El Salvador

Summary

Official Name

International Conventions

CPPDCE (2013), CSICH (2012), ICCPR (1979), UNCRPD (2007), UNDRIP (2007)

Population

6,481,000

Principal Languages

Spanish

Literacy Rate

89% (2018 UNESCO)

General References

Campbell 1997

Language Counts

The number of established languages listed for El Salvador is 7. Of these, 6 are living and 1 is extinct. Of the living languages, 2 are indigenous and 4 are non-indigenous. Furthermore, 3 are institutional, 2 are in trouble, and 1 is dying. Also listed are 3 unestablished languages.

Languages

American Sign Language ase: Scattered, mostly in and around San Salvador. Status: 6b* (Threatened). Alternate Names: ASL Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language
Arabic, North Levantine Spoken apc: Users: 1,300 in El Salvador (2021 Joshua Project). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
Cacaopera ccr: Morazan department. Users: No known L1 speakers. Last fluent speakers survived into the early 20th century. Status: 10 (Extinct). Classification: Misumalpan, Sumu-Cacaopera-Matagalpa, Cacaopera-Matagalpa
Chinese, Yue yue: Users: 1,500 in El Salvador (2021 Joshua Project). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese
Costa Rican Sign Language csr: Eastern region, particularly San Miguel (Ciupek-Reed 2012). Status: 6b* (Threatened). Alternate Names: LESCO, Lengua de Señas Costaricenses Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language
English eng: Users: 9,400 in El Salvador (2021 Joshua Project). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English
German, Standard deu: Users: 6,600 in El Salvador (2021 Joshua Project). , based on ethnicity. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, German, Middle German, East Middle German
Nahuat ppl: Ahuachapan, Chalatenango, La Libertad, La Paz, San Salvador, Santa Ana, and Sonsonate departments. West, interior highlands. Users: 1,300, all users. L1 users: 500 (2015 J. Stuart), increasing. L2 users: 800 (2015 J. Stuart). Ethnic population: 11,100 (2005 census). Status: 8a (Moribund). Recognized language (1993, Law to protect the national patrimony, Decree 513). Alternate Names: Nawat, Nicarao, “Pipil” (pej.) Autonym: Nahuat Classification: Uto-Aztecan, Southern Uto-Aztecan, Corachol-Aztecan, Core Nahua
Salvadoran Sign Language esn: Scattered. Users: 26,000 (2020 H. Harm). Estimated 26,000, or approximately 0.4% of the overall population (2020 H. Harm). Other estimates: 50%–75% of the total deaf signers use LESSA (Ciupek-Reed 2012). Status: 4 (Educational). Recognized language (2005, Acuerdo Nº 16-0132, August 12, 2005; Ley General de Educación, Art. 15-A (as amended 2014)). Alternate Names: El Salvadoran Sign Language, LESA, LESSA, Lengua de señas salvadoreñas Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language
Spanish spa: Widespread. Users: 6,479,200 in El Salvador, all users. L1 users: 6,460,000 in El Salvador (2019). L2 users: 19,200 (Instituto Cervantes 2019). Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (1983, Constitution, Article 62). Alternate Names: Castellano, Español Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, West Iberian, Castilian

Languages by Status

1 (National)

Spanish

[spa] 1 (National). Statutory national language (1983, Constitution, Article 62). 6,479,200 in El Salvador, all users. L1 users: 6,460,000 in El Salvador (2019). L2 users: 19,200 (Instituto Cervantes 2019).

4 (Educational)

Salvadoran Sign Language

[esn] 4 (Educational). Recognized language (2005, Acuerdo Nº 16-0132, August 12, 2005; Ley General de Educación, Art. 15-A (as amended 2014)). 26,000 (2020 H. Harm). Estimated 26,000, or approximately 0.4% of the overall population (2020 H. Harm). Other estimates: 50%–75% of the total deaf signers use LESSA (Ciupek-Reed 2012).

6b (Threatened)

American Sign Language

[ase] 6b* (Threatened).

Costa Rican Sign Language

[csr] 6b* (Threatened).

8a (Moribund)

Nahuat

[ppl] 8a (Moribund). Recognized language (1993, Law to protect the national patrimony, Decree 513). 1,300, all users. L1 users: 500 (2015 J. Stuart), increasing. L2 users: 800 (2015 J. Stuart). Ethnic population: 11,100 (2005 census).

10 (Extinct)

Cacaopera

[ccr] 10 (Extinct). No known L1 speakers. Last fluent speakers survived into the early 20th century.