Yokot'an
Tabasco Chontal
Mayan
Tabasco Chontal (Yokot'an, also called Yokot'an, sometimes Chontal Maya) is a Cholan Mayan language of the Mexican Gulf coast in Tabasco state. The Chontal Maya are direct descendants of the lowland Maya who controlled the Putun trade circuit during the Classic and Postclassic periods, linking Yucatán with the Gulf coast and the Mexican highlands. Modern Yokot'an is the closest living relative of Chol (ctu), both sharing the Cholan branch ancestry that produced Classical Mayan glyphic inscriptions. Despite intense pressure from Spanish, communities in Nacajuca and Centla maintain the language alongside traditional practices including ceremonial cacao cultivation.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Tabasco Chontal
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Mayan
| Meaning | Tabasco Chontal | Chol | Tzeltal | Classical Maya | Itzá Maya | Tojolabal | Yucatec Maya |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | jaʼ /haʔ/ | jaʼ /haʔ/ | jaʼ /haʔ/ | haʼ /haʔ/ | jaʼ /haʔ/ | jaʼ /haʔ/ | jaʼ /haʔ/ |
| Fire | kʼakʼ /kʼakʼ/ | kʼajk /kʼahk/ | kʼajkʼ /kʼahkʼ/ | kʼahkʼ /kʼahkʼ/ | kʼakʼ /kʼakʼ/ | kʼakʼ /kʼakʼ/ | kʼáakʼ /kʼaːkʼ/ |
| Sun | kʼin /kʼin/ | kʼiñ /kʼiɲ/ | kʼajkʼal /kʼahkʼal/ | kʼin /kʼin/ | kʼin /kʼin/ | kʼakʼu /kʼakʼu/ | kʼiin /kʼiːn/ |
| Moon | ä /æ/ | uw /uw/ | u /u/ | uh /uh/ | uj /uh/ | ixaw /iʃaw/ | uj /uh/ |
| Star | ekʼ /ʔekʼ/ | ekʼ /ʔekʼ/ | ekʼ /ekʼ/ | ekʼ /eːkʼ/ | ekʼ /ekʼ/ | kʼanal /kʼanal/ | eekʼ /eːkʼ/ |
| Night | akʼäb /akʼɨb/ | akʼälel /akʼɨlel/ | ajkʼabal /ahkʼaɓal/ | akʼabʼ /akʼaɓ/ | akʼabʼ /akʼaɓ/ | aʼkwal /aʔkʷal/ | áakʼabʼ /aːkʼaɓ/ |
| Snow | nieve /ˈnjebe/ | — | — | — | — | sakal kʼinal /sakal kʼinal/ | nieve /njebe/ |
| Earth | lum /lum/ | lum /lum/ | lum /lum/ | kab /kab/ | luʼum /luʔum/ | luʼum /luʔum/ | luʼum /luʔum/ |
| Stone | jiʼtun /hiʔtun/ | xajlel /ʃahlel/ | ton /ton/ | tuun /tuːn/ | tunich /tunitʃ/ | ton /ton/ | tuunich /tuːˈnitʃ/ |
| Mountain | tzʼik /tsʼik/ | wits /wits/ | wits /wits/ | witz /wits/ | — | wits /wits/ | wiits /wiːts/ |
| Sea | nab /nab/ | ñajb /ɲahɓ/ | mar /mar/ | kʼahkʼ nab /kʼahkʼ nab/ | — | niwan paman jaʼ /niwan paman haʔ/ | kʼáaʼnáab /kʼaːʔnaːb/ |
| Mother | naʼ /naʔ/ | ñaʼ /ɲaʔ/ | meʼ /meʔ/ | naʼ /naʔ/ | naʼ /naʔ/ | nan /nan/ | naʼ /naʔ/ |
