Zapotec language

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Zapotec Diidzaj, Diza, Ditsa, . . .
Spoken in:	Mexico(Oaxaca, Puebla, Guerrero,); USA
Total speakers:	ca 500,000
Language family:	Oto-Manguean Zapotecan Zapotec
Official status
Official language of:	none
Regulated by:	Instituto Nacional de Lenguas Indígenas
Language codes
ISO 639-1:	none
ISO 639-2:	`—`
ISO 639-3:	—
Note: This page may contain IPA phonetic symbols in Unicode. See IPA chart for English for an English-based pronunciation key.

Zapotec language(s) describes a group of closely-related indigenous Mesoamerican languages spoken by the Zapotec people from Mexico's southwestern-central highlands region. Present-day numbers of native speakers are estimated at over half a million, with the majority inhabiting the state of Oaxaca. Zapotec-speaking communities are also found in the neigbouring states of Puebla, and Guerrero. Immigration has also resulted in a number of native Zapotec-speakers residing in the United States, particularly in the state of California.

Zapotec is often referred to as consisting of a single language with a number of dialects. However, given that the dialectal divergence observed between Zapotec-speaking communities is an extensive one (many variants of Zapotec are mutually unintelligible with one other), it is also recognised as forming a "dialect continuum". There are about 50 or so distinct variants of Zapotec.

Zapotec and the related language Chatino together form the Zapotecan subgroup of the Oto-Manguean language family.

Zapotec languages and dialects fall into four broad divisions: Zapoteco de la Sierra Norte (Northern Mountain Zapotec) Valley Zapotec, Zapoteco de la Sierra Sur [Southern Mountain Zapotec], and Isthmus Zapotec. Mountain Zapotec languages and dialects are spoken in the mountainous region of Oaxaca, in the North and South Sierra Madre mountain ranges, Valley Zapotec in the Valley of Oaxaca, and Isthmus Zapotec in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.

Zapotec languages vary considerably. Some characteristics of Zapotec grammar common to the language family (though not necessarily present in all members) are: an extensive 3rd person pronoun system based on noun classes such as divinity, babies, animals, objects (inanimate), etc; a distinction in the first person as to inclusive (including the audience) and exclusive (not including the audience); a frequent underspecificity of singular/plural distinctions. Zapotec languages are VSO.

Phonologically, characteristics common to many Zapotec languages include: six or seven vowels; a plethora of fricatives; laryngealized vowels; tone systems (present in all Zapotec variants); etc.

In recent years, there have been many articles and books written about the Zapotec language. Various California universities [among others] have students and faculty who are researching variants of Zapotec. UCLA offers a course teaching Zapotec (Zapotec of San Lucas Quiavini).

Zapotec has traditionally been solely an oral language. Though Franciscan and/or Dominican friars published a vocabulary and grammar of Zapotec in the 16th century [and others since then], only in the past century have ongoing efforts to produce Zapotec alphabets and write in Zapotec begun. The Isthmus Zapotec alphabet in use today was founded in the 1950's, drawing from works going back as far as the 1920's. There are efforts to produce a universal Zapotec alphabet, but the variety found in the phonological systems of the variants has so far confounded that attempt.

The viability of Zapotec languages also varies tremendously. Loxicha Zapotec, for example, has over 70,000 speakers. San Felipe Tejalapan Zapotec might have ten, all elderly. San Agustin Mixtepec Zapotec reportedly has just one remaining speaker. Historically, government teachers discouraged the use of the language, which has contributed to its diminution in many places. Other areas however, such as the Isthmus, proudly maintain their mother tongue.