Mazatec, Huautla

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A language of Mexico

ISO 639-3
mau
Alternate Names
Highland Mazatec, Mazateco de Huautla de Jimenez, Mazateco de la Sierra, Mazateco del centro
Population

74,600 (2000 INALI). Over 100,000 Mazatec speakers live outside the Mazatec homeland, mostly in major cities (2005 census). Probably at least half speak L1. 22,400 monolinguals.

Location

North Oaxaca, Huautla and vicinity.

Language Maps
Language Status

6a (Vigorous).

Classification
Otomanguean, Eastern Otomanguean, Popolocan-Zapotecan, Popolocan, Mazatec
Dialects

Mazateco de presa alto, Mazateco del norte, San Mateo, San Miguel. 90% intelligibility of San Jerónimo Tecóatl [maa] (most similar, but less in outlying areas), 60% of Mazatlán, 35% of Jalapa [maj]. Lexical similarity: 94% with San Miguel, 93% with San Mateo, 80% with Soyaltepec, 78% with San Pedro Ixcatlán, 74% with Jalapa de Díaz.

Typology

Short words; tonal; whistle speech, distinguishing tones of the spoken language (Cowan 1948, 1952).

Language Use

Vigorous. Mazatec is needed and used locally, but use Spanish [spa] for prestige. All domains. All ages. Also use Spanish [spa], increasingly in Huautla City.

Language Development
Grammar. NT: 1961.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Mazatec, Huautla
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Traditional religion, Christian.