Tsotsil (Bats’i k’op)

Tsotsil or Tzotzil is a Mayan language spoken in the Mexican state of Chiapas by
about 330,000 people. It is closely related to Tzeltal and Ch’ol and is part of
the Cholan-Tzeltalan branch of the Mayan language family.

Tsotsil has six dialects which are named after the different regions
of Chiapas in which they are spoken: Chamula, Zinacantán, San Andrés Larráinzar,
Huixtán, Ch’enalho’, and Venustiano Carranza. There is varying degrees of mutual
intelligibility between them.

Tzotsil is used as a medium in instruction in some primary and secondary schools
in central Chiaps

Tsotsil pronunciation

Note

w d f and g are used only in Spanish loanwords, and h is silent when not combined
with c.

Sample text

Skotol vinik o ants ta spejel balumile k´olem x-hayan i ko´ol
ta sch´ulal i sderechoetik i, skotol k´ux-elan oyike oy srasonik
y slekilalik, sventa skuxijik leknóo ta ju jun ju ju vo.

Translation (of all the above texts)

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They
are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another
in a spirit of brotherhood.
(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

Useful phrases in Tsotsil

Books about Mayan writing, history and culture
Mayan language courses, dictionaries and phrasebooks