Information about the Pomoan languages

Where are the Pomoan languages spoken?

These languages are spoken by indigenous peoples of North America on the Pacific Coast north of San Francisco in the state of California in the United States.

Who speaks these languages?

The speakers of Pomoan languages are members of the Pomo “First Nations” of North America who inhabited the region long before Europeans arrived and before the creation of the United States and Canada.

Total number of speakers (estimated):

Approximately 30 according to UNESCO

Classification

The Pomoan language family currently includes 4 living languages.

Eastern Pomo: extinct

Northeastern Pomo: extinct

Southeastern Pomo: extinct

Western Branch

Northern Pomo: 3 speakers by UNESCO

South Group

Kashaya (alternate names: Kashia; Southwestern Pomo): 24 speakers according to UNESCO

Central Pomo: 3 speakers according to UNESCO

Southern Pomo: 1 to 3 speakers according to UNESCO

Comments on the classification of Pomoan languages:

The term “Hokan” describes a hypothetical set of language families that would include the Pomoan languages, but also Yuman-Cochimis languages and some isolated languages of the western United States (primarily from California and north-western Mexico). The lack of data on many of these languages makes the exact delineation of this proposed family difficult to establish. Mithun (1999) notes that the “Hokan” group is “not yet considered to be a valid language family” (p 304). We follow Mithun’s classification here, and therefore present the Pomoan language family independently.

Are Pomoan languages in danger?

Yes, Pomoan languages are extremely endangered. Of the seven languages of this family, three are already considered extinct and three others (Northern Pomo, Southern Pomo, and Central Pomo), if not already extinct, are on the brink of extinction with between one and three native speakers – all of whom are very old. The Kashaya language has two dozen speakers who are also all very old. The whole Pomoan language family is in danger of disappearing in the very near future.

Sources:

Mithun, Marianne The languages of Native North America. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. (1999).

Campbell, Lyle. American Indian languages: the historical linguistics of Native America. Oxford: Oxford University Press. (1997)

Site devoted to American Indian languages:

http://www.native-languages.org/