Zapotec

Zapotec

There are about 60 Zapotecan languages spoken in Mexico. They are part
of the Oto-Manguean family of languages and there is mutual intelligibility
between some of them. About half a million people speak these languages in
southern Mexico, especially in the states of Oaxaca, Puebla, and Guerrero,
and they can be divided into four groups: Northern Zapotec (Zapoteco de
la Sierra Norte
), Valley Zapotec, Southern Zapotec (Zapoteco de la
Sierra Sur
), and Isthmus Zapotec.

Names of varieties of Zapotec include Diidxazá in
Juchitán (Isthmus of Tehuantepec), Didxsajin in Mitla,
Diža’xon in Zoogocho, and Tiits Së in Santa
Catarina Quioquitani.

Between 500 BC and 1000 AD an ancient form of Zapotec was written with
a logophonetic script somewhat similar to Mayan.

Isthmus Zapotec (Diidxazá) alphabet and pronunciation

Zapotec alphabet and pronunciation

Source: http://www.native-languages.org/zapotec_guide.htm

Sample texts

Zapotec (Güilá)

Ra’ta ra bu:unny ra:aaly liebr cëhnn te’bloh deree’ch cëhnn dignidaa.
Ra:alyne:erih gahll ri:e:eny cëhnn saalyb, chiru’ na:a pahr ga:annza’crih
loh sa’rih.

Zapotec, Miahuatlán

Diti mien ndied xa yent kuan nkie xa nak rieti xa diba xa rola.

Translation

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)

Links

Information about Zapotec languages
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zapotec_languages
http://www.sil.org/mexico/zapoteca/00i-Zapoteca.htm

Zapotec Pronunciation and Spelling Guide
http://www.native-languages.org/zapotec_guide.htm

Yatzachi Zapotec dictionary
http://www.sil.org/mexico/zapoteca/yatzachi/S037a-Diccionario-zav.htm

Conjugation types of Zapotec verbs (Yalálag Zapotec)
http://www.sil.org/mexico/zapoteca/yalalag/g033-conjugverbozap-zpu.htm

Ancient Zapotec script
http://www.ancientscripts.com/zapotec.html

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