Matagalpa language

Matagalpa
Pantasmas
Native toNicaragua
RegionCentral Highlands
Ethnicity20,000 Matagalpa people
Extinct1997
Misumalpan
  • Sumalpan
    • Matagalpan
      • Matagalpa
Language codes
ISO 639-3mtn
Glottologmata1288

Matagalpa is an extinct Misumalpan language formerly spoken in the central highlands of Nicaragua. The language became extinct in the 19th century, and only few short wordlists remain.

It was closely related to Cacaopera. The ethnic group, which numbers about 20,000, now speaks Spanish.

According to local inhabitants familiar with remote regions, the language may still be spoken in the highland areas of Azancor, Musún, and Pancasan, located in Matagalpa Department. Many words of Matagalpa are still used in the region.