic of Latvia
Population: 1,875,000
Principal Languages: Standard Latvian
Literacy Rate: 100% (2018 UNESCO)
International Conventions: CDE (1960), CPPDCE (2006), CSICH (2012), FCPNM (1998), ICCPR (1966), UNCRPD (2006), UNDRIP (2007)
General References: Campbell and King 2011, Kibrik 1991
Language Counts: The number of established languages listed for Latvia is 13. Of these, 11 are living and 2 are extinct. Of the living languages, 5 are indigenous and 6 are non-indigenous. Furthermore, 3 are institutional, 5 are developing, 1 is in trouble, and 2 are dying. Also listed are 11 unestablished languages and 1 macrolanguage.

Languages

Armenian, Western hyw: Users: 1,680 in Latvia (2018). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Armenian
Azerbaijani, North azj: Users: 2,430 in Latvia (2018). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Turkic, Southern, Azerbaijani
Belarusian bel: Users: 61,600 in Latvia (2018). Ethnic population: 78,800 (2018). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, East
Chuvash chv: Users: 1,340 in Latvia (2018). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Turkic, Bolgar
English eng: Users: 914,000 in Latvia (European Commission 2012), L2 users. Status: 4 (Educational). Alternate Names: Angļu Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English
Estonian, Standard ekk: Users: 2,180 in Latvia (2018). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Uralic, Finnic
French fra: Users: 20,200 in Latvia (Marcoux et al 2022), L2 users. Status: 5* (Dispersed). Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Oïl, French
Georgian kat: Users: 1,000 in Latvia (2018). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Kartvelian, Georgian
German, Standard deu: Users: 214,790 in Latvia, all users. L1 users: 2,790 in Latvia (2020). L2 users: 212,000 (2018 Eurostat). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Alternate Names: Deutsch Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, German, Middle German, East Middle German
Krevinian zkv: Bauskas province: Bauske. Users: No known L1 speakers. Last speaker died in the mid 1800s. Status: 10 (Extinct). Alternate Names: Krevin, Krieviņu dialekts Classification: Uralic, Finnic
Latgalian ltg: Aglona, Baltinava, Balvi, Cibla, Dagda, Daugavpils, Kārsava, Kraslava, Livāni, Ludza, Preili, Riebiņi, Rugāji, Varakļāni, Vārkava, Viļaka, and Viļāni municipalities; Rezekne City; generally east of the Balvi–Pechory (Russia) highway. Users: 200,000 in Latvia (2009 J. Eisaks). Status: 5* (Developing). Alternate Names: Latgaliešu Autonym: Latgališu Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Baltic, Eastern
Latvian lav: Users: Population total all languages (L1 only): 1,735,500. Status:
Latvian Sign Language lsl: Scattered. Users: 2,000 (2021 EUD). Approximately 0.1%. Another estimate: 9,900 (2014 IMB). Status: 5 (Developing). Recognized language (1999, Official Language Law, Section 3(3), 1999-09-12), Ensures development and use for communication with people of impaired hearing. Alternate Names: LZV, Latviešu Zīmju Valoda Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language
Latvian, Standard lvs: Widespread. Users: 1,832,000 in Latvia, all users. L1 users: 1,370,000 in Latvia (European Commission 2012). L2 users: 462,000 (European Commission 2012). Total users in all countries: 1,998,460 (as L1: 1,536,460; as L2: 462,000). Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (1998, Constitution, Article 4). Autonym: Latviešu valoda, Latviski Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Baltic, Eastern
Lithuanian lit: Users: 23,100 in Latvia (2018). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Baltic, Eastern
Liv liv: Dundaga and Ventspils municipalities: 12 coastal villages; narrow strip along Baltic coast; Riga city. Users: 20, all users. L1 users: No known L1 speakers. Last speaker, Grizelda Kristina, died in 2013 (2013 D. Charter). L2 users: 20 (Metslang et al 2015). Ethnic population: 250 (Metslang et al 2015). Status: 9 (Dormant). Alternate Names: Livonian Autonym: Livõ kēļ, Rāndakēļ Classification: Uralic, Finnic
Polish pol: Users: 40,400 in Latvia (2018). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, West, Lechitic
Romani, Baltic rml: Scattered: western Latvia; Riga. Users: 6,700 in Latvia (2018). Status: 5* (Developing). Alternate Names: Balt Romani, Balt Slavic Romani, Baltic Slavic Romani, Romani Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Intermediate Divisions, Western, Romani, Northern
Romanian ron: Users: 3,350 in Latvia (2018). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Eastern
Russian rus: Major cities. Users: 1,775,000 in Latvia, all users. L1 users: 485,000 in Latvia (2018 World Factbook). L2 users: 1,290,000 (European Commission 2012). Status: 3 (Wider communication). Alternate Names: Krievu Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, East
Tatar tat: Users: 2,850 in Latvia (2018). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Turkic, Western, Uralian
Ukrainian ukr: Users: 42,300 in Latvia (2018). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, East
Võro vro: Aluksnes municipality: north, along Estonian border. Status: 6b* (Threatened). Alternate Names: Võro kiil Classification: Uralic, Finnic
Yiddish, Eastern ydd: Scattered. Users: 2,000 in Latvia (2017). Status: 8a (Moribund). Alternate Names: Judeo-German Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, Yiddish
Zemgalian xzm: Bauskas, Jelgava, Jurmala, Ķekava, Marupe, Ogre, Olaine, Riga City, and Ropaži municipalities. Users: No known L1 speakers in Latvia. The last speaker likely died by the 16th century. Total users in all countries: none known. Status: 10 (Extinct). Alternate Names: Semigallian Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Baltic, Eastern

Maps

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania

Graphs

Language Vitality Profile
Full explanation
This graph shows the profile of languages in Latvia with respect to their level of language vitality. Each individual language that has an entry for Latvia 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 Latvia with respect to their status of language development versus language endangerment. Each individual language that has an entry for Latvia 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 Latvia 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 Latvia ($149.95, 27 page PDF)

Latvia

Summary

Languages

Languages by Status

Maps

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania

Graphs

Language Vitality Profile

Language Status Profile

Resources

Contributions

Editorial Action