Mirandese language

   A Romance language, experiencing a miniscule revival, spoken only in a small section of northeastern Portugal. As of 2006, the number of Mirandese speakers was estimated to be between 5,000 and 15,000, residents mainly in the Portuguese municipalities of Miranda do Douro, Mogadouro, and Vimioso, near the frontier with Spain. In a 1999 law, Portugal's parliament granted the language co-official recognition with the Portuguese language. Mirandese has its distinct phonology, morphology, and syntax and this has been so since the formation of Portugal in the 12th century. The language's roots are in the Latin spoken in the northern Iberian Peninsula, as well as in the ancient languages of the Kingdoms of Leon and Asturias in northern Spain. Since 1986-87 in Portugal this language has been taught to students between the ages of 10 and 11 in this area's schools. Most speakers of Mirandese also speak Portuguese and some speak Spanish (Castilian).