| Father | tat /tat/ | tat /tat/ | tat /tat/ | yuum /juːm/ | tat /tat/ | tat /tat/ | taata /taːta/ |
| Daughter | jixik chʼok /hiʃik tʃʼok/ | ixikʼal /iʃikʼal/ | antsil nichʼan /antsil nitʃʼan/ | — | — | ʼixukil /ʔiʃukil/ | x aal /ʃaːl/ |
| I | noʼon /noʔon/ | joñoñ /hoɲoɲ/ | joʼon /hoʔon/ | hiin /hiːn/ | ten /ten/ | keʼn /keʔn/ | teen /teːn/ |
| You | neʼet /neʔet/ | jatyet /hatʲet/ | jaʼat /haʔat/ | hat /hat/ | tech /tetʃ/ | weʼn /weʔn/ | teech /teːtʃ/ |
| We | noʼonla /noʔonla/ | joñonla / joñon lojon /hoɲonla / hoɲon lohon/ | joʼotik / joʼotikon /hoʔotik / hoʔotikon/ | — /—/ | toʼon /toʔon/ | keʼntik / keʼntikon /keʔntik / keʔntikon/ | toʼon /toʔon/ |
| Name | kʼabaʼ /kʼaɓaʔ/ | kʼabaʼ /kʼaɓaʔ/ | biil /ɓiːl/ | kʼabaʼ /kʼaˈɓaʔ/ | kʼabaʼ /kʼaɓaʔ/ | bʼiʼil /ɓiʔil/ | kʼaabaʼ /kʼaːɓaʔ/ |
| Person | winik /winik/ | kixtyañu /kiʃtʲaɲu/ | ants winik /ants winik/ | winik /winik/ | — | winkil /winkil/ | máak /maːk/ |
| Head | pam /pam/ | jol /hol/ | jol /hol/ | jol /hol/ | — | ʼolom /ʔolom/ | pool /poːl/ |
| Eye | wich /witʃ/ | wut /wut/ | sit /sit/ | ut /ut/ | ich /itʃ/ | satej /sateh/ | ich /itʃ/ |
| Ear | chikin /tʃikin/ | chikin /tʃikin/ | chikin /tʃikin/ | chikin /tʃikin/ | xikin /ʃikin/ | chikin /tʃikin/ | xikin /ʃikin/ |
| Nose | niʼ /niʔ/ | niʼ /niʔ/ | niʼ /niʔ/ | niʼ /niʔ/ | niʼ /niʔ/ | niʼ /niʔ/ | niʼ /niʔ/ |
| Mouth | tiʼ /tiʔ/ | tiʼ /tiʔ/ | tiʼ /tiʔ/ | tiʼ /tiʔ/ | chiʼ /tʃiʔ/ | tiʼ /tiʔ/ | chiʼ /tʃiʔ/ |
| Tooth | ej /eh/ | ej /eh/ | ehal /ehal/ | eh /eh/ | koh /koh/ | ex /eʃ/ | koh /koh/ |
| Tongue | akʼ /akʼ/ | akʼ /aʔkʼ/ | akʼ /akʼ/ | akʼ /akʼ/ | akʼ /akʼ/ | akʼ /akʼ/ | aakʼ /aːkʼ/ |
| Hand | kʼäb /kʼɨb/ | kʼäb /kʼɨɓ/ | kʼab /kʼab/ | kʼab /kʼab/ | kʼab /kʼab/ | kʼabʼ /kʼaɓ/ | kʼabʼ /kʼaɓ/ |
| Foot | ok /ok/ | ok /ok/ | ok /ok/ | ook /oːk/ | — | ok /ok/ | ook /oːk/ |
| Heart | pixan /piʃan/ | pusʼikʼal /pusʼikʼal/ | oʼtan /oʔtan/ | pixan /piʃan/ | pukʼsikʼal /pukʼsikʼal/ | altzil /altsil/ | puksiʼikʼal /puksiʔikʼal/ |
| Bone | bak /ɓak/ | bäk /ɓɨk/ | bak /ɓak/ | baak /ɓaːk/ | bʼak /ɓak/ | bakel /ɓakel/ | bʼaak /ɓaːk/ |
| Blood | chʼichʼ /tʃʼitʃʼ/ | chʼichʼ /tʃʼitʃʼ/ | chʼichʼ /tʃʼitʃʼ/ | kʼikʼ /kʼikʼ/ | kʼikʼ /kʼikʼ/ | chikʼel /tʃikʼel/ | kʼiʼikʼ /kʼiʔikʼ/ |
