Lakty'añ
Chol
Mayan
Chol (Ch'ol, autonymously Lakty'añ) is a Cholan Mayan language of Chiapas, Mexico. The Chol people inhabit the highland valleys north of Palenque, near the famous Classic Maya archaeological site. Linguistically, Chol is a Cholan-branch Mayan language, most closely related to the extinct Classical Mayan literary language inscribed at Palenque, Yaxchilán, and Tikal during the Classic Period (250-900 CE). Modern Chol speakers thus have a special connection to the Classic Maya hieroglyphic tradition. The Chol community has maintained the language despite Spanish dominance, with bilingual education through INALI since the 1990s.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Chol
Water
jaʼ
/haʔ/
Fire
kʼajk
/kʼahk/
Sun
kʼajn
/kʼahn/
Moon
uw
/uw/
Mother
ñaʼ
/ɲaʔ/
Father
tat
/tat/
Eat
kʼux
/kʼuʃ/
Drink
ucʼ
/utsʼ/
Love
kʼuxbiñ
/kʼuʃbiɲ/
Heart
pusʼikʼal
/pusʼikʼal/
Tree
teʼ
/teʔ/
House
otyot
/otjot/
Dog
tsʼiʼ
/tsʼiʔ/
Cat
mis
/mis/
Hand
kʼabʼ
/kʼaɓ/
Eye
wut
/wut/
Hello
kabʼ
/kaɓ/
Thank you
wokox
/wokoʃ/
One
juñ
/huɲ/
Good
utsat
/utsat/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Mayan languages
| Meaning | Chol | Tabasco Chontal | Tzeltal | Uspanteko | Itzá Maya | Tojolabal | Tzotzil |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | jaʼ /haʔ/ | jaʼ /haʔ/ | jaʼ /xaʔ/ | jaʼ /haʔ/ | jaʼ /haʔ/ | jaʼ /haʔ/ | voʼ /voʔ/ |
| Fire | kʼajk /kʼahk/ | kʼakʼ /kʼakʼ/ | kʼaal /kʼaːl/ | qʼaqʼ /qʼaqʼ/ | kʼakʼ /kʼakʼ/ | kʼakʼ /kʼakʼ/ | kʼokʼ /kʼokʼ/ |
| Sun | kʼajn /kʼahn/ | kʼin /kʼin/ | kʼajkʼal /kʼaxkʼal/ | qʼiij /qʼiːh/ | kʼin /kʼin/ | kʼakʼu /kʼakʼu/ | kʼakʼal /kʼakʼal/ |
| Moon | uw /uw/ | ä /æ/ | u /u/ | ikʼ /ikʼ/ | uj /uh/ | ixaw /iʃaw/ | u /u/ |
| Mother | ñaʼ /ɲaʔ/ | naʼ /naʔ/ | meʼ /meʔ/ | nan /nan/ | naʼ /naʔ/ | nan /nan/ | meʼ /meʔ/ |
| Father | tat /tat/ | tat /tat/ | tat /tat/ | tat /tat/ | tat /tat/ | tat /tat/ | tot /tot/ |
| Eat | kʼux /kʼuʃ/ | weʼ /weʔ/ | weʼel /weʔel/ | waʼ /waʔ/ | jant /hant/ | waʼel /waʔel/ | veʼel /veʔel/ |
| Drink | ucʼ /utsʼ/ | ukʼe /ukʼe/ | uchʼel /utʃʼel/ | ukʼ /ukʼ/ | ukʼ /ukʼ/ | ukʼ /ukʼ/ | uchʼ /utʃʼ/ |
| Love | kʼuxbiñ /kʼuʃbiɲ/ | kʼuxbe /kʼuʃbe/ | kʼanbey /kʼanbej/ | lóqʼ /lóqʼ/ | yakunti /jakunti/ | skʼana /skʼana/ | kʼanel /kʼanel/ |
| Heart | pusʼikʼal /pusʼikʼal/ | pixan /piʃan/ | oʼtan /oʔtan/ | kʼuʼx /kʼuʔʃ/ | pukʼsikʼal /pukʼsikʼal/ | alma /alma/ | oʼon /oʔon/ |
| Tree | teʼ /teʔ/ | teʼ /teʔ/ | teʼ /teʔ/ | cheʼ /tʃeʔ/ | cheʼ /tʃeʔ/ | teʼ /teʔ/ | teʼ /teʔ/ |
| House | otyot /otjot/ | otot /otot/ | na /na/ | jaa /haː/ | nah /nah/ | naj /nah/ | na /na/ |
| Dog | tsʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ | pekʼ /pekʼ/ | tsʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ | tzʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ | pekʼ /pekʼ/ | tsʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ | tzʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ |
| Cat | mis /mis/ | mis /mis/ | mis /mis/ | mis /mis/ | mis /mis/ | mis /mis/ | mis /mis/ |
| Hand | kʼabʼ /kʼaɓ/ | kʼä /kʼæ/ | kʼab /kʼab/ | qʼab /qʼab/ | kʼab /kʼab/ | kʼabʼ /kʼaɓ/ | kʼob /kʼob/ |
| Eye | wut /wut/ | wich /witʃ/ | sit /sit/ | wach /watʃ/ | ich /itʃ/ | satej /sateh/ | sat /sat/ |
| Hello | kabʼ /kaɓ/ | bin a bel /bin a bel/ | banti winik /banti winik/ | saʼbʼal /saʔbal/ | bʼix a tʼan /biʃ a tʼan/ | lekilukʼ /lekilukʼ/ | kʼusi avokoluk /kʼusi avokoluk/ |
| Thank you | wokox /wokoʃ/ | dios boʼtik /dios boʔtik/ | wokol awal /wokol awal/ | maltyox /maltjoʃ/ | dios bʼotik /dios botik/ | yuj /juh/ | kolaval /kolaval/ |
| One | juñ /huɲ/ | un /un/ | jun /xun/ | jun /hun/ | jun /hun/ | jun /hun/ | jun /hun/ |
| Good | utsat /utsat/ | tsʼak /tsʼak/ | lek /lek/ | utz /uts/ | malobʼ /malob/ | lek /lek/ | lek /lek/ |
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