
| Chamorro |
![]() Official Status: Micronesia, Guam Home Speakers: Northern Marianas Background Chamorro is the native language of ethnic Chamorros on the Micronesian island of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, particularly Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. Chamorros represent less than half of the current population on Guam, and not all ethnic Chamorros, i.e. the younger generation, speak it. Latest figures show approximately 40,000 speakers of the language (out of a total population of 110,000) and about 12,000 speakers on the Marianas. Chamorro is one of the Micronesian languages belonging to the Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian) family. Numerous Spanish words in the vocabulary reflect the three centuries of Spanish rule in Guam. Reprinted from www.unhchr.ch/udhr/
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