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Awakatek language
from Wikipedia
Awakatek
Aguacatec, Coyotin
Qa'yol
Native toGuatemala
RegionHuehuetenango
Ethnicity12,500 Awakatek (2019 census)
Native speakers
10,100 in Guatemala (2019 census)[1]
20 in Mexico (2020 census)[2]
Mayan
Dialects
  • Chalchitek
Official status
Recognised minority
language in
Regulated byAcademia de Lenguas Mayas de Guatemala
Language codes
ISO 639-3agu
Glottologagua1252
ELPAwakateko

Awakatek (also known as Aguateco, Awaketec, Coyotin,[3] and Balamiha, and natively as Qa'yol) is a Mayan language spoken in Guatemala, primarily in Huehuetenango and around Aguacatán.[4][5] The language only has fewer than 10,000 speakers, and is considered vulnerable by UNESCO. In addition, the language in Mexico is at high risk of endangerment, with fewer than 2,000 speakers in the state of Campeche in 2010[6] (although the number of speakers was unknown as of 2000[7][8]).

Awakatek is closely related to Ixil and the two languages together form the sub-branch Ixilean, which together with the Mamean languages, Mam and Tektitek, form a sub-branch Greater-Mamean, which again, together with the Greater-Quichean languages, ten Mayan languages, including Kʼicheʼ, form the branch Quichean–Mamean.

Otto Stoll identified two separate "Awakatek" languages spoken in the same area; the first being the Mayan language, and the second being a poorly known language which has been classified as part of the Mixe-Zoque family.[9]

Chalchitek

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Chalchitek
Chalchitec
Native toGuatemala
RegionHuehuetenango
Mayan
Language codes
ISO 639-3None (mis)
GlottologNone
ELPAwakateko

Chalchitek (or Chalchitec) is sometimes considered a dialect of Awakatek. In recent years, however, it has been recognized as a distinct language by the Guatemalan government.[10] Chalchitek is primarily spoken in the Chalchitán neighborhood of Aguacatán.

Etymology

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The Awakatek people themselves refer to their language as qaʼyol, literally meaning 'our word'. They also call themselves qatanum, which means 'our people' and is distinct from the word Awakatec, which is used in Spanish in reference to the municipality of Aguacatán (which means place of abundant avocados and refers to agricultural production and not specifically to the indigenous people).[11][12][13]

Phonology

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Vowels

[edit]
Front Central Back
short long short long short long
Close i /i/ ii // u /u/ uu //
Mid e /e/ ee // o /o/ oo //
Open a /a/ aa //

Diphthongs

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There are four diphthongs: ay /aj/, ey /ej/, oy /oj/, uy /uj/.

Consonants

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Bilabial Alveolar Postalveolar Retroflex Palatal Velar Uvular Glottal
Normal Palatalized
Plosive Normal p /p/ t /t/ k /k/ ky // q /q/ ' /ʔ/
Ejective // // kyʼ/kʼʲ/ //
Implosive /ɓ/
Nasal m /m/ n /n/
Fricative s /s/ xh /ʃ/ x /ʂ/ j /h/
Affricate Normal tz /t͡s/ ch /t͡ʃ/ tx /ʈ͡ʂ/
Ejective tzʼ /t͡sʼ/ chʼ /t͡ʃʼ/ txʼ /ʈ͡ʂʼ/
Trill r /r/
Approximant l /l/ y /j/ w /w/

The coronal ejectives may be allophonically pre-voiced.[14]

Vocabulary

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Sample words[15]
English Aguacateco
One Juun
Two Kob'
Three Ox
Four Kyaaj
Five O'
Six Qaq
Seven Juug
Eight Wajwax
Nine B'eluj
Ten Lajuj
Man Yaaj
Woman Xna'n
Dog Tx'i'
Sun Q'eej
Moon Xaaw
Water A'
Mother Ntxuu'
Father Ntaaj
House Ka'l
Black Q'eq
White Saq
Corn Ixi'n
Fish Kay
Dog Xhwiit
Deer Cheej
Jaguar B'alam
Monkey Aq'
Rabbit Umul
Mouse Ichi
Bird Ch'ut
Fish Kay
Snake Lupa

References

[edit]
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