Languages of New York City Map

Site Details

Šëkošmi

Ishkashimi

Bensonhurst

Central Asia

Afghanistan

Tajikistan Pamiri

Community Profile: In New York today there may be as many as 300 Pamiris from the Gorno-Badakhshan region in southeastern Tajikistan, of whom all are Ismailis and the majority are Shughni speakers from in and around the regional capital of Khorog, though many came via Dushanbe. Small numbers also speak Rushani, Bartangi, Wakhi, and Ishkashimi. The first Pamiris arrived in NYC around 30 years ago, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union and in the wake of Tajikistan’s Civil War in the 1990s.

shkashimi is a highly endangered Pamiri language spoken in one village in the Pamir region of Tajikistan (Rin) and in neighboring Afghanistan, with very little documentation. In 2018, a team from ELA worked extensively with local language activists to record over 10 hours of songs, stories, conversations, and other materials in Rin, which are gradually being transcribed, translated, analyzed, and make public. In New York, ELA has identified just one speaker in Brooklyn and one in Queens.

Note that the language above may be used throughout the New York area — this is just one significant site.

Search Explore Data Census Info

Language	Endonym	World Region	Country	Global Speakers	Language Family	Location	Size	Status

Abakuá	Abakuá	Caribbean	Cuba			Lower East Side	Smallest	Liturgical
Abaza	Абаза	Western Asia	Turkey Russia	49,800	Abkhaz-Adyge	Wayne (NJ)	Smallest	Residential
Abruzzese	Abbruzzésə	Southern Europe	Italy		Indo-European	Astoria	Small	Residential
Abruzzese	Abbruzzésə	Southern Europe	Italy		Indo-European	Little Italy	Small	Historical
Acehnese	Bahsa Acèh	Southeastern Asia	Indonesia	3,500,000	Austronesian	Astoria	Smallest	Community
Acehnese	Bahsa Acèh	Southeastern Asia	Indonesia	3,500,000	Austronesian	Elmhurst	Smallest	Residential
Adjoukrou	Mɔjukru	Western Africa	Ivory Coast	140,000	Atlantic-Congo	Concourse	Smallest	Residential
Adyghe	К\|ахыбзэ	Western Asia	Turkey Russia	117,500	Abkhaz-Adyge	Wayne (NJ)	Small	Residential
Afenmai	Afenmai	Western Africa	Nigeria	270,000	Atlantic-Congo	Castle Hill	Smallest	Residential
African-American English	Black English	Northern America	United States	45,109,521	Indo-European	Bedford-Stuyvesant	Largest	Residential
African-American English	Black English	Northern America	United States	45,109,521	Indo-European	Newark (NJ)	Largest	Residential
African-American English	Black English	Northern America	United States	45,109,521	Indo-European	Clifton	Largest	Residential
African-American English	Black English	Northern America	United States	45,109,521	Indo-European	Hollis	Largest	Residential
African-American English	Black English	Northern America	United States	45,109,521	Indo-European	Edenwald	Largest	Residential
African-American English	Black English	Northern America	United States	45,109,521	Indo-European	Central Harlem	Largest	Residential
African-American English	Black English	Northern America	United States	45,109,521	Indo-European	Hempstead (NY)	Large	Residential
Afrikaans	Afrikaans	Southern Africa	South Africa Zimbabwe	17,543,580	Indo-European	Murray Hill	Small	Community
Akan	Akan	Western Africa	Ghana	9,231,300	Atlantic-Congo	Flatbush	Small	Residential
Akan	Akan	Western Africa	Ghana	9,231,300	Atlantic-Congo	Shore Acres	Small	Residential
Akan	Akan	Western Africa	Ghana	9,231,300	Atlantic-Congo	University Heights	Large	Residential