An Introduction To Mixe-Zoquean Languages

Mixe–Zoquean is one of southern Mexico’s oldest Indigenous language families. Its ancestral form, Proto-Mixe–Zoquean, was spoken on the Isthmus of Tehuantepec as early as the Initial Formative Period (approximately 2000–1200 BCE), making it one of the oldest language families still existing in Mesoamerica.

Despite centuries of political and social tensions, Mixe–Zoquean languages remain alive today, and are spoken in rural communities across Oaxaca, Chiapas, Tabasco, and Veracruz.

A Brief History of Mixe-Zoquean Languages

Many scholars believe the ancient Olmecs, who are considered one of the earliest major civilizations in Mesoamerica, may have spoken a Mixe–Zoquean language. This theory is based on several pieces of evidence: the geographic overlap between ancient Olmec territory and modern Mixe–Zoquean-speaking regions, Mixe-Zoquean loan words found in other Mesoamerican languages, and the timing of both cultures. 

While this connection remains debated among linguists, it represents one of the most fascinating links between ancient Mesoamerican civilizations and a surviving language family.

The Mixe-Zoquean Language Family

Linguists divide the Mixe–Zoquean family into two main branches: Mixean and Zoquean.

Mixean (spoken primarily in Oaxaca)

• Mixe (Highland, Midland, Lowland)

• Sayula Popoluca 

• Oluta Popoluca

• Tapachultec (extinct)

Zoquean (spoken primarily in Chiapas, Oaxaca, Tabasco, and Veracruz)

• Chiapas Zoque

• Oaxaca Zoque

• Soteapan Zoque

• Texistepec Zoque

• Ayapanec Zoque

• Sierra Popoluca,

• Texistepec Popoluca

Writing System

As with most Indigenous languages from the Americas, ancestors of Mixe-Zoquean communities, such as the Olmecs, had a developed writing system. It’s unclear how developed this system was, or whether it was pictorial or phonemic in nature (or a combination of both), but the writing system was eventually lost.

Other factors, such as colonization and linguistic oppression, contributed to Indigenous writing systems being completely lost. Thus, these languages were passed down completely orally for much of recent history. 

In the 1980s, linguists worked with Mixe-Zoquean language-speaking communities to develop an orthography based on the Latin alphabet with some specialized symbols to indicate the different sounds of the languages.

Although this new Latin-based writing system has been adopted and accepted by most communities, a general lack of emphasis on Indigenous languages throughout the region and lower access to these materials have resulted in fewer resources for teaching and preserving them. This means that while there are still many individuals who speak languages like Mixe or Zoque, there are a very limited number of individuals who can read or write them.

What makes Mixe-Zoquean languages unique?

Mixe-Zoquean languages feature complex verb systems that pack extensive grammatical information into single words. These languages organize sentence structure differently from English, using specialized patterns to indicate relationships between subjects, objects, and actions. They also use unique sound combinations and grammatical markers that allow speakers to express precise meanings about time, mood, and social relationships.

Mixe-Zoquean Languages Today

The Mexican government currently recognizes three major Mixe–Zoquean languages: Mixe (Ayook), Zoque (O'de püt), and the “Popolucan” languages. It should be noted here that the “Popolucan” languages of the Mixe-Zoquean branch are distinct from the “Popolocan” languages of the Oto-Manguean Branch.

The words “Popoluca” and “Popoloca” both come from the Nahutal language and are both onomatopoeias (words that imitate sounds) to represent how the Nahuatl thought speakers of these languages sounded. This is similar to why the Romans called people who didn’t speak Roman or Greek “Barbarians” or why the Indigenous Tamazight of Morocco are sometimes referred to as “Berbers”. Essentially, these “names” indicate that, to speakers of other languages, their words sounded like  “gibberish”. 

Efforts to document, teach, and revitalize these languages continue to grow. Orthographies developed in the 1970s now support written materials in schools and public life, while community activists, educators, and linguists work together to protect them from decline.

Many Mixe communities have maintained traditional ways of life, which has helped to preserve their languages. Today, Mixe languages are spoken by approximately 130,000 to 140,000 people, primarily in Oaxaca’s Sierra Norte region.

Zoque-speaking populations have experienced greater linguistic assimilation in lowland areas compared to Mixe speakers. Consequently, Zoquean speakers number fewer people, around 60,000 to 70,000.

Mixe-Zoquean Language Interpretation Services at Maya Bridge 

In the United States, language access is a right. Many Indigenous communities, however, are unable to access services in their native languages. For speakers of Mixe, Zoque, and other Indigenous languages from the Mixe-Zoquean family, who are often monolingual or have limited proficiency in Spanish, this is particularly true. Having language access can have a direct impact on the outcome of their legal cases and immigration proceedings as well as their access to healthcare treatments and social services.

Currently, there are far too many instances in healthcare and in immigration proceedings, as well as in community services, where speakers of Indigenous languages are not offered interpretation services.

We offer language services for all Mixe-Zoquean languages at Maya Bridge. Our interpreters not only interpret but also eliminate cultural misunderstandings, so that Indigenous communities can receive the essential services they need in the U.S.

Maya Bridge - A Leading Advocate For Indigenous and Lower-resource Language Access In The U.S.

At Maya Bridge Language Services, we’re a mission-driven interpretation agency offering 24/7 on-demand services. We proudly provide interpretation in over 230 languages, including more than 145 Indigenous and low-diffusion languages from Latin America, Africa, Asia, the Pacific Islands, and Native American communities.

Since 2021, we have worked diligently to mobilize, train, and evaluate a network of hundreds of interpreters both in the U.S. and throughout the world. Our growing network of trained interpreters ensures that Indigenous language speakers are heard and understood in critical moments, from healthcare to legal settings and access to government services.

Contact us to schedule a meeting or call us anytime, day or night, at (801) 753-8568.

About the Author

Jace Norton is a Q'eqchi' interpreter and linguist with an extensive background in the Q'eqchi' language. Norton lived and worked among the Q'eqchi' people from 2010-2012, created a language learning guide for Q'eqchi' in 2014, and worked in Q'eqchi' translation and interpretation from 2017-2021. In 2021, Norton founded Maya Bridge Language Services and is now a leading advocate for Mayan language access in the US.