K’iche’

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A language of Guatemala

ISO 639-3
quc
Alternate Names
Central K’iche’, Central Quiché, Chiquel, Quiché
Autonym
Qach’abel
Population

2,330,000. 300,000 monolinguals.

Location

El Quiché department: Chichicastenango, Chiché, Cunén, Joyabaj, Sacapulas, San Andrés Sajcabajá, Uspantán, Zacualpa municipalities; Quetzaltenango, Retalhuleu, Sololá, Suchitepéquez, and Totonicapán departments; some communities in Huehuetenango and Baja Verapaz departments.

Language Maps
Language Status

4 (Educational). Recognized language (2003, Law of National Languages, Decree 19).

Classification
Mayan, Yucatecan-Core Mayan, K’ichean-Mamean, K’ichean, Poqom-K’ichean, Core K’ichean
Dialects

Cunén Kiché, Joyabaj Kiché, West Central Kiché, Eastern Kiché, San Andrés Kiché.

Typology

VOS; ergativity; passives (active, passive, antipassive); aspect; 24 consonant and 10 vowel phonemes; non-tonal; stress on penultimate or final syllable.

Language Use

Vigorous. All domains, interpreters required in courts, some bilingual schools, oral use in religious services. Positive attitudes. Many also use Spanish [spa]. Some also use Kaqchikel [cak]. A few also use Mam [mam], Q’eqchi’ [kek], Tz’utujil [tzj].

Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 5%–10%. Literacy rate in L2: 25%–35%. 40,000 readers, 20,000 can write in K’iche’. Taught in primary schools. Radio. Videos. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible: 1995. Agency: Academy of Mayan Languages.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about K’iche’
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Traditional religion, Christian.

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