Have you ever wondered about the vast array of languages that start with the letter C? Wonder no more, you have come to the right place.
In this article, I will embark on a linguistic journey, delving into the rich tapestry of languages that begin with the letter C. From the ancient to the modern, from the exotic to the widely spoken, these captivating languages hold a treasure trove of culture and history
So, without further ado, let’s dive into the fascinating realm of languages that start with C and witness the beauty they bring to our world.
Languages That Start With The Letter C
The followings are some of the most known and lesser-known languages that begin with the letter C (In alphabetical order):
1. Cabecar: Cabecar is an indigenous language spoken by the Cabecar people in Costa Rica. It belongs to the Chibchan language family and has around 10,000 speakers.
2. Caddo: Caddo is a Native American language once spoken by the Caddo people in the southern United States. Unfortunately, it is now considered extinct, with no known native speakers.
3. Caddoan: Caddoan is a language family that includes various languages like Caddo and Arikara. These languages were once spoken by Native American tribes in the Great Plains region of the United States.
4. Cakchiquel: Cakchiquel is a Mayan language spoken by the Cakchiquel people in Guatemala. It has several dialects and is part of the rich linguistic heritage of the Mayan civilization.
5. Callahuaya: Callahuaya is an indigenous language spoken in Bolivia, particularly in the region of Callahuaya. It is considered critically endangered, with only a few elderly speakers remaining.
6. Calusa: Calusa is an extinct language once spoken by the Calusa people in Florida, United States. It is part of the Calusa language family, which is now considered a linguistic isolate.
7. Cambodian (Khmer): Cambodian, also known as Khmer, is the official language of Cambodia. It is a Mon-Khmer language and has a rich literary tradition with inscriptions dating back to the 7th century.
8. Cameroon Pidgin English: Cameroon Pidgin English, also known as Kamtok, is a creole language spoken in Cameroon. It has developed through contact between English, local African languages, and French.
9. Campa: Campa is an Arawakan language spoken in Peru and Brazil. It is used by the Campa people and has several dialects.
10. Canadian French: Canadian French is a variety of French spoken in Canada. It has some regional variations and is one of the country’s two official languages.
11. Candoshi: Candoshi is a language spoken in Peru, particularly in the northern region of the country. It is part of the Candoshi language family and is used by the Candoshi people.
12. Cantonese: Cantonese is a variety of Chinese spoken in the Guangdong province of China, particularly in the city of Guangzhou (Canton). It is one of the most widely spoken Chinese languages globally.
13. Cape Dutch: Cape Dutch, also known as Kaaps, was an early form of Afrikaans spoken in South Africa during the colonial era. It played a crucial role in the development of the modern Afrikaans language.
14. Cape Verde Creole: Cape Verde Creole, also known as Kriolu, is a creole language spoken in Cape Verde. It has evolved from contact between Portuguese and African languages.
15. Cappadocian: Cappadocian is an extinct language once spoken in Cappadocia, a historical region in central Anatolia, Turkey. It was a variety of Greek with significant linguistic influences from other Anatolian languages.
16. Carian: Carian is an extinct language once spoken in Caria, an ancient region in southwestern Anatolia, Turkey. It is considered a linguistic isolate, meaning it has no known relations to other languages.
17. Carib: Carib is a Cariban language spoken in Venezuela, Suriname, and Guyana. It is used by the Carib people, and some communities still maintain its use.
18. Caribbean Creole English: Caribbean Creole English refers to various creole languages spoken in the Caribbean islands. These creoles have developed from contact between English, African languages, and other indigenous languages.
19. Carolinian: Carolinian is an Austronesian language spoken in the Northern Mariana Islands, particularly on the island of Saipan.
20. Carrier: Carrier, also known as Dakelh, is an Athabaskan language spoken in British Columbia, Canada. It is used by the Carrier people and has several dialects.
21. Catalan: Catalan is a Romance language spoken in Catalonia, a region in Spain, as well as in parts of France and Italy. It has a distinct identity and a significant literary tradition.
