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Amuzgo Language (Nomndaa, Tzañcue)

Language: Amuzgo is an Oto-Manguean language of Mexico, most closely related to Mixtecan. There are three distinct varieties of the language: Guerrero Amuzgo (with two subdialects, Northern Amuzgo and Southern Amuzgo); Ipalapa Amuzgo (also known as Lower Eastern Amuzgo or Santa Maria Amuzgo), and Oaxaca Amuzgo (also known as Upper Eastern Amuzgo or San Pedro Amuzgos.) Some linguists consider all of these to be dialects of a single Amuzgo language, while others consider them separate languages within an Amuzgoan language subfamily. The three Amuzgo varieties are spoken by a combined 60,000 people today. They are tone languages with fairly fusional morphology, and they have primarily VSO word order.

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Names: The name Amuzgo comes from a placename in the Nahuatl (Aztec) language, Amoxco, meaning "moss place" or "water-weed place." (Some Amuzgo people believe it came from the Aztec word amoxtli instead, which means "book.") Although this name came from a different language, it is still often used by Amuzgo people, particularly since different Amuzgo communities use different names to refer to themselves. In Guerrero, most Amuzgos use a variant on the name Ñancue, which means "in-between people." In Oaxaca, the Alto Amuzgo call themselves Tzjon Non, which means "textile people" or "weavers," while many Bajo Amuzgos call themselves by the native placename Tzo'tyio, which means "shrimp river." Many speakers call their own language Ñomndaa or Jñunda, which means "water language." Alternate spellings and dialectical variations of these names include Amusgo, Amishgo, Amucho, Amochco, Azmugo; Ñ'anncue, Nn'ancue, Nn'aancue, Tzañcue, Tsañcue , Nañcue; Tzhonoa, Tzoñ'an, Ts'unuma; Ñomnda, Nomndaa, Jñunda, Jn'oon, Jñon'ndaa, Jñom’ndaa, Nundá', Ñonda, Non'ndaa, and Nom'dana. The Amuzgos are sometimes also known as Ñuuñama, which is their name in the language of their Mixtec kinfolk.

Amuzgo Language

Amuzgo language samples and resources.

Amuzgo Culture and History

Information and links about the Amuzgo tribe past and present.

Amuzgo Language Resources

Our Online Amuzgo Materials

Amuzgo Vocabulary:
Our list of vocabulary words in the Guerrero and Oaxaca Amuzgo dialects.

Amuzgo Pronunciation Guide:
How to pronounce Amuzgo words.

Amuzgo Animal Words:
Illustrated glossary of animal words in the Amuzgo language.

Amuzgo Body Parts:
Online and printable worksheets showing parts of the body in the Amuzgo language.

Amuzgo Colors:
Worksheet showing color words in the Amuzgo language.

Amuzgo Number Words:
Worksheet showing how to count in the Amuzgo language.

Amuzgo Food:
Worksheet with pictures of food words in the Amuzgo language.

Amuzgo Dictionaries and Language Books for Sale
Our organization earns a commission from any book bought through these links

Diccionario Amuzgo-Espanol
Amuzgo-Spanish dictionary for sale online.

The Mesoamerican Indian Languages
Linguistics text about Amuzgo and dozens of other Indian languages of Mexico.

Amuzgo Language Lessons and Linguistic Descriptions

Languages of Southern Mexico
Map showing the areas in Mexico where the Amuzgo language is spoken.

Amuzgo Language:
Overview of Amuzgo from the Summer Institute of Linguistics.

Palabras Ñomndaa:
Video demonstrating the pronunciation of Amuzgo words.

Lengua Amuzgo:
Information on the Amuzgo language, including a linguistic map of Mexico. Page in Spanish.

Guerrero Amuzgo Language Tree

Ipalapa Amuzgo Language Tree

Oaxaca Amuzgo Language Tree:
Theories about Amuzgo's language relationships compiled by Linguist List.

Amuzgo Language Structures:
Amuzgo linguistic profile and academic bibliography.

Amuzgo del Norte

Amuzgo del Sur

Amuzgo Bajo del Este

Amuzgo Alto del Este:
Profiles of Amuzgo language dialects.

Literature and Texts in the Amuzgo Language

Amuzgo Stories:
Four stories in the Guerrero Amuzgo language.

Himno Nacional en Amuzgo:
The national anthem of Mexico in the Amuzgo language.

Lord's Prayer in Oaxaca Amuzgo:

Guerrero Amuzgo Songs:
Christian prayers and hymns translated into Amuzgo.

The New Testament in Amuzgo

The Bible in San Pedro Amuzgos:

Amuzgo Words of Life:
Language Museum: Amuzgo de Guerrero:

Bible Verses in Amuzgo de San Pedro:
Bible passages in the Amuzgo language.

Links, References, and Additional Information

  Endangered Languages Project: Guerrero Amuzgo:
  Bibliography of Amuzgo language resources.
  Amuzgo Language

Wikipedia: Amuzgo:
Encyclopedia articles on the Amuzgo language.
Lengua Nomda'na

Idioma Amuzgo

Area de Lenguaje Amuzgo:
  Information about the Amuzgo language in Spanish.
  Amuzgo Language:
  Amuzgo links.

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