Language
The language that is called Ch’ol in English is referred to as Lak ty’añ—means “our speech--. The word Ch’ol refers to both the language and the people.
The Ch'ol language consists of three branches: Sabanilla, Tilá and tumbalá. Although some linguists consider them as three different languages, they are commonly known as dialects of the same Ch’ol language Speakers of Tilá and Tumbalá can usually understand each other. In total, there are an estimated 120,000 speakers of the ch’ol language. The Tilá speakers inhabit Chiapas, Tila, and while the tumbala inhabit North central Chiapas, Tumbala, sabanilla, Misjia, limar, chivalita . Both dialects are spoken in Vicente Guerrero, Limar, and Chivalito.
Although most chol people are monolingual, those that speak Spanish have a variation called “Castia” This form of Spanish is characterized by:
- Continued use of archaisms that are no longer used in other varieties in Spanish like: Cuartia, fanego, libra
- Use of Vos instead of tu in Second person singular
- Phonetic transformation in the second singular: “I” is dropped and “e” is stressed. For example: Vos quereis = Vos queres
- Frequent use of “lo” even when there is a masculine or feminine article: “lo hizo las tortillas” o “ lo miro el rio”
Read more about this topic: Ch'ol People
Famous quotes containing the word language:
“An art whose medium is language will always show a high degree of critical creativeness, for speech is itself a critique of life: it names, it characterizes, it passes judgment, in that it creates.”
—Thomas Mann (1875–1955)
““What may this mean? Language of Man pronounced
By tongue of brute, and human sense expressed!
The first at least of these I thought denied
To beasts, whom God on their creation-day
Created mute to all articulate sound;
The latter I demur, for in their looks
Much reason, and in their actions, oft appears.”
—John Milton (1608–1674)
“Different persons growing up in the same language are like different bushes trimmed and trained to take the shape of identical elephants. The anatomical details of twigs and branches will fulfill the elephantine form differently from bush to bush, but the overall outward results are alike.”
—Willard Van Orman Quine (b. 1908)