Arizona

With the possible exception of the Navaho word hogan (earthand-timber dwelling), the linguistic influence of Arizona's Papago, Pima, Apache, Navaho, and Hopi tribes is almost totally limited to some place-names: Arizona itself, Yuma, Havasu, Tucson, and Oraibi. Indian loan-words spreading from Arizona derive from the Nahuatl speech of the Mexican Aztecs—for example, coyote, chili, mesquite, and tamale . Spanish, dominant in some sections, has given English mustang, ranch, stampede, rodeo, marijuana, bonanza, canyon, mesa, patio, and fiesta .

English in the state represents a blend of North Midland and South Midland dialects without clear regional differences, although new meanings developed in the north and east for meadow and in the southern strip for swale as terms for flat mountain valleys. The recent population surge from eastern states has produced an urban blend with a strong Northern flavor. In 2000, 3,523,487 Arizonans—74.1% of all residents five years old and older—spoke only English at home, a decrease over the 79.2% reported in 1990.

The following table gives selected statistics from the 2000 census for language spoken at home by persons five years old and over. The category "Other Native North American languages" includes Apache, Cherokee, Choctaw, Dakota, Keres, Pima, and Yupik.