Tzeltal | Ethnologue

A language of Mexico

ISO 639: tzh
Alternate Names: Cancuc, Chanal, Highland Tzeltal, Oxchuc Tzeltal, Tenango, Tenejapa, Tenejapa Tzeltal, Tseltal
Autonym: Bats’il k’op
Population: 589,000 (2020 INEGI). 50,000 monolinguals.
Location:: Chiapas: Oxchuc area.
Language Status: 5 (Developing).
Classification: Mayan, Yucatecan-Core Mayan, Core Mayan, Cholan-Tzeltalan, Tzeltalan, Tzeltal
Dialects: Amatenango del Valle, Bachajon Tzeltal (Lowland Tzeltal, Tzeltal de Ocosingo), Chanal Cancuc, Tenango, Tzeltal del Norte, Tzeltal del occidente, Tzeltal del oriente, Tzeltal del Sur.
Typology: VOS.
Language Use: Vigorous. Some Tzotzil also speak Tzeltal. Some families now use Spanish [spa]. Some Ch’ol [ctu] in north border area and lowland learned Tzeltal. All domains. Oral use in administration, commerce, some oral and written use in education, religion. Minimal use in government schools. Used by all. Positive attitudes. A few also use Tojolabal [toj]. Also use Chol [ctu]. Also use Spanish [spa].
Language Development: 50,000 readers, 40,000 can write. Radio. TV. Dictionary. Bible: 2002.
Language Resources: OLAC resources in and about Tzeltal
Writing: Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments: Christian.

Location: Chiapas: Oxchuc area.