Information about the Mayan languages

Where are the Mayan languages spoken?

These languages are spoken in Central America in a territory including Mexico (specifically the Yucatan region and the south), Belize, Guatemala, and northwestern El Salvador and Honduras.

Who speaks the Mayan languages?

The speakers of Mayan languages are members of Native American populations who lived in the region long before the arrival of Europeans and colonization.

Total number of speakers (estimated):

5 800 000 according to the site ethnologue.com (SIL)

Classification

The Mayan family currently includes 29 languages.

Wastekan Branch

Chikomuselteko: extinct

Wasteko: 463 183 speakers according to UNESCO and 132 000 according to SIL

Yukatekan Branch

Lakantun: 563 speakers according to UNESCO

Yukateko: 740 000 speakers according to SIL

Itzaj: 1 094 speakers according to UNESCO and 12 according to SIL

Mopan: 11 500 speakers according to UNESCO and 10 500 according to SIL

Western Group

Ch’ol Branch

Chol proprio

Ch’ol: 134 000 speakers according to SIL

Chontal: 40 000 speakers according to UNESCO and 55 000 according to SIL

Ch’orti ‘: 11 000 speakers according to UNESCO and 30 000 according to SIL

Tzotzil

Tzeltal: 190 000 speakers according to SIL

Tzotzil: 264 000 speakers according to SIL

Q’anjob’al Branch

Chuj

Chuj: 60 000 speakers according to UNESCO and 50 000 according to SIL

Tojolab’al: 36 000 speakers according to SIL

Q’anjob’al proprio

Akateko: 60 000 speakers according to SIL and 35 000 according to UNESCO

Popti ‘: 99 000 speakers according to SIL and 34 500 according to UNESCO

Mocho ‘: (alternative name: Mototzintleko): 170 speakers according to SIL and 141 according to UNESCO

Q’anjob’al: 78,000 speakers according to SIL

Eastern Group

Mam Branch

Mam

Mam: 486 000 speakers according to UNESCO and 440 000 according to SIL

Tektiteko (alternative name: Teko): 1 200 speakers according to UNESCO and 2 300 according to SIL

Ixil

Awakateko: 9616 speakers according to UNESCO

Ixil: 83 000 speakers according to UNESCO and 69 000 according to SIL

K’iche ‘ Branch

Q’eqchi: 421 000 speakers according to SIL

Uspanteko: 3 971 speakers according to UNESCO

K’iche ‘

Kaqchikel: 445 000 speakers according to UNESCO and 451 000 according to SIL

K’ichee ‘: 2 400 000 speakers according to SIL

Sakapulteco: 6 973 speakers according to UNESCO and 37 000 according to SIL

Sipakapense: 5 687 speakers according to UNESCO and 8 000 according to SIL

Tz’utujiil: 237 speakers according to UNESCO and 84 000 according to SIL

Poqom

Poqomchi ‘: 92 941 speakers according to UNESCO

Poqomam (alternate name: Poqomjo): 49 000 speakers according to SIL

Comments on the classification of Mayan languages:

We follow the classification of Campbell (1997) and OKMA (2008).

Are Mayan languages in danger?

This family includes several endangered languages.

Tz’utujiil is probably the most threatened language today. With only a handful of elderly native speakers, and the younger generations that have shifted to Spanish, the language may die out very soon. The number of speakers given by UNESCO is much higher than that given by SIL, but it is likely that the number from UNESCO includes all  community members rather than the actual number of native speakers.

Other languages, such as Lakantun, Mocho ‘, Tektiteo and Awakateko are also very close to extinction. They are considered to be “seriously endangered” by UNESCO.

In the category “endangered” of the UNESCO, there are several additional languages where the number of speakers is only slightly higher: Sakapulteko, Sipakapense, Tz’utujiil, Kaqchikel, Jakaltkco, Akatejo, Ch’orti ‘, and Chontal.

As with other Mayan languages, if they are not yet in danger, they can be considered “vulnerable” and their survival is not assured in the medium term.

Sources:

Campbell, Lyle. American Indian languages: the historical linguistics of Native America. Oxford University Press. Oxford (1997).