Mapudungun, also called Mapuche or Mapuzugun, is the language of the Mapuche people of south-central Chile and west-central Argentina, historically known as Araucanian, a name the Mapuche themselves avoid because of its colonial origin. Linguists classify it either as a language isolate or as the sole surviving member of a small, disputed Araucanian family alongside the extinct Huilliche language; it has about 410,000 native speakers as of 2024, though a 2002 study found only about 16 percent of ethnic Mapuche actively spoke it, with a further 18 percent as passive speakers. It holds no official national status in either Chile or Argentina, though since 2013 it has had official status in several Chilean municipalities including Galvarino, Padre Las Casas and Temuco.
Facts
RegionSpoken in south-central Chile and west-central Argentina by the Mapuche people. 1 Speaker CountA 2002 study found only about 16 percent of people who identify as Mapuche speak the language actively, with another 18 percent able to understand it without speaking it, so this figure covers native speakers broadly rather than fully active use. Proto-Language StatusMapudungun is classified as a language isolate, or more conservatively as an unclassified language, possibly related to the small Araucanian family alongside Huilliche; no proto-language has been established while researchers await more definitive evidence linking it to other languages. 1 In the Other Atlases
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Mapudungun
WikipediaLead section
spoken in south-central Chile and west-central Argentina by the Mapuche people.
Infobox, native speakers field (2024)
Native speakers: 410,000 (2024)
Classification section
classified as a language isolate, or more conservatively, an unclassified language while researchers await more definitive evidence linking it to other languages.
View the Source Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.