Kashaya language
| Kashaya | |
|---|---|
| Southwestern Pomo | |
| Kʼahšá:ya | |
| Native to | United States |
| Region | Sonoma County, California |
| Ethnicity | Kashia |
Native speakers | c. 12 (2021) |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | kju |
| Glottolog | kash1280 |
| ELP | Kashaya |
The seven Pomoan languages with an indication of their pre-contact distribution within California; Kashaya in blue | |
Kashaya is classified as Critically Endangered by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger | |
Kashaya (also Southwestern Pomo, Kashia) is the critically endangered language of the Kashia band of the Pomo people. The Pomoan languages have been classified as part of the Hokan language family (although the status of Hokan itself is controversial). The name Kashaya corresponds to words in neighboring languages with meanings such as "skillful" and "expert gambler". It is spoken by the Kashia Band of Pomo Indians of the Stewarts Point Rancheria. In 2021, the number of speakers was estimated to be around a dozen.