| Description:
Hopi is a Uto-Aztecan language spoken by the Hopi people (a Pueblo group) of northeastern Arizona, USA, although today some Hopi are monolingual English speakers.
The use of the language gradually declined over the course of the 20th century. In 1990, it was estimated that over 5,000 other people could speak Hopi natively (approximately 70% of the population), at least 40 of them monolingual.
Due to the fact that relatively few people speak Hopi, it is in danger of extinction in the near future.
Many Hopi children are not being raised in the language, although a comprehensive Hopi-English dictionary edited by Emory Sekaquaptewa and others has been published, and a group called the Hopi Literacy Project has focused its attention on promoting the language.
Benjamin Whorf identifies four varieties (dialects) of Hopi:
First Mesa is spoken on First Mesa (which is the eastern mesa) in Polacca village in Walpi pueblo and in other neighboring communities. There is also a community of Arizona Tewa on First Mesa, the members of which speak Tewa in addition to a variety of Hopi and English and Spanish. Mishongnovi is spoken on Second Mesa (which is the central mesa) in Mishongnovi village...... full article at Wikipedia |
