VIII - Uspanteko

Uspanteko, a Mayan language of Guatemala, is spoken by the Uspantek people predominately in Uspantán. Fortunately, Uspanteko is an officially recognized language in Guatemala; it is used in literature and on the radio. However, Uspanteko is still categorized as an endangered language, with an estimated number of speakers ranging from 1200 to 5000. It is often known as “Tz’unun Tziij” (‘Hummingbird Word’), “Tz’unun Yolooj” (‘Hummingbird Speech’), and “Tz’unun Tziijb’al” (‘Hummingbird Language’) among those who speak it. With a rich culture featuring Latin script, the Uspanteko language is certainly one to be appreciated.

Geography

Uspanteko is spoken mainly in western Guatemala, particularly in the municipalities of San Miguel Uspantán, Playa Grande and Chicamán in the department of Quiché. The Uspanteko speakers have not moved much throughout history, and their geographical location has been relatively stagnant according to the available literature.

History

The names behind Uspanteko, such as Tz’unun Tziij, often stem from the history of Uspanteko and its people. In fact, the reference to hummingbirds dates back to before 1529, where the Uspantek people inhabited a post-classic fortified city often referred to as Tz’unun Kaab, or Sweet Hummingbird. The language name derives from the Nahuatl word Uzpantlan ('Walled City of Hummingbirds'); this name was given due to the Nahuatl-speaking guides, advisors, and troops who accompanied the colonial Spanish as they advanced into Guatemala.

Language

There are 24 consonants and 5 vowels in the Uspanteko language. It is written in the Latin alphabet, despite the small literacy rate among speakers. Uspantek has two tones: a high tone, which can be marked with an acute accent, and a falling tone, which can be indicated with an acute accent mark on the first vowel followed by an unmarked vowel. Uspanteko follows SVO word order.

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