Navajo

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A language of United States

ISO 639-3
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Alternate Names
Navaho
Population

171,000 (2010 census). 7,600 monolinguals. Ethnic population: 266,000 (Ichihashi-Nakayama 2007).

Location

Northeast Arizona, northwest New Mexico, southeast Utah; a few in Colorado.

Language Maps
Language Status

6b (Threatened).

Classification
Eyak-Athabaskan, Athabaskan, Apachean
Language Use

Vigorous in some families. L1 speakers among first graders are 30% versus 90% in 1968 (1998). Immersion program in several schools; formally taught at several universities (Golla 2007). Wide range of functions.

Language Development
High literacy. New media. Dictionary. Bible: 1985–2000.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Navajo
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Ethnonym: Diné, preferred.