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Witness History: Paraguay adopts its second language  

Presented and produced by

Mike Lanchin

TX Date

13th Mar 2024

Editor

Kristine Pommert

In 1992, Guarani was designated an official language in Paraguay’s new constitution, alongside Spanish.

It is the only indigenous language of South America to have achieved such recognition, and the decision ended years of rejection and discrimination against Paraguay’s majority Guarani speakers.

Mike Lanchin hears from the Paraguayan linguist and anthropologist David Olivera, and even tries to speak a bit of the language.