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Essentials

HN

Honduras

Summary

Population
10,433,000
Principal Languages
Spanish
Literacy Rate
87% (2018 UNESCO)
International Conventions
CDE (1960), CPPDCE (2006), CSICH (2012), ICCPR (1966), (), UNCRPD (2006), UNDRIP (2007)
General References
Campbell 1997, Campbell and Oltrogge 1980, Oltrogge 1977, Rivas 1993
Deaf Population
18,000–70,000
Language Counts
The number of established languages listed for Honduras is 10. All are living languages. Of these, 8 are indigenous and 2 are non-indigenous. Furthermore, 1 is institutional, 4 are developing, 2 are in trouble, and 3 are dying. Also listed are 3 unestablished languages.

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Country Digest

Browse Country Digests

Explore all 10 languages used in Honduras with Ethnologue: Languages of Honduras—a downloadable PDF document that provides detailed analysis presented in formats not available in the online version of Ethnologue. It includes:

  • Comprehensive country overview.
  • Statistical summaries by language status, size, and family.
  • Alphabetical listing of languages in the country, with in-depth descriptions.
  • Full-color language map(s) for visual reference.
  • Listings by population, status, family, and region.
  • Indexes of ISO 639 codes and alternate language names.

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Languages

Arabic, Levantine apc
    Users: 34,000 in Honduras (2023 Joshua Project), based on ethnicity.
    Status: Unestablished.
    Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic.
Armenian, Western hyw
    Users: 1,900 in Honduras (2024 Joshua Project), based on ethnicity.
    Status: Unestablished.
    Classification: Indo-European, Armenian.
Ch’orti’ caa
    Location: Copán department: along Guatemala border.
    Users: No known L1 speakers in Honduras. Ethnic population: 33,300 (2013 census).
    Status: 9 (Dormant).
    Classification: Mayan, Yucatecan-Core Mayan, Core Mayan, Cholan-Tzeltalan, Cholan, Chorti-Cholti.
Chinese, Yue yue
    Location: Tegucigalpa.
    Users: 7,200 in Honduras (2023 Joshua Project), based on ethnicity.
    Status: Unestablished.
    Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese.
English eng
    Location: Islas de la Bahía department; large cities along north mainland coast.
    Users: 33,400 in Honduras (2021), including 14,300 speakers of Bay Island Creole English and 19,100 English speakers on the mainland.
    Status: 5* (Dispersed).
    Alternate Names: Inglés.
    Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English.
Garifuna cab
    Location: Atlántida and Colón departments; Cortes department: north coast between Masca and Plaplaya in Gracias a Dios department; Islas de la Bahía (Roatan island) department; cities: La Ceiba, Puerto Cortés, San Pedro Sula, and Tegucigalpa; 37 villages.
    Users: 43,100 in Honduras (2013 census), based on ethnicity. 100 monolinguals. Ethnic population: 100,000 (2021 J. Leclerc). Total users in all countries: 119,400.
    Status: 6b (Threatened).
    Alternate Names: Black Carib, Caribe, Central American Carib, Garínagu, Karif.
    Autonym: Garífuna.
    Classification: Maipurean, Northern, Maritime, Ta-Maipurean, Iñeri.
Honduran Sign Language hds
    Location: Scattered.
    Users: 40,000 (2021 DBS/DOOR/SIL). Estimated 30,000–60,000 deaf signers, assuming 0.3%–0.6% of the total population. Other estimates: 34,800 (2008 WFD), 18,000–70,000 (Williams 2010:5).
    Status: 5 (Developing). Recognized language (2013, Decreto no. 321-2013), Recognizes LESHO as a means of communication for deaf and the general population, provides for use in deaf education, training of interpreters and provision of interpreters for official government communications.
    Alternate Names: Honduras Sign Language, LESHO, Lengua de señas hondureña, Lengua de señas hondureñas.
    Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language.
Lenca len
    Location: Comayagua, Francisco Morazán, Intibucá, La Paz, Lempira, and Valle departments.
    Users: No known L1 speakers. Last fluent speaker probably died by the 1970s (Campbell et al 1978). Some semi-speakers (Adelaar 2007). Ethnic population: 454,000 (2013 census).
    Status: 9 (Dormant).
    Alternate Names: Honduran Lenca, Lenka.
    Classification: Lencan.
Mayangna yan
    Location: Colón department: southeast corner; Gracias a Dios and Olancho departments: between Patuca and Wanki rivers.
    Users: 700 in Honduras (1997 SIL). Ethnic population: 2,690 (2013 census).
    Status: 5 (Developing).
    Alternate Names: Sumu, Tawahka.
    Classification: Misumalpan.
Mískito miq
    Location: Colón department; Gracias a Dios and Olancho departments, south, Coco river watershed; coastal area, and northwest from Puerto Lempira.
    Users: 29,000 in Honduras (Rivas 1993). Ethnic population: 80,000 (2013 census).
    Status: 5 (Developing).
    Alternate Names: Marquito, Misquito, Mosco, Mosquito, Mískitu, Mísquito.
    Classification: Misumalpan.
Pech pay
    Location: Colón department: near Caribbean coast; Olancho department: Dulce Nombre de Culmi and Catamacas municipalities.
    Users: 300 (Yasugi 2007). Ethnic population: 6,020 (2013 census).
    Status: 8a (Moribund).
    Alternate Names: Paya, Pesh, Seco.
    Classification: Chibchan, Chibchan B.
Spanish spa
    Users: 10,292,000 in Honduras, all users. L1 users: 10,100,000 in Honduras (2022). L2 users: 192,000 (2022).
    Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (1982, Constitution, Article 6).
    Alternate Names: Castellano, Español.
    Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, West Iberian, Castilian.
Tol jic
    Location: Francisco Morazán department: Montaña de la Flor and Yoro.
    Users: 300 (Yasugi 2007). Ethnic population: 19,000 (2013 census).
    Status: 7 (Shifting).
    Alternate Names: Tolpan, Tolupan, Torrupan, “Jicaque” (pej.), “Xicaque” (pej.).
    Autonym: Tol.
    Classification: Jicaquean.