22. Catalonian: The term “Catalonian” likely refers to Catalan, as mentioned earlier in the list.
23. Caviteno: Caviteno is a Philippine language spoken in the Cavite province of the Philippines.
24. Cebuano: Cebuano is an Austronesian language spoken in the Philippines, particularly in the Visayas and Mindanao regions. It is one of the most widely spoken languages in the Philippines.
25. Celtiberian: Celtiberian is an extinct Celtic language once spoken in the Iberian Peninsula, particularly in Celtiberia, a historical region in present-day Spain.
26. Chagga: Chagga is a Bantu language spoken on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. It is used by the Chagga people and has several dialects.
27. Cham: Cham is an Austronesian language spoken in Vietnam and Cambodia. It is used by the Cham people, who have a rich historical and cultural heritage.
28. Chamba: Chamba is a Niger-Congo language spoken in Nigeria.
29. Chamorro: Chamorro is an Austronesian language spoken in Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and parts of the United States. It has a rich oral tradition and is considered one of the official languages of Guam.
30. Chechen: Chechen is a Northeast Caucasian language spoken by the Chechen people in the Chechen Republic of Russia. It is known for its complex phonology and unique grammatical features.
31. Cheremis: Cheremis, also known as Mari, is a Uralic language spoken in the Mari El Republic of Russia. It is used by the Mari people and has several dialects.
32. Cherokee: Cherokee is an Iroquoian language spoken by the Cherokee people in the southeastern United States. It has a unique writing system invented by Sequoyah in the 19th century.
33. Chewa: Chewa, also known as Nyanja, is a Bantu language spoken in Malawi, Zambia, and Mozambique. It is one of the official languages of Malawi and is widely used as a lingua franca in the region.
34. Cheyenne: Cheyenne is an Algonquian language spoken by the Cheyenne people in the United States and Canada. It has a distinctive phonological system and is an integral part of Cheyenne cultural identity.
35. Chichewa (Nyanja): Chichewa, also known as Nyanja, is a Bantu language spoken in Malawi, Zambia, and Mozambique. It is one of the official languages of Malawi and is widely used as a lingua franca in the region.
36. Chickasaw: Chickasaw is a Muskogean language spoken by the Chickasaw people in the southeastern United States. It has a small number of speakers and is considered endangered.
37. Chiga: Chiga is a Bantu language spoken in Uganda.
38. Chilcotin: Chilcotin is an Athabaskan language spoken in British Columbia, Canada. It is used by the Chilcotin people and has several dialects.
39. Chiluba: Chiluba is a Bantu language spoken in Zambia.
40. Chin: Chin is a Kuki-Chin language spoken in Myanmar, India, and Bangladesh. It is used by the Chin people and has numerous dialects.
41. Chinantec: Chinantec is an Oto-Manguean language spoken in Oaxaca, Mexico. It is used by the Chinantec people and has several varieties.
42. Chinese: Chinese is a Sino-Tibetan language family with numerous varieties, the most spoken of which is Mandarin. It is the official language of China and one of the most widely spoken languages globally.
43. Chingpaw: Chingpaw, also known as Jingpo, is a Kachin language spoken in Myanmar, China, and India. It is used by the Jingpo people and has several dialects.
44. Chinyanja: Chinyanja, also known as Chewa or Nyanja, is a Bantu language spoken in Malawi, Zambia, and Mozambique. It is one of the official languages of Malawi and is widely used as a lingua franca in the region.
45. Chipewyan: Chipewyan, also known as Dene Suline, is an Athabaskan language spoken in Canada. It is used by the Chipewyan people and has several dialects.
46. Chippewa: Chippewa, also known as Ojibwe, is an Algonquian language spoken in the United States and Canada. It has numerous dialects and is used by the Ojibwe people.
47. Chiquito: Chiquito, also known as Eastern Bolivian Guarani, is a Tupi-Guarani language spoken in Bolivia.
48. Choctaw: Choctaw is an indigenous language spoken by the Choctaw people in the southeastern United States. It is a Muskogean language and has a distinct grammar and vocabulary.
49. Chokwe: Chokwe is a Bantu language spoken in Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Zambia. It is used by the Chokwe people and has several dialects.
