Chontal, Highland Oaxaca

A language of Mexico

ISO 639: chd
Alternate Names: Chontal de Oaxaca Alto, Chontal de la Sierra de Oaxaca, Highland Chontal, Tequistlatec, Tsame
Autonym: Tsome
Population: 2,200 (2000 INALI).
Location:: Oaxaca state: San José Chiltepec, San Lucas Ixcatepec, and 15 towns west of Tehuantepec isthmus.
Language Status: 8a (Moribund).
Classification: Tequistlatecan
Dialects: Chontal de Oaxaca alto, Chontal de Oaxaca bajo.
Typology: VS, SV, or VO; medium long words, affixes; nontonal.
Language Use: Older adults only. Shifted to Spanish [spa].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L1: 60%–100%. Literacy rate in L2: 75%–100%. Literature. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. NT: 1991.
Language Resources: OLAC resources in and about Chontal, Highland Oaxaca
Writing: Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments: ‘Tequistlateco’ has been used in publications, but true Tequistlateco was spoken in Tequisistlán town, and is now extinct.

Location: Oaxaca state: San José Chiltepec, San Lucas Ixcatepec, and 15 towns west of Tehuantepec isthmus.