Wappo is an
extinct language that was spoken in the
Alexander Valley north of
San Francisco by the
Wappo Native Americans. The last fluent speaker, Laura Fish Somersal, died in 1990. Wappo's
language death is attributed to the use of English in schools and economic situations such as the workplace. According to Somersal, the name for the people and language is derived from the Spanish word
guapo, meaning "handsome" or "brave". The name for the people was originally Ashochimi.