צ'ול

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.