Page Type: languageGalician | Ethnologue

GLG ISO 639-3

Galician

Galego Autonym

A language of Spain

ISO 639
glg
Alternate Names
Gallego
Autonym
Galego
Population
2,320,000 in Spain (European Commission 2012). Total users in all countries: 3,127,900.
Location:
Castille and Leon autonomous community: western Leon and Zamora provinces; western Asturias and Galicia autonomous communities.
Language Status
2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial language in Galicia Autonomous Community (1981, Autonomy Statute, Act 1 of 6 April, Article 5).
Classification
Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, West Iberian, Portuguese-Galician
Dialects
Galician is reportedly between Portuguese [por] and Spanish [spa], but is more similar to Portuguese, which has about 85% intelligibility (1989 R. Hall). Many dialects.
Language Use
Also use Spanish [spa].
Language Development
Academy of the Galician Language. Decades of development as literary language, including poetry and essays for all levels of education. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible: 1989–1992.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Galician
Writing
Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments
Growing sense of ethnic identity.

Also Spoken in

Language Name
Galician
User Population
752,000 in Argentina (2018). , based on nationality.
Language Status
5 (Dispersed)
Other Comments
Non-indigenous.
View other languages of Argentina
Language Name
Galician
User Population
15,000 in Portugal (1994 SIL).
Location
Bragança and Vila Real districts: northern portions.
Dialects
Rionorese (Rionorês), Guadramilese (Guadramilês).
Language Status
5 (Dispersed)
View other languages of Portugal
Language Name
Galician
User Population
40,900 in Uruguay (2016).
Language Status
Unestablished
Other Comments
Non-indigenous.
View other languages of Uruguay

Map

Location: Castille and Leon autonomous community: western Leon and Zamora provinces; western Asturias and Galicia autonomous communities.