An Introduction To Mixe-Zoquean Languages

valeriamarchese2
Jun 26
4 min read

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 (around 2000–1200 BCE), which also makes it one of the oldest language families to still exist in Mesoamerica. Despite centuries of political and social tensions, Mixe–Zoquean languages remain alive today, spoken in rural communities across Oaxaca, Chiapas, Tabasco, and Veracruz.

In today’s blog, we’ll discuss the history of Mixe-Zoquean languages, their cultural and linguistic characteristics, and the role of interpreters in supporting communities here in the U.S. that speak Mixe-Zoquean languages.

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 eventually was lost. Other factors like 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 1980’s, linguists worked with communities speaking Mixe-Zoquean languages 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 deemphasis on Indigenous languages throughout the region and lower access to materials has resulted in less resources for teaching and preserving them in schools. This means that while there are still plenty of individuals who speak language like Mixe and Zoque, there are a very limited amount of individuals who are able to read or write in those languages.

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 employ 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, mostly in Chiapas and Tabasco.

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 Latin American Indigenous Language Access In The U.S.

Since 2021, Maya Bridge Language Services has been advocating for increased access for speakers of Mayan and other Latin American and global Indigenous languages here in the United States. Maya Bridge is a mission-driven, niche interpretation agency offering 24/7 on-demand services for over 100 Indigenous languages from Latin America, as well as African, Asian, Pacific Island, Native American, and other Indigenous languages.

We have worked diligently to mobilize, train, and evaluate a network of hundreds of interpreters both in the U.S. and throughout the world to ensure that speakers of Indigenous languages can fully understand and be understood in important situations like healthcare, legal settings, in disaster and emergency response scenarios, and in receiving access to government programs.