UY
Uruguay
Summary
Official Name
International Conventions
CDE (2004), CPPDCE (2007), CSICH (2007), ICCPR (1970), UNCRPD (2009), UNDRIP (2007)
Population
3,449,000
Principal Languages
Spanish
Literacy Rate
99% (2018 UNESCO)
Language Counts
The number of established languages listed for Uruguay is 6. All are living languages. Of these, 1 is indigenous and 5 are non-indigenous. Furthermore, 1 is institutional and 5 are developing. Also listed are 6 unestablished languages.
Languages
- English eng
- Montevideo, Paysandú, and Río Negro. Users: 832,000 in Uruguay, all users. L1 users: 2,000 in Uruguay (2016). L2 users: 830,000 (2019 census). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English
- French fra
- Users: 20,500 in Uruguay (2018). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Oïl, French
- Galician glg
- Users: 40,900 in Uruguay (2016). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, West Iberian, Portuguese-Galician
- German, Standard deu
- Montevideo and Paysandú departments. Users: 30,600 in Uruguay (2016). Ethnic population: 40,000 (2017). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Alternate Names: Alemán, Deutsch Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, German, Middle German, East Middle German
- Greek ell
- Users: 14,300 in Uruguay (2016). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Greek, Attic
- Italian ita
- Users: 89,900 in Uruguay (2016). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Italo-Dalmatian
- Plautdietsch pdt
- Users: 2,000 in Uruguay (Salminen 2007). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, Low Saxon-Low Franconian, Low Saxon
- Portuguese por
- Users: 30,600 in Uruguay (2016). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Alternate Names: Portugués del Uruguay, Portunhol, Portuñol, Uruguayan Portuguese Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, West Iberian, Portuguese-Galician
- Russian rus
- Users: 14,300 in Uruguay (2016 J. Leclerc). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, East
- Spanish spa
- Users: 3,485,700 in Uruguay, all users. L1 users: 3,430,000 in Uruguay (Instituto Cervantes 2019). L2 users: 55,700 (Instituto Cervantes 2019). Status: 1 (National). De facto national language. Alternate Names: Español Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, West Iberian, Castilian
- Uruguayan Sign Language ugy
- Scattered. Users: 7,000 (Belloso 2009). Approximately 0.2% of total population. Status: 5 (Developing). Recognized language (2001, Law no. 17.378). Alternate Names: LSU, Lengua de Señas Uruguaya Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language
- Yiddish, Eastern ydd
- Scattered. Status: 5* (Dispersed). Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, Yiddish
Languages by Status
Spanish
[spa] 1 (National). De facto national language. 3,485,700 in Uruguay, all users. L1 users: 3,430,000 in Uruguay (Instituto Cervantes 2019). L2 users: 55,700 (Instituto Cervantes 2019).
German, Standard
[deu] 5* (Dispersed). 30,600 in Uruguay (2016). Ethnic population: 40,000 (2017).
Portuguese
[por] 5* (Dispersed). 30,600 in Uruguay (2016).
Yiddish, Eastern
[ydd] 5* (Dispersed).
English
[eng] 5* (Dispersed). 832,000 in Uruguay, all users. L1 users: 2,000 in Uruguay (2016). L2 users: 830,000 (2019 census).
Uruguayan Sign Language
[ugy] 5 (Developing). Recognized language (2001, Law no. 17.378). 7,000 (Belloso 2009). Approximately 0.2% of total population.
Language Vitality Profile
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Language Status Profile
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