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Concept
Hopi language
Summary
Hopi (Hopi: Hopílavayi) is a Uto-Aztecan language spoken by the Hopi people (a Puebloan group) of northeastern Arizona, United States.
The use of Hopi has gradually declined over the course of the 20th century. In 1990, it was estimated that more than 5,000 people could speak Hopi as a native language (approximately 75% of the population), but only 40 of them were monolingual in Hopi. The 1998 language survey of 200 Hopi people showed that 100% of Hopi elders (60 years or older) were fluent, but fluency in adults (40–59) was only 84%, 50% in young adults (20–39), and 5% in children (2–19).
Despite the apparent decline, Hopi and Navajo both are supported by bilingual education programs in Arizona, and children acquire the Native American languages as their first language. More recently, Hopi language programs for children on the reservation have been implemented.
Many Hopi children are being raised in the language. A comprehensive Hopi-English dictionary edited by Emory Sekaquaptewa and others has been published, and a group, the Hopi Literacy Project, has focused its attention on promoting the language. As of 2013, "a pilot language revitalization project, the Hopi Lavayi Nest Model Program, for families with children birth through 5," is being planned for the village of Sipaulovi.
In 2004, Mesa Media, a nonprofit organization, was created to help revitalize the language.
Since 2019, more recent Hopi language revitalization programs have been reported, involving language immersion for children.
Benjamin Whorf identifies four varieties (dialects) of Hopi:
First Mesa (or Whorf's Polacca)
Mishongnovi (or Whorf's Toreva)
Shipaulovi (or Whorf's Sipaulovi)
Third Mesa (or Whorf's Oraibi)
First Mesa is spoken on First Mesa (which is the eastern mesa) in Polacca village in Walpi pueblo and in other neighboring communities. A community of Arizona Tewa live on First Mesa, and its members 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.
Official source
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