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Spanish is the most widely spoken language in Mexico, however the government also recognizes 68 Mexican indigenous languages. Over 130 indigenous languages have actually gone extinct over the years, along with their customs and culture. This is why the Mexican government has made great efforts in order to preserve and promote the native languages and culture in the recent years.
Today, there are over 7 million speakers of indigenous languages in Mexico. Mexico is home to over 45 groups of indigenous languages, which are further divided into 364 dialects. Some of the most widely spoken languages, apart from Spanish, include Nahuatl, Maya, and Mixtec. Nahuatl is spoken by around 1.7 million people, Maya is spoken by around 850,000 people, and Mixtec is spoken by more than half a million people.
Spanish is the dominant and the de facto language in Mexico with about 95% of the population speaking the language, however it is not recognized as the official language in Mexican legislation, which allows for more rights to be given to Mexico’s other languages, including the right to use indigenous languages in official documents and governmental communication.
Mexican Spanish is different from European Spanish, although daily and written communication has many similarities. The vernacular language and dialects of each region are different, however, and the Mexican vocabulary is more old-fashioned than the European variant of the language. One of the most distinct differences between the two is the accent, which is significantly different in Mexican Spanish than European Spanish.
Most Mexicans also learn English as a second language. At regional levels, Mexicans speak Spanish and English. In eastern Mexico, Otomi and Totonac are the official languages, and in central Mexico, Nahuatl is the official language. In the south-east of the country, residents usually speak Mayan languages.
As per the National Institute of Indigenous Languages, 259 languages are in grave danger of extinction due to the languages having fewer than 100 speakers. One example of an endangered language is the Ayapaneco language, also known as Nnumte Oote.
Other minority dialects and languages include Catalan, Plautdietsch, and Chipilo Venetian, as well as the Yucatan Sign Language, Mexican Sign Language, and American Sign Language.
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