Hopi language
Hopi (Hopi: Hopílavayi) is a Uto-Aztecan language spoken by the Hopi people (a Puebloan group) of northeastern Arizona, United States.
| Hopi | |
|---|---|
| Hopilàvayi | |
| Native to | United States |
| Region | Northeastern Arizona |
| Ethnicity | 7,400 Hopis (Golla 2007) |
Native speakers | 6,100 (2015 census) 40 monolinguals |
| Latin script | |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | hop |
| Glottolog | hopi1249 |
| ELP | Hopi |
Hopi is classified as Vulnerable by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger | |
| People | Hopi |
|---|---|
| Language | Hopilàvayi, Hand Talk |
| Country | Hopitutskwa |
The use of Hopi has gradually declined over the course of the 20th century. In 1990, it was estimated that more than 5,000 people could speak Hopi as a native language (approximately 75% of the population), but only 40 of them were monolingual in Hopi. The 1998 language survey of 200 Hopi people showed that 100% of Hopi elders (60 years or older) were fluent, but fluency in adults (40–59) was only 84%, 50% in young adults (20–39), and 5% in children (2–19).
Despite the apparent decline, Hopi and Navajo both are supported by bilingual education programs in Arizona, and children acquire the Native American languages as their first language. More recently, Hopi language programs for children on the reservation have been implemented.