Chontal, Highland Oaxaca
PrintPrimary tabs
A language of Mexico
ISO 639-3
Alternate Names
Chontal de Oaxaca Alto, Chontal de la Sierra de Oaxaca, Highland Chontal, Tequistlatec, Tsame
Autonym
Tsome
Population
2,200 (2000 INALI).
Location
Oaxaca state: San José Chiltepec, San Lucas Ixcatepec, and 15 towns west of Tehuantepec isthmus.
Language Maps
Language Status
6b (Threatened).
Classification
Dialects
Chontal de Oaxaca alto, Chontal de Oaxaca bajo.
Typology
VS, SV, or VO; medium long words, affixes; nontonal.
Language Use
Most speakers are over 40 years old. Also use Spanish [spa].
Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 60%–100%. Literacy rate in L2: 75%–100%. Literature. Dictionary. Grammar. NT: 1991.
Language Resources
Writing
Latin script [Latn].
‘Tequistlateco’ has been used in publications, but true Tequistlateco was spoken in Tequisistlán town, and is now extinct.