The Languages spoken in Honduras
The official and dominant national language of Honduras is Spanish, which is widely spoken in the country for more than 200 years. Having a distinct accent, the Honduran Spanish is replete with some words that are not found or heard in other Spanish-speaking countries. English is also spoken by some 31,500 Hondurans especially in the Bay Islands or northern part of the country. The other languages considered as immigrant languages, include Garifuna, which has 98,000 speakers in the country including those in five departments and 37 villages, and the Caribbean coasts especially if this has elements of French, Spanish and English; Arabic, spoken by about 42,000 people; Armenian, 1,300; Yue Chinese, 1,000; Chinese, 2,000; Pech, 2,586 in north central coast; Miskito, 29,000 in Gracia A Dios department; Turkish, 900; and Chiorti, spoken by a few people in the Guatemala border. Tol is also spoken by about 500 people in the Yoro and Morazan departments and in the country’s north central areas. Sumotawahka has 700 speakers in the banks of Patuka river, Gracias A Dios, and part of the Olancho department.
There are also Amerindian languages in the country such as Zambo, Paya, and Xicaque, but their number of speakers and areas are not known. Already used as a language of education, the government, commerce and the media, Spanish continues to be promoted in several Spanish schools for both the Hondurans and non-Spanish speaking foreigners. The purpose of their curriculum is to make Hondurans more proficient in the language, and allow foreigners to learn it and use it to their own advantage when they return home to their respective countries.