Languages by Status

    Spanish
    [spa] 1 (National). Statutory national language (1982, Constitution, Article 6). 10,292,000 in Honduras, all users. L1 users: 10,100,000 in Honduras (2022). L2 users: 192,000 (2022).
    English
    [eng] 5* (Dispersed). 33,400 in Honduras (2021), including 14,300 speakers of Bay Island Creole English and 19,100 English speakers on the mainland.
    Honduran Sign Language
    [hds] 5 (Developing). Recognized language (2013, Decreto no. 321-2013), Recognizes LESHO as a means of communication for deaf and the general population, provides for use in deaf education, training of interpreters and provision of interpreters for official government communications. 40,000 (2021 DBS/DOOR/SIL). Estimated 30,000–60,000 deaf signers, assuming 0.3%–0.6% of the total population. Other estimates: 34,800 (2008 WFD), 18,000–70,000 (Williams 2010:5).
    Mayangna
    [yan] 5 (Developing). 700 in Honduras (1997 SIL). Ethnic population: 2,690 (2013 census).
    Mískito
    [miq] 5 (Developing). 29,000 in Honduras (Rivas 1993). Ethnic population: 80,000 (2013 census).
    Garifuna
    [cab] 6b (Threatened). 43,100 in Honduras (2013 census), based on ethnicity. 100 monolinguals. Ethnic population: 100,000 (2021 J. Leclerc). Total users in all countries: 119,400.
    Tol
    [jic] 7 (Shifting). 300 (Yasugi 2007). Ethnic population: 19,000 (2013 census).
    Pech
    [pay] 8a (Moribund). 300 (Yasugi 2007). Ethnic population: 6,020 (2013 census).
    Ch’orti’
    [caa] 9 (Dormant). No known L1 speakers in Honduras. Ethnic population: 33,300 (2013 census).
    Lenca
    [len] 9 (Dormant). No known L1 speakers. Last fluent speaker probably died by the 1970s (Campbell et al 1978). Some semi-speakers (Adelaar 2007). Ethnic population: 454,000 (2013 census).
    Arabic, Levantine
    [apc] Unestablished. 34,000 in Honduras (2023 Joshua Project), based on ethnicity.
    Armenian, Western
    [hyw] Unestablished. 1,900 in Honduras (2024 Joshua Project), based on ethnicity.
    Chinese, Yue
    [yue] Unestablished. 7,200 in Honduras (2023 Joshua Project), based on ethnicity.

Graphs

  • Language Vitality Profile

  • Language Status Profile

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