Mochoʼ language

{{Short description|Endangered Mayan language of Chiapas, Mexico}}

{{Infobox language

| name = Mochoʼ

| altname = Motozintleco

| nativename = {{lang|mhc|Qatoʼk}}, {{lang|mhc|Mochoʼ}}

| states = Mexico

| region = Eastern Chiapas (villages of Tuzatlán and Motozintla), Southern Mexico

| speakers = 124

| date = 2022

| ref = [http://cuentame.inegi.org.mx/hipertexto/todas_lenguas.htm Lenguas indígenas y hablantes de 3 años y más, 2020] INEGI. Censo de Población y Vivienda 2020.

| familycolor = Mayan

| fam1 = Mayan

| fam2 = Qʼanjobalan–Chujean

| fam3 = Qʼanjobalan

| iso3 = mhc

| glotto = moch1257

| glottorefname = Mocho

| nation = {{flag|Mexico}}

| script = Latin

| agency = Instituto Nacional de Lenguas Indígenas

| linglist = mhc

| lingname = Mocho

| linglist2 = 06z

| lingname2 = Tuzanteco

| dia1 = Tuzantec

}}

Mochoʼ (known as Motozintleco in older sources) is a Mayan language spoken by the Mochoʼ people of Chiapas, Mexico. A source stated that it was known as QatokʼPalosaari, N. E. (2011). Topics in mochoʼ phonology and morphology (Doctoral dissertation). The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT. (from Qa-our and Tookʼ-language: our language), although this name has not received wide acceptance among the native speakers and the language, which is known as Mochoʼ by both the Mochoʼ people and the Mexican government.{{Cite web |title=Naʼobal chu tsʼiba we tookʼ Mochoʼ (Norma de Escritura de la Lengua Mochoʼ). NOMBRE DE LA LENGUA |url=https://site.inali.gob.mx/Micrositios/normas/pdf/Norma_escritura_Mocho_qatok.pdf}} Mochoʼ has a dialect called Tuzantec (Muchuʼ) spoken in Tuzantan, Chiapas. Alongside Jakaltek, Qʼanjobʼal, Chuj and Tojol-Abʼal, the Mochoʼ language is part of the Qʼanjobalan group from the western branch of Mayan languages.

With about 124 speakers as of 2020,{{Cite web |title=Población de 3 años y más hablante de lengua indígena 2020 |url=https://cuentame.inegi.org.mx/poblacion/lindigena.aspx}} Mochoʼ is considered an endangered language. The Tuzantec dialect is moribund, with less than 5 speakers as of 2011.{{Cite thesis |last=Palosaari |first=Naomi Elizabeth |title=Topics in Mocho' Phonology and Morphology |date=2011 |publisher=ProQuest LLC |url=https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED528143 |language=en}} Educational programs in Mochoʼ are helping to preserve the language among youth and the process of teaching and learning the language in indigenous schools.{{Cite web |title=Entrega de Gramáticas Didácticas elaboradas en ocho lenguas indígenas nacionales de Chiapas |url=https://www.inali.gob.mx/detalle/entrega-de-gramaticas-didacticas-elaboradas-en-ocho-lenguas-indigenas-nacionales-de-chiapas}}

Distribution

The two dialects of Mochoʼ are spoken in two different villages: the Tuzantec dialect in Tuzantán (a town near Huixtla, Chiapas), and the Mochoʼ dialect in Motozintla. Historically, the two groups descend from a single population living in the region of Belisario Dominguez about 500 years ago. According to local legend, the split and migration was caused by a plague of bats. Speakers have also been reported in the nearby towns of Tolimán, Buenos Aires, and Campana. Palosaari (2011) describes the Motozintlec dialect.

Phonology

Unlike most Mayan languages, Mochoʼ is tonal. Stress is regular and at the last syllable.

Short vowels have level or rising pitch.

In Mochoʼ, Proto-Mayan *j [x] and *h [h] have merged to /j/ in Motozintleco, while Tuzanteco preserves this distinction.

Pronunciation rules change compared to modern Spanish, as ñ becomes an "ng" sound like in sing, and glottalization becomes important for many consonants.{{cn|date=December 2024}}

Written norm

The official Writing Norm of the Mochoʼ Language (In Mochoʼ: Naʼobal chu tsʼiba we tookʼ Mochoʼ, Spanish: Norma de escritura de la lengua mochoʼ) was published in 2011 by the Instituto Nacional de Lenguas Indígenas, it is mainly used for indigenous education. It established official alphabet, grammar rules and other linguistic aspects.{{Cite web |title=NAʼOBAL CHU TSʼIBA WE TOOKʼ MOCHOʼ. NORMA DE ESCRITURA DE LA LENGUA MOCHOʼ |url=https://site.inali.gob.mx/Micrositios/normas/qatok.html}}

Alphabet

According to the established in the written norm, the Mochoʼ alphabet consists of 30 letters, 25 consonants and 5 vowels that represent all the phonemes of the language. The official name of the Mochoʼ alphabet is Tsʼibtookʼ Mochoʼ.{{Cite web |title=Naʼobal chu tsʼiba we tookʼ Mochoʼ (Norma de escritura de la lengua mochoʼ). TSʼIBTOOK |url=https://site.inali.gob.mx/Micrositios/normas/pdf/Norma_escritura_Mocho_qatok.pdf}}

class="wikitable"

|+Qʼanʼxwitii (vowel)

!Mantitsʼib

(Majuscule)

!Lustitsʼib

(Minuscule)

!Bij

(Name)

A

|a

|A

E

|e

|E

I

|i

|I

O

|o

|O

U

|u

|U

class="wikitable"

|+Qʼanxwitookʼ (consonant)

!Mantitsʼib

(Majuscule)

!Lustitsʼib

(Minuscule)

!Bij

(Name)

B

|b

|Ba

CH

|ch

|CHa

CHʼ

|chʼ

|CHʼa

G

|g

|Ga

J

|j

|Ja

K

|k

|Ka

Kʼ

|kʼ

|Kʼa

L

|l

|La

M

|m

|Ma

N

|n

|Na

Ñ

|ñ

|Ña

Nʼ

|nʼ

|Nʼa

P

|p

|Pa

Q

|q

|Qa

Qʼ

|qʼ

|Qʼa

R

|r

|Ra

S

|s

|Sa

T

|t

|Ta

Tʼ

|tʼ

|Tʼa

TS

|ts

|TSa

TSʼ

|tsʼ

|TSʼa

W

|w

|Wa

X

|x

|Xa

Y

|y

|Ya

ʼ

|ʼ

|Xlokʼ-aq

References

External links

[https://ailla.utexas.org/islandora/object/ailla:124421 Mayan Languages Collection of Laura Martin]. Archive of the Indigenous Languages of Latin America. [Audio recordings, transcriptions, translations, and field notes on Mochoʼ and other Mayan languages. Free registration required.]
[https://ailla.utexas.org/islandora/object/ailla:124470 MesoAmerican Languages Collection of Lyle Campbell]. Archive of the Indigenous Languages of Latin America. [Audio recordings, transcriptions, and translations of several languages including Mochoʼ. Free registration required.]
{{cite web|title=Mocho Pronunciation Guide, Alphabet and Phonology|url=http://www.native-languages.org/mocho_guide.htm|website=www.native-languages.org|publisher=Native Languages of the Americas|access-date=1 May 2016}}
{{cite web|title=Mochoʼ Language|url=http://www.endangeredlanguages.com/lang/141|website=Endangered Languages Project|publisher=Alliance for Linguistic Diversity|access-date=2 May 2016}}

Category:Articles in class projects/Rutgers

Category:Agglutinative languages

Category:Tonal languages

Category:Indigenous languages of Mexico

Category:Mayan languages

Category:Mesoamerican languages

Category:Endangered Indigenous languages of the Americas

Category:Languages of Mexico