Ch’orti’ language
| Ch'orti' | |
|---|---|
| Ch'orti' | |
| Native to | Guatemala, Honduras |
| Region | Copán |
| Ethnicity | Ch'orti' |
|
Native speakers
|
30,000 (2000) |
|
Mayan
|
|
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Early form
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| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | |
| Glottolog | chor1273 |
The Ch'orti' language (sometimes also Chorti) is a Mayan language, spoken by the indigenous Maya people who are also known as the Ch'orti' or Ch'orti' Maya. Ch'orti' is a direct descendant of the Classic Maya language in which many of the pre-Columbian inscriptions using the Maya script were written. This Classic Maya language is also attested in a number of inscriptions made in regions whose inhabitants most likely spoke a different Mayan language variant, including the ancestor of Yukatek Maya. Ch'orti' is the modern version of the ancient Mayan language Ch'olan (which was actively used and most popular between the years of A.D 250 and 850).
Ch’orti’ can be called a living “Rosetta Stone” of Mayan Languages. Ch’orti’ language is an important factor to comprehend the contents of Maya hieroglyphic writings, some of which are not yet fully understood. Over several years, many linguists and anthropologists expected to realize the Ch’orti’ culture and language by studying its words and expressions. Ch'orti' is spoken mainly in and around Jocotán and Camotán, Chiquimula department, Guatemala, as well as adjacent areas of parts of western Honduras near the Copan Ruins. Because the classic Mayan language was ancestral to the modern Ch'orti, Ch'orti can be used to decipher the ancient language. For example, it was discovered that the Mayan language had distinct grammatical patterns, such as a consonant/vowel syllable aspect. Researchers realized that the ancient language was based more on phonetics than previously thought.
The name Chorti' (with unglottalized <ch>) means 'language of the corn farmers' which references to the traditional agricultural activity of the Ch'orti' families. The politicized spelling Ch'orti' was introduced later in an attempt to lessen associations between Ch'orti' speakers and stereotypical professions.
Ch'orti' language is one of the three modern descendants of Ch’olan language which is a sub-group of Mayan languages. Other two modern descendants are Ch’ontal and Ch’ol. These three descendants are still spoken by people. Ch’orti’ language and Ch’olti language are two sub-branches belong to the Eastern Ch’olan. And Ch’olti language is already extinct today.
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