Dizhsa
Tlacolula Zapotec
Otomanguean
Tlacolula Zapotec (autonymously Dizhsa, sometimes called Valley Zapotec or San Lucas Quiaviní Zapotec for the most-documented variety) is an Otomanguean language of the Tlacolula Valley east of Oaxaca City. With only about 6,000 speakers and rapid Spanish-language displacement, Tlacolula Zapotec is severely endangered, but it has gained academic prominence through Pamela Munro's UCLA Zapotec Documentation Project. Like all Zapotec varieties, it is tonal (3-4 contrastive tones plus phonation distinctions including breathy and creaky vowels). The Tlacolula Sunday market — one of Mexico's oldest indigenous markets — remains a key venue where the language is still actively used.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Tlacolula Zapotec
Water
nisi
/nisi/
Fire
gui
/ɡi/
Sun
gubi
/ɡubi/
Moon
beuu
/beːu/
Mother
xnan
/ʃnan/
Father
xtad
/ʃtad/
Eat
rau
/ɾau/
Drink
re
/ɾe/
Love
nadxiiebia
/nadʒiːebia/
Heart
ladxdoo
/ladʒdoː/
Tree
yag
/jaɡ/
House
yu
/ju/
Dog
bicu'
/bikuʔ/
Cat
mishu
/miʃu/
Hand
na'
/naʔ/
Eye
slu
/slu/
Hello
padiux
/padiuʃ/
Thank you
xclen lo'
/ʃklen loʔ/
One
tubyabi
/tubjabi/
Good
nazac
/nazak/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Otomanguean languages
| Meaning | Tlacolula Zapotec | Zapotec | Iban | Misak | Mazahua | Asháninka | Meitei |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | nisi /nisi/ | nisa /nisa/ | ai /ai/ | unø /unø/ | ndo /ndo/ | nija /nidʒa/ | ꯏꯁꯤꯡ /isiŋ/ |
| Fire | gui /ɡi/ | gi /ɡi/ | api /api/ | nipi /nipi/ | sibi /sibi/ | paamari /paːmaɾi/ | ꯃꯩ /mei/ |
| Sun | gubi /ɡubi/ | gubidxa /ɡubidʒa/ | mata-ari /mataari/ | shi /ʃi/ | hyadi /hjadi/ | oorya /oːɾja/ | ꯅꯨꯃꯤꯠ /numit/ |
| Moon | beuu /beːu/ | beeu /beːu/ | bulan /bulan/ | atru /atɾu/ | zana /zana/ | kashiri /kaʃiɾi/ | ꯊꯥ /tʰaː/ |
| Mother | xnan /ʃnan/ | jñaa /xɲaː/ | indai /indai/ | mama /mama/ | nana /nana/ | ina /ina/ | ꯏꯃꯥ /ima/ |
| Father | xtad /ʃtad/ | bixhoze /biʃoze/ | apai /apai/ | tata /tata/ | tata /tata/ | apa /apa/ | ꯏꯄꯥ /ipa/ |
| Eat | rau /ɾau/ | ro /ɾo/ | makai /makai/ | mɵ /mɵ/ | ñe /ɲe/ | noyaki /nojaki/ | ꯆꯥꯕ /tʃaːba/ |
| Drink | re /ɾe/ | ge /ɡe/ | ngirup /ŋirup/ | ushi /uʃi/ | theni /tʰeni/ | noiri /noiɾi/ | ꯊꯛꯄ /tʰakpa/ |
| Love | nadxiiebia /nadʒiːebia/ | ranaxhii /ɾanaʃiː/ | rinduai /rinduai/ | kausrap /kawsɾap/ | hñu /ɲu/ | nonintsi /nonintsi/ | ꯅꯨꯡꯁꯤꯕ /nuŋsiba/ |
| Heart | ladxdoo /ladʒdoː/ | ladxi /ladʒi/ | ati /ati/ | mun /mun/ | mŭiñ /mwiɲ/ | nosanto /nosanto/ | ꯊꯃꯣꯏ /tʰamoi/ |
| Tree | yag /jaɡ/ | yaga /jaɡa/ | kayu /kaju/ | yu /ju/ | za /za/ | inchato /intʃato/ | ꯐꯨꯂꯥꯡ /pʰulaŋ/ |
| House | yu /ju/ | lidxi /lidʒi/ | rumah /rumah/ | ya /ja/ | ngumi /ŋɡumi/ | pankotsi /paŋkotsi/ | ꯌꯨꯝ /jum/ |
| Dog | bicu' /bikuʔ/ | bi'cu' /biʔkuʔ/ | ukui /ukui/ | kuchi /kutʃi/ | nyo /ɲo/ | otsiti /otsiti/ | ꯍꯨꯏ /hui/ |
| Cat | mishu /miʃu/ | mistuu /mistuː/ | mayau /majau/ | mishi /miʃi/ | mishi /miʃi/ | mishito /miʃito/ | ꯍꯧꯗꯣꯡ /houdoŋ/ |
| Hand | na' /naʔ/ | na /naʔ/ | jari /dʒari/ | mar /maɾ/ | ye /je/ | nako /nako/ | ꯈꯨꯠ /kʰut/ |
| Eye | slu /slu/ | lú /lú/ | mata /mata/ | kab /kab/ | da /da/ | noki /noki/ | ꯃꯤꯠ /mit/ |
| Hello | padiux /padiuʃ/ | padixhe /padiʃe/ | salam /salam/ | ma'rik /maʔɾik/ | kjamadhi /kjamaði/ | aviro /aβiɾo/ | ꯈꯨꯔꯨꯝꯖꯔꯤ /kʰuɾumdʒaɾi/ |
| Thank you | xclen lo' /ʃklen loʔ/ | xtiozenu /ʃtjozenu/ | terima kasih /terima kasih/ | payn /pajn/ | ndios /ndios/ | naranki /naɾaŋki/ | ꯊꯥꯒꯠꯆꯔꯤ /tʰaːɡattʃaɾi/ |
| One | tubyabi /tubjabi/ | tobi /tobi/ | satu /satu/ | kan /kan/ | nahi /nahi/ | aparoni /apaɾoni/ | ꯑꯃ /ama/ |
| Good | nazac /nazak/ | nazaaca /nazaːka/ | manah /manah/ | kausrik /kawsɾik/ | nzhomu /nʒomu/ | kameetsa /kameːtsa/ | ꯐꯕ /pʰaba/ |
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