China–Macao

Summary

Official Name: Macao Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China
Sovereignty Status: As a Special Administrative Region, Macao has a significant amount of autonomy in all areas except defence and foreign affairs
Population: 682,300
Principal Languages: Mandarin Chinese
Literacy Rate: 97% (2016 UNESCO)
Deaf Population: 1200
Language Counts: The number of established languages listed for China–Macao is 6. All are living languages. Of these, 2 are indigenous and 4 are non-indigenous. Furthermore, 4 are institutional, 1 is in trouble, and 1 is dying. Also listed is 1 unestablished language.

Languages

Chinese, Mandarin cmn: Users: 362,800 in China–Macao, all users. L1 users: 34,800 in China–Macao (2016 census). L2 users: 328,000 (2016 census). Status: 1 (National). Statutory national working language (1999, Basic Law, Article 9). Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
Chinese, Yue yue: Widespread. Users: 507,000 in China–Macao (2016 census). Status: 2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial language in Macao Special Administrative Region (1999, Basic Law, Article 9). Alternate Names: Macau Cantonese Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
English eng: Scattered. Users: 196,700 in China–Macao, all users. L1 users: 17,700 in China–Macao (2016 census). L2 users: 179,000 (2016 census). Status: 4 (Educational). Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English
Macanese mzs: Scattered. Users: 50 in China–Macao (Bradley 2007a). Ethnic population: 5,000 (Bradley 2007b). Status: 8b (Nearly extinct). Alternate Names: Macaense, Macao Creole Portuguese, Makista, Patuá Classification: Creole, Portuguese based
Macao Sign Language hks: Widespread. Users: 200 in China–Macao (Sze et al 2016), decreasing. At least 200 users (Sze et al 2016). Possibly as many as 600, assuming 0.1% of the total population. Ethnic population: 1,200 (Sze et al 2016). Approximately 1,200 deaf and hard of hearing, using a variety of language systems. Status: 7 (Shifting). Alternate Names: Macau Sign Language, MacauSL Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language
Portuguese por: Scattered. Users: 18,680 in China–Macao, all users. L1 users: 3,680 in China–Macao (2017 UNSD). L2 users: 15,000 (2016 census). Ethnic population: 11,700 (2016 census). Status: 2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial working language in Macao Special Administrative Region (1999, Basic Law, Article 9). Alternate Names: Português Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, West Iberian, Portuguese-Galician
Tagalog tgl: Users: 19,000 in China–Macao (2016 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Greater Central Philippine, Central Philippine, Tagalog

Languages by Status

1 (National)

Chinese, Mandarin

[cmn] 1 (National). Statutory national working language (1999, Basic Law, Article 9). 362,800 in China–Macao, all users. L1 users: 34,800 in China–Macao (2016 census). L2 users: 328,000 (2016 census).

2 (Provincial)

Chinese, Yue

[yue] 2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial language in Macao Special Administrative Region (1999, Basic Law, Article 9). 507,000 in China–Macao (2016 census).

Portuguese

[por] 2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial working language in Macao Special Administrative Region (1999, Basic Law, Article 9). 18,680 in China–Macao, all users. L1 users: 3,680 in China–Macao (2017 UNSD). L2 users: 15,000 (2016 census). Ethnic population: 11,700 (2016 census).

4 (Educational)

English

[eng] 4 (Educational). 196,700 in China–Macao, all users. L1 users: 17,700 in China–Macao (2016 census). L2 users: 179,000 (2016 census).

7 (Shifting)

Macao Sign Language

[hks] 7 (Shifting). 200 in China–Macao (Sze et al 2016), decreasing. At least 200 users (Sze et al 2016). Possibly as many as 600, assuming 0.1% of the total population. Ethnic population: 1,200 (Sze et al 2016). Approximately 1,200 deaf and hard of hearing, using a variety of language systems.

8b (Nearly extinct)

Macanese

[mzs] 8b (Nearly extinct). 50 in China–Macao (Bradley 2007a). Ethnic population: 5,000 (Bradley 2007b).

Unestablished

Tagalog

[tgl] Unestablished. 19,000 in China–Macao (2016 census).

Maps

Graphs

Language Vitality Profile
Full explanation
This graph shows the profile of languages in China–Macao with respect to their level of language vitality. Each individual language that has an entry for China–Macao 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 China–Macao with respect to their status of language development versus language endangerment. Each individual language that has an entry for China–Macao 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 China–Macao 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.

China–Macao

Summary

Languages

Languages by Status

Maps

Graphs

Language Vitality Profile

Language Status Profile

Contributions

Editorial Action