← Back to Fala2Me

minority language

[mɪˈnɔrɪti ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ]
nounpl: minority languages
língua minoritária
1. A language spoken by a minority group within a country or region, typically having fewer speakers than the dominant or official language
Basque is a minority language in Spain.
O basco é uma língua minoritária na Espanha.
2. A language at risk of disappearing due to the dominance of larger languages and fewer speakers transmitting it to new generations
Many indigenous minority languages are endangered.
Muitas línguas minoritárias indígenas estão em perigo de extinção.
Synonyms
endangered languagelesser-used languagenon-dominant language
Antonyms
majority languageofficial languagedominant language

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
língua minoritária
Standard usage in academic and official contexts
São Paulo
língua minoritária
Common in educational and cultural discussions
Portugal
língua minoritária
Standard usage; sometimes 'língua minoritária' or 'língua de minoria'

Related Idioms & Phrases

language rights
linguistic diversity
language preservation
mother tongue
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →