Proto-Mayan language

The Proto-Mayan language is reconstructed (Campbell and Kaufman 1985) as having the following sounds:

Five vowels: a, e, i, o and u.

Each of these occurring as short and long: aa, ee, ii, oo and uu,

The following set of sound changes from proto-Mayan to the modern languages are used as the basis of the classification of the Mayan languages. Each sound change may be shared by a number of languages; a grey background indicates no change.

The palatalized plosives {{IPA|[tʲʼ]}} and {{IPA|[tʲ]}} are not carried down into any of the modern families.{{dubious|date=August 2021}} Instead they are reflected differently in different branches allowing a reconstruction of these phonemes as palatalized plosives. In the western branch (Chujean–Qʼanjobʼalan and Cholan) they are reflected as {{IPA|[t]}} and {{IPA|[tʼ]}}. In Mamean they are reflected as {{IPA|[ts]}} and {{IPA|[tsʼ]}} and in Yukatek and Kʼichean as {{IPA|[tʃʰ]}} and {{IPA|[tʃʼ]}}.England (1994), p.35.

The Proto-Mayan liquid {{IPA|[r]}} is reflected as {{IPA|[j]}} in the western languages (Chujean–Qʼanjobʼalan and Cholan), Huastecan and Yukatek but as {{IPA|[tʃʰ]}} in Mamean and {{IPA|[r]}} in Kʼichean and Poqom.

Proto-Mayan velar nasal {{IPA|*[ŋ]}} is reflected as {{IPA|[x]}} in the eastern branches (Kʼichean–Mamean), as {{IPA|[n]}} in Qʼanjobʼalan, Cholan and Yukatekan, and only conserved as {{IPA|[ŋ]}} in Chuj and Poptí.England (1994), pp.30–31. In Huastecan {{IPA|*[ŋ]}} is reflected as {{IPA|[h]}}.

The changes of Proto-Mayan glottal fricative {{IPA|[h]}} are many and it has different reflexes according to position. In some positions it has added length to the preceding vowel in languages that preserve a length distinction. In other languages it has the reflexes {{IPA|[w]}}, {{IPA|[j]}}, {{IPA|[ʔ]}}, {{IPA|[x]}} or a zero-reflex.England (1994), p.37.

Only Kʼichean–Mamean and some Qʼanjobʼalan languages have retained Proto-Mayan uvular stops {{IPA|[q]}} and {{IPA|[qʼ]}} whereas all other branches have changed these into {{IPA|[k]}} and {{IPA|[kʼ]}} respectively.

In Mamean a chain shift took place changing {{IPA|*[r]}} into {{IPA|[t]}}, {{IPA|*[t]}} into {{IPA|[tʃ]}}, {{IPA|*[tʃ]}} into {{IPA|[tʂ]}} and {{IPA|*[ʃ]}} into {{IPA|[ʂ]}}. These retroflex affricates and fricatives later diffused into Qʼanjobʼalan.Campbell (1997), p.164.

In polysyllabic words Kaqchikel and Tzʼutujil have changed a final Proto-Mayan {{IPA|*[w]}} and {{IPA|*[ɓ]}} into {{IPA|[j]}} and {{IPA|*[ʔ]}} respectively.Campbell, Lyle, 1998, "Historical Linguistics", Thames & Hudson p.170

Huastecan is the only branch to have changed Proto-Mayan {{IPA|*[w]}} into {{IPA|[b]}}. Wastek also is the only Mayan language to have a phonemic labialized velar phoneme {{IPA|[kʷ]}}, but this is known to be a postcolonial development. Comparing colonial documents in Wastek to modern Wastek it can be seen that they were originally clusters of {{IPA|[k]}} and a rounded vowel followed by a glide. For example, the word for "vulture" which in modern Wastek is pronounced {{IPA|[kʷiːʃ]}} was written in colonial Wastek and pronounced {{IPA|[kuwiːʃ]}}.

The Yucatecan languages have all shifted Proto-Mayan {{IPA|*[t]}} into {{IPA|[tʃ]}} in wordfinal position.

Several languages particularly Cholan and Yucatecan have changed short {{IPA|[a]}} into {{IPA|[ɨ]}}.

All Cholan languages have changed long proto-Mayan vowels {{IPA|[eː]}} and {{IPA|[oː]}} into {{IPA|[i]}} and {{IPA|[u]}} respectively.

Vowel length distinction has been lost in Qʼanjobʼalan-Chujean (except for Mochoʼ and Akateko), Kaqchikel and Cholan. Some languages have reduced the vowel length distinction into a tense lax distinction that was later lost for most vowels, Kaqchikel however retains a centralized lax schwa-like vowel as a reflex of Proto-Mayan {{IPA|[a]}}.England (1994), pp.110–111. Two languages, Yukatek and Uspantek and one dialect of Tzotzil have introduced a tone distinction in vowels between high and low tones as reflexes of former vowel length and {{IPA|[h]}} and {{IPA|[ʔ]}}.

{{reflist}}

• England, Nora C., 1994, Autonomia de los Idiomas Mayas: Historia e identidad. (Ukutaʼmil Ramaqʼiil Utzijobʼaal ri Mayaʼ Amaaqʼ.) Cholsamaj. Guatemala.
• Handbook of Middle American Indians, 1967, 1969, R. Wauchope (series ed.). Vol 7 (ethnographic sketches of Mayan groups), Volume 5 (linguistic sketches and other useful materials). F 1434, H 3, LAC (ref).
• Lyle Campbell and Terrence Kaufman, Annual Review of Anthropology. 1985. "Mayan Linguistics: Where are We Now?"

{{sister project |project=wiktionary |text=Wiktionary has a list of reconstructed forms at Appendix:Proto-Mayan reconstructions}}

{{sister project |project=wiktionary |text=Wiktionary has a Swadesh list at Appendix:Proto-Mayan Swadesh list}}

• [http://www.almg.org.gt/ The Guatemalan Academy of Mayan Languages] – Spanish/Mayan site, the primary authority on Mayan Languages
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070312051638/http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org/definition/Yucatec-english/ Yucatec – English Dictionary]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20060812000027/http://www.utexas.edu/courses/stross/ant389_files/maylanbib.htm Bibliography of Maya related topics from the University of Texas Anthropology website]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110520094915/http://maya.hum.sdu.dk/ The Mayan Languages- A Comparative Vocabulary] contains more than 40,000 entries for 31 Mayan languages
• [http://www.mesoweb.com/resources/vocabulary/English-Maya.html English Words and their Classic Maya Equivalents]
• [http://www.ethnologue.com/subgroups/mayan-0 Ethnologue Mayan language family tree]

{{Mayan languages}}

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Mayan