| Poop | taʼ /taʔ/ | taʼ /taʔ/ | tsaʼ /tsaʔ/ | — | — | kʼoy /kʼoj/ | taʼ /taʔ/ |
| Love | kʼuxbe /kʼuʃbe/ | kʼuxbiñ /kʼuʃbiɲ/ | kʼanbey /kʼanbej/ | yaah /jaːh/ | yakunti /jakunti/ | skʼana /skʼana/ | yaakuntej /jaːkunteh/ |
| Tree | teʼ /teʔ/ | teʼ /teʔ/ | teʼ /teʔ/ | cheʼ /tʃeʔ/ | cheʼ /tʃeʔ/ | teʼ /teʔ/ | cheʼ /tʃeʔ/ |
| Dog | wichuʼ /witʃuʔ/ | tsʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ | tsʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ | peekʼ /peːkʼ/ | pekʼ /pekʼ/ | tsʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ | peekʼ /peːkʼ/ |
| Cat | ajmis /ahmis/ | mis /mis/ | mis /mis/ | miis /miːs/ | mis /mis/ | mis /mis/ | miis /miːs/ |
| Fish | buchʼ /butʃʼ/ | chäy /tʃɨj/ | chay /tʃaj/ | kay /kaj/ | käy /kɨj/ | chay /tʃaj/ | kay /kaj/ |
| Bird | mut /mut/ | mut /mut/ | mut /mut/ | mut /mut/ | chʼiichʼ /tʃʼiːtʃʼ/ | yal chan /jal tʃan/ | chʼíichʼ /tʃʼiːtʃʼ/ |
| Butterfly | ajpempem /ahpempem/ | pejpem /pehpem/ | pejpen /pehpen/ | — | — | pejpen /pehpen/ | péepen /peːpen/ |
| Egg | säktokʼ /sɨktokʼ/ | tumut /tumut/ | tomut /tomut/ | — | jeʼ /heʔ/ | nolobʼ /noloɓ/ | jeʼ /heʔ/ |
| Bear | oso /ˈoso/ | oso /oso/ | oso /oso/ | — | — | oso /oso/ | oso /oso/ |
| Horse | tzimim /tsimim/ | cawayuʼ /kawajuʔ/ | kawu /kawu/ | — | — | kawu /kawu/ | tsíimin /tsiːmin/ |
| House | otot /otot/ | otyot /otjot/ | na /na/ | otoch /otoːtʃ/ | nah /nah/ | naj /nah/ | naj /nah/ |
| Milk | leche /letʃe/ | chuʼ /tʃuʔ/ | lech /letʃ/ | — | — | lech /letʃ/ | leche /letʃe/ |
| Honey | chab /tʃaɓ/ | chab /tʃaɓ/ | chab /tʃab/ | — | — | chab /tʃaɓ/ | kaab /kaːb/ |
| Salt | atzʼam /atsʼam/ | atsʼam /atsʼam/ | atsʼam /atsʼam/ | — | tab /tab/ | atsʼam /atsʼam/ | taʼab /taʔaɓ/ |
| Wine | vino /ˈbino/ | vino /ˈbino/ | vino /bino/ | — | — | yaalel tzʼusub /jaːlel tsʼusub/ | vino /bino/ |
| Rice | arroz /aros/ | arus /aɾus/ | — | — | — | ʼaros /ʔaros/ | arroz /aros/ |
| Iron | palib /palib/ | — | takʼin /takʼin/ | — | — | takʼin /takʼin/ | máaskab /maːskab/ |
| Wheel | rueda /rweda/ | — | — | — | — | rweda /rweda/ | rueda /rweda/ |
| Silk | seda /ˈseda/ | seda /seda/ | seda /seda/ | — | — | seda /seda/ | seda /seda/ |
| Book | jun /hun/ | juñ /huɲ/ | jun /hun/ | huun /huːn/ | Juʼumilxok /huʔumilʃok/ | juʼun /huʔun/ | juʼun /huʔun/ |
