Awakatek language

Awakatek (also known as Aguateco, Awaketec, Coyotin, and Balamiha, and natively as Qa'yol) is a Mayan language spoken in Guatemala, primarily in Huehuetenango and around Aguacatán. 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 (although the number of speakers was unknown as of 2000).

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.

Chalchitek

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. Chalchitek is primarily spoken in the Chalchitán neighborhood of Aguacatán.

Etymology

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).

Phonology

Vowels

	Front		Central		Back
	short	long	short	long	short	long
Close	i Template:IPAslink	ii Template:IPAslink			u Template:IPAslink	uu Template:IPAslink
Mid	e Template:IPAslink	ee Template:IPAslink			o Template:IPAslink	oo Template:IPAslink
Open			a Template:IPAslink	aa Template:IPAslink

Diphthongs

There are four diphthongs: ay , ey , oy , uy .

Consonants

			Bilabial	Alveolar	Postalveolar	Retroflex	Palatal	Velar		Uvular	Glottal
								Normal	Palatalized
Plosive	Normal		p Template:IPAslink	t Template:IPAslink				k Template:IPAslink	ky Template:IPAslink	q Template:IPAslink	Template:' Template:IPAslink
	Ejective			tʼ Template:IPAslink				kʼ Template:IPAslink	kyʼTemplate:IPAslink	qʼ Template:IPAslink
	Implosive		bʼ Template:IPAslink
Nasal			m Template:IPAslink	n Template:IPAslink
Fricative				s Template:IPAslink	xh Template:IPAslink	x Template:IPAslink					j Template:IPAslink
Affricate	Normal			tz Template:IPAslink	ch Template:IPAslink	tx Template:IPAslink
	Ejective			tzʼ Template:IPAslink	chʼ Template:IPAslink	txʼ Template:IPAslink
Trill				r Template:IPAslink
Approximant				l Template:IPAslink			y Template:IPAslink	w Template:IPAslink

The coronal ejectives may be allophonically pre-voiced.

Vocabulary

Sample words

English	Aguacateco
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Man
Woman
Dog
Sun
Moon
Water
Mother
Father
House
Black
White
Corn
Fish
Dog
Deer
Jaguar
Monkey
Rabbit
Mouse
Bird
Fish
Snake

References

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