Picking a minority/endangered language to learn

[Xenops]

Nahuatl comes to mind, especially since you know Spanish.

[PeterMollenburg]

...so many languages (not limited to here) that I have NEVER heard of...

[Sedge]

Nahuatl sounds interesting, I'll add that to the list of languages to check out! Right now I'm leaning towards either Hawaiian or Inuktitut for 2020's project - subject to change without warning! - but the others are definitely on the list for future learning (or because I may change my mind about next year).

[Longinus]

How about Mari? There's a free textbook online (with audio!). https://www.univie.ac.at/maridict/site-2014/

There are also other resources available in Russian, and in German (the language is also called Tscheremissisch in German.)

Of course, there are plenty of other minority Uralic languages to choose from, some with good learning resources.

[Neurotip]

I second Maori, but there are plenty of smaller Polynesian languages to choose from: Tongan, Samoan, etc.
Quechua? Or if that's too mainstream, Aymara??
Ainu?
Basque? (oh, might have a rolled 'r')

[Sedge]

Thanks for the additional recommendations! I've added them to my list. Mari looks really interesting, but for this particular project I would somewhat prefer to choose a language from a new part of the globe. But, there's always the future.

Neurotip - Hawaiian, Maori, or another Polynesian language (Nihuean is one that I found a few resources for) are definitely among the frontrunners.

I actually tried looking for resources to study Quechua before I went to Peru this year (I was familiar with it from a prior trip to Ecuador) but got frustrated because many of the resources that I found, were Spanish-based. My Spanish was not up to the task, so I gave up on Quechua for the time being and just worked more on Spanish. I may come back to Quechua in the future, particularly as my Spanish improves. I suspect that Aymara may be similar in that respect - certainly possible to learn as an English speaker, but easier to find resources if you're good at Spanish. But, I will take a look. Both languages are really good options. Currently probably in the third-place grouping on my list, simply because I think learning more Spanish would open up a lot more resources.

Basque and Ainu, while both really interesting, are going to go on the same list as Mari - Great options, but I think I want something from a new geographic area.

[nooj]

I actually tried looking for resources to study Quechua before I went to Peru this year (I was familiar with it from a prior trip to Ecuador) but got frustrated because many of the resources that I found, were Spanish-based.

Textbook

http://oer.ku.edu/quichua/imanalla-an-i ... to-kechwa/

Quechua and Kichwa Language Programs at US Universities:

Kichwa at KU - https://latamst.ku.edu/kichwa Kichwa at UCLA - https://www.spanport.ucla.edu/academics ... e-program/ Quechua at Penn - http://web.sas.upenn.edu/quechua/ Quechua at UMich - https://ii.umich.edu/lacs/students/lang ... echua.html Quechua at NYU - https://as.nyu.edu/content/nyu-as/as/re ... echua.html Quechua at Illinois - http://www.clacs.illinois.edu/quechua/ Quechua at Indiana-Bloomington - https://clacs.indiana.edu/languages/quechua.html

[Serpent]

Not to be discouraging but I've never seen someone who "wanted to learn a new language" succeed.* (Not to mention that minority languages are a special case)
Yes, there are many fascinating languages. I think you should allow yourself to do some dabbling until the novelty wears off. Then you'll have a more clear idea which language you really want to study.

*but I've definitely seen people succeed after allowing themselves to learn a language they really wanted to learn.

Also, it's a conlang but you may like toki pona.

[Iversen]

.. and even if you actually want to learn an endangered language your chances of succeeding are slim unless you have some contacts in the community in question because most endangered languages have very few of the resources you need for home study - one text book is definitely not enough. How many materials did you use to learn your other 'second languages'? Can you get that for a language on the brink of extinction?

I'm sorry to be such a killjoy, but realism is sometimes a good ting.

PS: mayby I should add that far from all of the languages which have been mentioned in this thread are in the resourceless category.

[Serpent]

Does anyone know whether Guaraní fits the bill? Too many new phonemes?