| Eat | weʼ /weʔ/ | kʼux /kʼuʃ/ | weʼel /weʔel/ | weʼ /weʔ/ | jant /hant/ | waʼel /waʔel/ | jaant /haːnt/ |
| Drink | ukʼe /ukʼe/ | ucʼ /utsʼ/ | uchʼel /utʃʼel/ | ukʼ /ukʼ/ | ukʼ /ukʼ/ | ukʼ /ukʼ/ | ukʼul /ukʼul/ |
| Sleep | wäye /wɨje/ | wäyel /wɨjel/ | way /waj/ | way /waj/ | wenel /wenel/ | wayel /wajel/ | wenel /wenel/ |
| One | un /un/ | jun /hun/ | jun /hun/ | jun /hun/ | jun /hun/ | jun /hun/ | jun /hun/ |
| Two | chaʼ /tʃaʔ/ | chaʼ /tʃaʔ/ | cheb /tʃeb/ | chaʼ /tʃaʔ/ | kaʼ /kaʔ/ | chabʼ /tʃaɓ/ | kaʼ /kaʔ/ |
| Three | ux /uʃ/ | uxpʼejl /uʃpʼehl/ | oxeb /oʃeb/ | ox /oʃ/ | ox /oʃ/ | oxe /oʃe/ | óox /ʔoːʃ/ |
| Four | chan /tʃan/ | chämpʼejl /tʃɨmpʼehl/ | chaneb /tʃaneb/ | kan /kan/ | kan /kan/ | chane /tʃane/ | kan /kan/ |
| Five | joʼ /hoʔ/ | joʼ /hoʔ/ | joʼeb /hoʔeɓ/ | hoʼ /hoʔ/ | — | joʼe /hoʔe/ | joʼ /hoʔ/ |
| Hundred | cien /sjen/ | joʼkʼal /hoʔkʼal/ | joʼ winik /hoʔ winik/ | — | — | joʼ winkeʼ /hoʔ winkeʔ/ | joʼokʼáal /hoʔokʼaːl/ |
| Hello | bin a bel /bin a bel/ | kabʼ /kaɓ/ | banti winik /banti winik/ | bix a beel /biʃ a beːl/ | bʼix a tʼan /biʃ a tʼan/ | lekilukʼ /lekilukʼ/ | baʼax ka waʼalik /baʔaʃ ka waʔalik/ |
| Thank you | dios boʼtik /dios boʔtik/ | wokox /wokoʃ/ | wokol awal /wokol awal/ | nibʼoolal /nibʼoːlal/ | dios bʼotik /dios botik/ | yuj /juh/ | dios boʼotik /dios boʔotik/ |
| Good | tsʼak /tsʼak/ | utsat /utsat/ | lek /lek/ | utz /uts/ | malobʼ /malob/ | lek /lek/ | maʼalob /maʔalob/ |
| New | tzijib /tsihib/ | tsijiʼ /tsihiʔ/ | achʼ /atʃʼ/ | achʼ /atʃʼ/ | — | yajkʼachil /jahkʼatʃil/ | túumben /tuːmben/ |
| Red | chäk /tʃɨk/ | chächäk /tʃɨtʃɨk/ | tsajal /tsahal/ | chak /tʃak/ | chäk /tʃɨk/ | chak /tʃak/ | chak /tʃak/ |
| White | säk /sæk/ | säsäk /sɨsɨk/ | sak /sak/ | sak /sak/ | säk /sək/ | sak /sak/ | sak /sak/ |
| Black | ikʼ /ikʼ/ | iʼikʼ /iʔikʼ/ | ijkʼal /ihkʼal/ | — | — | kʼikʼ /kʼikʼ/ | box /boʃ/ |
| Green | yäx /jɨʃ/ | yäjyäx /jɨhjɨʃ/ | yax /jaʃ/ | yax /jaʃ/ | yaʼax /jaʔaʃ/ | yaʼax /jaʔaʃ/ | yaʼax /jaʔaʃ/ |
| Blue | yäx /jɨʃ/ | yäjyäx /jɨhjɨʃ/ | yax /jaʃ/ | — | — | yaʼax /jaʔaʃ/ | yaʼax /jaʔaʃ/ |
| Orange | aranxax /aranʃaʃ/ | alaxax /alaʃaʃ/ | alaxax /alaʃaʃ/ | — | — | naranja /naranha/ | pakʼáal /pakʼaːl/ |
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