Mískito

MIQ

provincial

Alternate Names: Marquito, Mískitu, Mísquito, Mosquito

Dialects: Baymuna (Baldam, Baymunana), Cabo (Kabo), Honduran Mískito (Mam), Tawira (Tauira), Wanki (Wangki). Reportedly most similar to Mayangna ,. Wanki dialect spoken in Puerto Cabeza area; other dialects in settlements southwest.

Genealogy:

Misumalpan

Demographics: 154,000 in Nicaragua (1993 census). Population total all countries: 183,000. Ethnic population: 154,000 (1993).

Language Use: Mainly adults. Also use English [eng], Nicaragua Creole English [bzk], Spanish [spa]. Used as L2 by Mayangna [yan], Spanish [spa].

Language Development: Literacy rate in L1: 52%–58%. Taught in primary schools. Bible: 1999.

Typology: SOV; articles, relatives after noun heads, word order distinguishes subject and object; verb affixes mark person and number; ergative; passive; CVC; nontonal.

Writing System: Latin

Nation of Origin: Nicaragua

Other Comments: Educational materials in Wanki. Christian.