Tz’utujil language

Tz'utujil /ˈᵗsuːtəhiːl/ is a Mayan language spoken by the Tz'utujil people in the region to the south of Lake Atitlán in Guatemala. Tz'utujil is closely related to its larger neighbors, Kaqchikel and K'iche'. The 2002 census found 60,000 people speak Tz'utujil as their mother tongue. The two Tz'utijil dialects are Eastern^[4] and Western.^[5]

The majority of the Tz'utujil people have Spanish as their second language, although many of the older people, or those in more remote locations do not. Many children also do not learn Spanish until they go to school around the age of five although more importance is now being placed upon it due to the influx of tourism into the region. As of 2012, the Community Library Rija'tzuul Na'ooj in San Juan La Laguna features story telling for children in Tz'utujil; bilingual children's books are also available.^[6] Spanish is used in written communication.

Phonology

In the charts below each of the Tz'utujil phonemes is represented by the character or set of characters that denote it in the standard orthography developed by the Guatemalan Academy of Mayan Languages (ALMG) and sanctioned by the Guatemalan government. Where different, the corresponding symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet appears in brackets.

Stress is always on the final syllable of native words, except for the adjectival vowel suffix in certain environments.^[7]

Vowels

Tz'utujil has five short and five long vowels.

Ee and oo tend to be more open ([ɛː, ɔː]) before a glottal stop.

Many words allow either a and e, and although many allow a only, there are few which require e, suggesting that /e/ is merging into /a/. A smaller number of words allow either a or o.^[8]

Consonants

Like other Mayan languages, Tz'utujil does not distinguish voiced and voiceless stops and affricates but instead distinguishes pulmonic and glottalized stops and affricates.^[9]

The glottalized stop kʼ and affricates chʼ, tzʼ are ejective, while bʼ, tʼ are voiced implosives before vowels, and ejectives ([pʼ], [tʼ]) elsewhere (before consonants and at the ends of words). Q’ may be either ejective or implosive before vowels, ejective elsewhere.

The pulmonic stops and affricates, p, t, tz, ch, k, q, are tenuis before vowels and aspirated elsewhere.

Velar k, k’ are palatalized before i, and also usually before a non-back vowel (i, e, a) followed by a post-velar (q, q’, j), though the latter dissimilation is not completely productive.

W is [β] before front vowels (i, e) and [w] before non-front vowels (a, o, u).

J is a post-velar [x] in most positions, but [h] before two consonants or a word-final consonant.

At the beginning of a morpheme, there is no distinction between glottal stop and zero: Monosyllabic forms always have a glottal stop, with the exception of a few grammatical forms which never do, and when prefixed the glottal stop is retained. With polysyllabic forms the glottal stop is optional, and when prefixed it is not retained. Usually initial glottal stops are invisible to the morphology, but in some words they are treated as consonants.

Liquids and approximants, r, l, w, y, are devoiced word-finally and before consonants, even before voiced consonants as in elnaq [ɛl̥náqʰ]. The nasals, m, n, are partially devoiced word-finally: they start off voiced, and end up voiceless.^[10]

Sample words and phrases

• maltyoox or mal diox - 'thank-you'
• menuc xuben - 'You're welcome' (also said after finishing every meal)
• saqari - 'good morning'
• xqa'j q'iij - good afternoon
• xok aaq'a' - 'good night'
• na'an - 'good-bye'
• jo' - 'let's go!'
• utz aawach - 'how are you?'
• jee' - 'yes'
• mani' or "majon" - 'no'
• Link to introductory Tz'utujil document (PDF)

Notes

References

• Dayley, Jon P. (1985). Tzutujil Grammar. Berkeley, California: University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-09962-1. 

• García Ixmatá, Pablo (1997). Rukeemiik ja Tz'utujiil Chii': Gramática tz'utujiil. Guatemala City, Guatemala: Cholsamaj. ISBN 99922-53-13-4. 

• Pérez Mendoza, Francisco; Miguel Hernández Mendoza (1996). Diccionario Tz'utujil. Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala: Proyecto Lingüístico Francisco Marroquín/Cholsamaj. 

Languages of Guatemala Official language Spanish Other National Languages Achi Akatek Awaketek Chuj Garifuna Ch'orti Itza' Ixil Jakaltek K'iche' Kaqchikel Mam Mopan Poqomam Poqomchi' Q'anjob'al Q'eqchi' Sakapultek Sipakapense Tektitek Tz'utujil Uspantek Xinca Yucatec Maya