Languages of Bolivia

The languages of Bolivia include Spanish, at least 30 indigenous languages, most prominently Quechua, Aymara, and Tupi Guaraní, and other languages such as Plautdietsch spoken by descendants of immigrants. All of the indigenous languages and Spanish are official languages of the state according to the 2009 Constitution. Spanish and Quechua are spoken primarily in the Andes region; Aymara is mainly spoken in the Altiplano around Lake Titicaca, and Guaraní in the southeast on the border with Paraguay.

"In Bolivia through Act 269 Art. 8 and Political Constitution Art. 5 establish the following languages as official of the state." (COUTHBERT, George,"Official Languages of Plurinational State of Bolivia", Apuntes Juridicos™, 2012 Consulta: Sabado, 25 Agosto de 2012)

List of languages [edit]

Geographic distribution of the indigenous languages of Bolivia.

All of the following languages are spoken in Bolivia:

Araona
Aymara
- Central Aymara
Ayoreo
Baure
Callahuaya/Callawalla/Kallawaya
Canichana
Cavineña
Cayubaba
Chiquitano
Guaraní
- Eastern Bolivian Guaraní
Iñapari
Itonama
Leco
Machiguenga
Movima
Moxos
Pacahuara
Plautdietsch
Puquina language
Quechua variants
- Ayacucho Quechua
- Qusqu-Qullaw
- South Bolivian Quechua
- Southern Quechua
Reyesano
Saraveca
Sirionó
Spanish.
Tacana
Tapieté
Toromona
Uru-Chipaya: See Chipaya, Uru
Western Argentine Guaraní
Wichí Lhamtés Nocten
Wichí Lhamtés Vejoz
Yaminawa
Yuracaré

Demographics [edit]

Language	people	percent
Quechua	2,281,198	25.08%
Aymara	1,525,321	16.77%
Guaraní	62,575	0.69%
Another native	49,432	0.54%
Spanish	6,821,626	75.01%
Foreign	250,754	2.76%
Only native	960,491	10.56%
Native and Spanish	2,739,407	30.12%
Spanish and foreign	4,115,751	45.25%
Only Spanish	4,082,219	44.89%
All native	3,918,526	43.09%

Official status [edit]

The 2009 Constitution specifies 37 languages as official:

Article 5-I: Son idiomas oficiales del Estado el castellano y todos los idiomas de las naciones y pueblos indígena originario campesinos, que son el aymara, araona, baure, bésiro, canichana, cavineño, cayubaba, chácobo, chimán, ese ejja, guaraní, guarasu'we, guarayu, itonama, leco, machajuyai-kallawaya, machineri, maropa, mojeño-trinitario, mojeño-ignaciano, moré, mosetén, movima, pacawara, puquina, quechua, sirionó, tacana, tapieté, toromona, uru-chipaya, weenhayek, yawanawa, yuki, yuracaré y zamuco.^[1]

The Bolivian government and the departmental governments are also required to use at least two languages in their operation, while smaller-scale autonomous governments must also use two, including Spanish.^[2]

Following the National Education Reform of 1994, all thirty indigenous languages were introduced alongside Spanish in the country's schools.^[3] However, many schools did not implement the reforms, especially urban schools.^{[citation needed]}

References [edit]

^ Bolivian Constitution
^ Nueva Constitución Política Del Estado, Aprobada en grande, detalle y revisión. December 2007, article 5.
^ Hornberger, Nancy. 1997. Language policy, language education, language rights: Indigenous, immigrant, and international perspectives. Language in Society 27:443. Retrieved on April 28, 2009.