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The ChoctawLanguage is an WesternMuskogeanLanguage of the UnitedStates. SIL code: CCT. ISO 639-2: cho. Population: 17,890 speakers including 11,140 in Oklahoma (1998), 6,750 fluent speakers in Mississippi (1997). Ethnic group: 120,400 including 111,400 in Oklahoma (1998 Choctaw Language Department, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma), 9,000 in Mississippi (1997 Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians). Region: Principally in southeastern Oklahoma (McCurtain County) and east central Mississippi. Some in Louisiana and Tennessee. Comments: Recent reports indicate that Choctaw speakers find Chickasaw to be unintelligible. 24 years old and older in Oklahoma. Children are being raised speaking Choctaw in Mississippi. Vigorous in Mississippi, but some children prefer English. The Houma are 12,000 racially mixed descendents of a Choctaw subgroup in southern Louisiana who speak a dialect of Cajun French, and no longer speak Choctaw. More Choctaw are registering with the BIA now than previously (R.S. Williams). Literacy rate in first language: 5% to 10%. Literacy rate in second language: 75% to 100%. NT 1848.(extract from http://www.ethnologue.com/)
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