Kaqchikel

Kaqchikel (ISO 639-3: cak) is a Mayan language spoken mainly in Guatemala’s central highlands, especially in Chimaltenango, Sacatepéquez, Sololá, and neighboring departments. Within the K’ichean branch it is especially close to Tz’utujil and more distantly related to K’iche’, while substantial dialect variation exists within Kaqchikel itself. Its grammar has ergative–absolutive alignment, rich verbal morphology, and a verb-initial basic order with considerable flexibility; its consonant system includes glottalized stops and affricates. The standardized Latin orthography promoted by the Academia de Lenguas Mayas de Guatemala uses apostrophe-like marks for glottalization. Guatemala’s 2003 National Languages Law recognizes Kaqchikel among the country’s Mayan national languages and supports its public use; the colonial chronicle commonly called the Annals of the Kaqchikels is a major historical text, while bilingual education, publishing, music, and community programs support present-day transmission despite continuing pressure from Spanish.