Xincan languages
| Xincan | |
|---|---|
| Ethnicity: | Xinca people |
| Geographic distribution: |
Guatemala |
| Linguistic classification: | One of the world's primary language families |
| Subdivisions: | |
| ISO 639-3: | xin |
| Glottolog: | xinc1237 |
The Xincan languages. Solid blue is the recorded range; transparent blue the range attested by toponyms.
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Xinca (Szinca) is a small family of Mesoamerican languages, now nearly extinct, once spoken by the indigenous Xinca people in southeastern Guatemala, much of El Salvador, and bits of Honduras.
The Xincan languages have no demonstrated affiliations with other language families. Lehmann (1920) tried linking Xincan with Lencan, but the proposal was never demonstrated.
There were at least four Xincan languages, all of which are now either moribund or extinct (Campbell 1997:166). Yupiltepeque was spoken in Jutiapa Department, while the rest are spoken in Santa Rosa Department. Campbell also suggests that the Alagüilac language of San Cristóbal Acasaguastlán may have in fact been a Xincan language.
To these, Glottolog adds
Sachse (2010) considers all Xincan speakers today to be semi-speakers, with the completely fluent speakers having already died.
Xincan languages have many loanwords from Mayan languages especially in agricultural terms, suggesting extensive contact with Mayan peoples.
In the 16th century the territory of the Xinca extended from the Pacific coast to the mountains of Jalapa. In 1524 the population was conquered by the Spanish Empire. Many of the people were forced into slavery and compelled to participate in the conquest of modern-day El Salvador. It is from this that the names for the town, river, and bridge "Los Esclavos" (The Slaves) are derived in the area of Cuilapa, Santa Rosa.
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