50. Chol: Chol is a Mayan language spoken in Mexico, particularly in the Chiapas state. It is used by the Chol people and has a unique linguistic structure.
51. Chontal: Chontal is an Oto-Manguean language spoken in Mexico, particularly in the Oaxaca state. It is used by the Chontal people and has several varieties.
52. Chuang: Chuang, also known as Zhuang, is a Tai-Kadai language spoken in China, particularly in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
53. Chukchi: Chukchi is a Chukotko-Kamchatkan language spoken in the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug of Russia. It is used by the Chukchi people and has several dialects.
54. Church Slavic: Church Slavic, also known as Old Church Slavonic, is an ancient Slavic language used in liturgical texts of the Orthodox Church. It played a crucial role in the spread of Christianity among the Slavic people.
55. Chuukese: Chuukese, also known as Trukese, is a Micronesian language spoken in the Federated States of Micronesia, particularly in Chuuk State.
56. Chuvash: Chuvash is a Turkic language spoken in Russia, particularly in the Chuvash Republic. It is used by the Chuvash people and has several dialects.
57. Cidamo: Cidamo, also known as Zotung, is a Kuki-Chin language spoken in Myanmar and India.
58. Circassian: Circassian is a Northwest Caucasian language spoken by the Circassian people in the North Caucasus region. It has two main dialects: Adyghe and Kabardian.
59. Clallam: Clallam is a Wakashan language spoken by the Clallam people in Washington state, United States. It is considered endangered, with few remaining speakers.
60. Coeur d’Alene: Coeur d’Alene is a Salishan language spoken by the Coeur d’Alene people in Idaho, United States. It has a small number of speakers and is considered endangered.
61. Comanche: Comanche is a Uto-Aztecan language spoken by the Comanche people in Oklahoma, United States. It is considered endangered, with only a few remaining speakers.
62. Comorian: Comorian, also known as Shikomor, is a Bantu language spoken in the Comoros archipelago. It has several dialects and is used by the Comorian people.
63. Comox: Comox, also known as Sliammon or K’ómoks, is a Salishan language spoken in British Columbia, Canada.
64. Coptic: Coptic is the liturgical language of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt. It is the last stage of the ancient Egyptian language with additional influences from Greek and other languages.
65. Cornish: Cornish is a Celtic language spoken in Cornwall, a region in the United Kingdom. It was revived in the 20th century and has a small number of speakers.
66. Corsican: Corsican is a Romance language spoken on the island of Corsica, France. It has several dialects and is used by the Corsican people.
67. Cowlitz: Cowlitz is a Salishan language once spoken by the Cowlitz people in Washington state, United States. It is now considered extinct, with no known native speakers.
68. Cree: Cree is an Algonquian language spoken by the Cree people in Canada. It has several dialects and is used in various communities across Canada.
69. Creek: Creek, also known as Muskogee, is a Muskogean language spoken by the Creek people in the southeastern United States.
70. Creole: Creole refers to a group of languages that develop from contact between different languages, usually involving a dominant language and elements of other languages. Examples include Haitian Creole, Jamaican Creole, and Louisiana Creole.
71. Croatian: Croatian is a South Slavic language spoken in Croatia. It is one of the official languages of the country and is written in the Latin script.
72. Crow: Crow, also known as Apsáalooke, is a Siouan language spoken by the Crow people in Montana, United States.
73. Cuna: Cuna, also known as Kuna, is a Chibchan language spoken by the Kuna people in Panama and Colombia.
74. Czech: Czech is a West Slavic language spoken in the Czech Republic. It is one of the official languages of the country and has a rich literary and cultural heritage.
I hope you found this article “Languages That Start With C” helpful and got insights into some of the rare and lesser-known languages around the world.
Also, keep in mind that, this isn’t an exhaustive list, if there are any Languages starting with the letter C.
Feel free to leave a comment below with the missing Languages and I’ll update the list as soon as possible.
And, if you’d like to explore more Languages starting with different letters of the alphabet, click the link below:
- Languages That Start With D
- Languages That Start With E
- Languages That Start With F
- Languages That Start With G
