Ecology of Pressures and Linguistic Vitality of the Yoremnokki Language in Sinaloa

Abstract

The study of endangered languages is still of great importance, however, on one hand, the methods of analysis aren’t always presented in an integrated or holistic manner, and on the other hand, the languages aren’t always available to be studied; this is the case for the yoremnokki language in the northwest of Mexico, for which a holistic study is presented using UNESCO’s linguistic vitality and ecology of pressures. The linguistic shift of the yoremnokki language is a fact; to study this phenomenon, an ethnographic study was carried out in 2019 in the North of Sinaloa, Mexico in the yoreme mayo region. We found that there are more factors for the displacement of the yoremnokki language than there are for its maintenance. The centennial restriction generational transmission is one of the factors that most influence the movement of the linguistic yoremnokki; although the yoreme mayo population grew from 1985 to date, in proportion to the total population, it is decreasing. There are fewer and fewer spaces in their domain; the last refuge is that of festivals and rituals. New spaces have been opened, radio, telephones, internet and higher education, but they are limited. Few written materials are available but the recent establishment of the writing standard represents a major step in maintaining it. Even though the language doesn’t appear as officially high risk in Mexico, urgent measures should be taken to revitalize this language.