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Aguacateco Indian Language (Awakateko, Kayol)

Language: Aguacateco is a Mayan language spoken by about 12,000 people in Guatemala. Like many Mayan languages, Aguacateco is an agglutinative language with VSO word order.

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Names: The people's own name for their language is Qa'yol, which means "our language," and their name for themselves is Qatanum, "our people." Sometimes they also refer to themselves as Balamiha, a ritual designation meaning "Jaguar House." Aguacateco is the Spanish name for them, deriving from the Aguacatán region in which they live. Other common spellings of these names include Awakateko, Aguacatec, Aguacateca, Aguateca, Awaketeko, Awaketeco, Aguacatan Maya, and Kayol. Chalchiteco (Chalchiteko or Chalchitec) is the name of a related Mayan group that speaks a dialect of the same language. Coyotin is another Spanish name for Aguacateco people from older literature.



Aguacateco Language
Aguacateco language samples and resources.

Aguacateco Culture and History
Cultural information and links about Aguacateco society past and present.

Maya Legends
Mythology and folklore of the Aguacateco and other Mayan peoples.



Aguacateco Language Resources

Our Aguacateco Language Materials

Aguacateco Vocabulary
    Our list of vocabulary words in the Aguacateco language, with comparison to words in other Mayan languages.
Aguacatec Maya Pronunciation Guide:
    How to pronounce Aguacateco words.
Aguacateco Animal Words:
    Illustrated glossary of animal words in the Aguacatec language.
Aguacateco Body Parts:
    Online and printable worksheets to learn parts of the body in Aguacateco.
Aguacateco Colors:
    Worksheet to learn color words in Aguacateco.
Aguacateco Numbers:
    Worksheet showing how to count in the Aguacateco language.
Aguacateco Food:
    Worksheet with pictures of food words in the Aguacateco language.

Aguacateco Dictionaries and Language Books for Sale
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Diccionario Awakateko y Chalchiteko
    Aguacateco-Spanish dictionary for sale online.
The Mesoamerican Indian Languages:
    Linguistic reference on the languages of Mexico and Guatemala.
We Were Taught to Plant Corn, Not to Kill
    Essays and artwork by Guatemalan Mayas about the 20th-century violence that rocked their communities.

Aguacateco Language Resources

Language Map of Guatemala:
    Map showing where in Central America the Aguacateco language is spoken.
Xtx’olb’il Yol Awakateko:
    Online Awakateko glossary, with some audio clips of spoken words.
Awakateko Pronunciation:
    Language learning video demonstrating the sounds of the Aguacatec alphabet.
Aguacateco (Qa'yol):
    Profile of the Aguacateco language including a phonological inventory, alphabet and a text.
House of Languages: Aguacateco * Linguamón: Chalchiteko:
    Information about Aguacateco and Chalchiteco language usage.
The Tower of Babel in Aguacateco: * Language Museum: Aguacateco * Lord's Prayer in Aguacateco
    Awakateko Bible: * Awakateko Words of Life:
    Aguacatec translations of Biblical passages and Christian prayers.
Lengua Aguateco
    Information on the Aguacateco and Mam languages, including a linguistic map of Guatemala. Page in Spanish.
Awakateko Language Tree:
    Theories about Aguacateco's language relationships compiled by Linguist List.
Aguacateco Language Structures:
    Aguacatec linguistic profile and academic bibliography.
Aguacatec Papers:
    Archive of linguistics papers on Aguacateco, in English and Spanish.
Wikipedia: Awakatek:
    Brief encyclopedia entry on the Awakateko language.

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References, Links, and Additional Information

  Endangered Languages Project: Awakateko:
  Bibliography of Awakateko language resources.
  OLAC: Aguacateco:
  Reference list of Aguacateco language materials.
  Lengua de los Awakatekos: * Palabras en Idioma Awakateko * Grupo Indigena Aguacateco: * Dialecto Awakateko:
  Information about the Aguacatecos and their language in Spanish.
  Guatemala Native People:
  Links related to indigenous culture in Guatemala.



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