Languages of New York City Map

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Vlashki

Istro-Romanian

Community Profile: Some members of what is officially called the Italian ethnic community on the Istrian peninsula in today's Croatia speak the local language Istrioto or else Istro-Veneto, an Istrian dialect of the Venetian language, because the Venetian empire ruled Istria for nearly a millennium. Istro-Romanian, spoken in villages further inland on the peninsula, also has a community of speakers in New York. Today many in Istria are shifting to the regional Chakavian variety of Croatian but most Istrian New Yorkers left the region following the upheaval of the Second World War, with a significant number coming to New York City. Today, the Istria Sports Club remains a focal point for the community, where some speakers of Istrian languages can still be found. Linguist Zvjezdana Vrzic estimates that there are a few thousand Istrians living now not just in and around Astoria but in Bayside, Whitestone, New Jersey, Long Island, and elsewhere in the country.

stro-Romanian (also known today as Vlashki or Zheyanski after the villages where it is spoken) today has roughly 1,000 speakers worldwide and is severely endangered, according to the linguists Zvjezdana Vrzic and John Singler. According to their estimates, there may be several hundred speakers in Croatia today, but possibly more in diaspora with as many as 400-500 speakers primarily in the United States (especially New York City) and in western Australia. Within New York, most Istro-Romanian speakers have lived in parts of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Astoria, while present-day Istro-Romanian poet/musician Silvana Brkarić Krculić lives near Prospect Park in Brooklyn. Still in existence today, the Istrian Seamen Benevolent Society was founded in 1924 at 823 Greenwich Street in Manhattan near where many were living at the time, primarily single men from eastern Istrian towns such as Brdo, Čepić, Šušnjevica, Kožljak, and Kršan (according to a Croatia Week report).

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 (Orsognese)	Abruzzésë	Southern Europe	Italy		Indo-European	Astoria	Small	Residential
Abruzzese (Orsognese)	Abruzzésë	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