Umbeyajts
San Mateo del Mar Huave
Language isolate
Huave (autonymously Umbeyajts in San Mateo del Mar variety, also Ombeayiüts in San Dionisio variety) is a language isolate spoken by approximately 12,000 people in four small municipalities on the Pacific lagoon system of the Tehuantepec Isthmus in Oaxaca, Mexico. Despite over a century of comparative work, Huave remains unclassifiable to any larger family — proposals connecting it to Otomanguean, Mixe-Zoquean, or Mayan have all failed to gain consensus. The Huave people are traditionally fisherfolk and salt producers, deeply tied to the lagoon ecosystem; their cosmology centers on the lagoon as a sacred living entity. The four Huave varieties (San Mateo, San Dionisio, San Francisco, Santa María) show significant divergence after centuries of relative isolation. San Mateo del Mar, the largest community with the most speakers, is the focus of most linguistic documentation.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in San Mateo del Mar Huave
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Language isolate
| Meaning | San Mateo del Mar Huave | Yucatec Maya | Achuar | Coyutla Totonac | Zapotec | Tzeltal | Qʼeqchiʼ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | yow /jow/ | jaʼ /haʔ/ | yumi /jumi/ | chúchut /tʃútʃut/ | nisa /nisa/ | jaʼ /haʔ/ | haʼ /haʔ/ |
| Fire | biümb /biɨmb/ | kʼáakʼ /kʼaːkʼ/ | ji /hi/ | lhkúyat /ɬkújat/ | gui /ɡi/ | kʼajkʼ /kʼahkʼ/ | xam /ʃam/ |
| Sun | nüt /nɨt/ | kʼiin /kʼiːn/ | etsa /etsa/ | chichiní /tʃitʃiní/ | gubidxa /ɡubidʒa/ | kʼajkʼal /kʼahkʼal/ | saqʼe /saqʼe/ |
| Moon | kaaw /kaːw/ | uj /uh/ | nantu /nantu/ | papá /papá/ | beeu /beːu/ | u /u/ | po /po/ |
| Star | okas /okas/ | eekʼ /eːkʼ/ | yaa /jaː/ | staku /staku/ | béleguí /beleɡiʔ/ | ekʼ /ekʼ/ | chahim /tʃahim/ |
| Night | ngwiats /ŋʷiats/ | áakʼabʼ /aːkʼaɓ/ | kashi /kaʃi/ | tsisni /tsisni/ | gueela /ɡeːla/ | ajkʼabal /ahkʼaɓal/ | qʼojyin /qʼoχjin/ |
| Rain | ijchiür /ihtʃiɨɾ/ | cháak /tʃáːk/ | — | sin /sin/ | nisaguié /nisaɡie/ | jaʼal /haʔal/ | habʼ /haɓ/ |
| Snow | nieve /nʲebe/ | nieve /njebe/ | — | — | nieve /njebe/ | — | xchuʼi keh /ʃtʃuʔi keh/ |
| Wind | iünd /iɨnd/ | iikʼ /iːkʼ/ | nase /nase/ | un /ʔun/ | bi /bi/ | ikʼ /ʔikʼ/ | iqʼ /iqʼ/ |
| Earth | iüt /iɨt/ | luʼum /luʔum/ | nungka /nuŋka/ | tiyat /tijat/ | yu /ju/ | lum /lum/ | chʼochʼ /tʃʼotʃʼ/ |
| Stone | piedra /pʲedɾa/ | tuunich /tuːˈnitʃ/ | kaya /kaja/ | chiwix /tʃiwiʃ/ | guie /ɡie/ | ton /ton/ | pek /pek/ |
| Mountain | tiük /tiɨk/ | wiits /wiːts/ | mura /muɾa/ | kestín /kestín/ | dani /dani/ | wits /wits/ | tzuul /tsuːl/ |
| Sea | ndek /ndek/ | kʼáaʼnáab /kʼaːʔnaːb/ | juun entsa /huːn entsa/ | pupunú /pupunú/ | nisadoʼ /nisadoʔ/ | mar /mar/ | palaw /palaw/ |
| Mother | müm /mɨm/ | naʼ /naʔ/ | nukur /nukuɾ/ | tzí /tsí/ | jñaa /xɲaː/ | meʼ /meʔ/ | naʼ /naʔ/ |
| Father | teat /teat/ | taata /taːta/ | apar /apaɾ/ | tlat /tɬat/ | bixhoze /biʃoze/ | tat /tat/ | yuwaʼ /juwaʔ/ |
| I | xike /ʃike/ | teen /teːn/ | wi /wi/ | akit /akit/ | naa /naːʔ/ | joʼon /hoʔon/ | laaʼin /laːʔin/ |
| You | ike /ike/ | teech /teːtʃ/ | ame /ame/ | wix /wiʃ/ | liiʼ /liːʔ/ | jaʼat /haʔat/ | laaʼat /laːʔat/ |
| We | ikootsa / xikona /ikoːtsa / ʃikona/ | toʼon /toʔon/ | ii /iː/ | akinín /akinín/ | laanu / laadu /laːnu / laːdu/ | joʼotik / joʼotikon /hoʔotik / hoʔotikon/ | laaʼo /laːʔo/ |
| Name | minüt /minɨt/ | kʼaabaʼ /kʼaːɓaʔ/ | naari /naːɾi/ | takuwiní /takuwiní/ | lá /la/ | biil /ɓiːl/ | kʼabʼaʼej /kʼaɓaʔeχ/ |
| Person | nipilan /nipilan/ | máak /maːk/ | aints /aints/ | — | binni /binːi/ | ants winik /ants winik/ | poyanam /pojanam/ |
| Head | omal /omal/ | pool /poːl/ | muuk /muːk/ | akgxakga /aqʃaqa/ | ique /ike/ | jol /hol/ | jolom /χolom/ |
| Eye | oniiüg /oniːɨɡ/ | ich /itʃ/ | jii /hiː/ | lakgastapu /laqastapu/ | lú /lú/ | sit /sit/ | xnaqʼ ru /ʃnaqʼ ru/ |
| Ear | olaag /olaːɡ/ | xikin /ʃikin/ | kuwish /kuwiʃ/ | takgén /taqén/ | diaga /diaɡa/ | chikin /tʃikin/ | xik /ʃik/ |
| Nose | oxing /oʃiŋ/ | niʼ /niʔ/ | nuji /nuhi/ | — | xii /ʃiː/ | niʼ /niʔ/ | uʼuj /uʔuχ/ |
| Mouth | ombeay /ombeaj/ | chiʼ /tʃiʔ/ | wene /wene/ | kilhni /kiɬni/ | ruaa /ɾuaː/ | tiʼ /tiʔ/ | e /e/ |
| Tooth | laik /laik/ | koh /koh/ | nai /nai/ | tatsan /tatsan/ | laya /laja/ | ehal /ehal/ | ruuch e /ruːtʃ e/ |
| Tongue | niw /niw/ | aakʼ /aːkʼ/ | inai /inai/ | simakgat /simaqat/ | ludxi /ludʒi/ | akʼ /akʼ/ | aqʼ /aqʼ/ |
| Hand | owix /owiʃ/ | kʼabʼ /kʼaɓ/ | uwej /uweh/ | makán /makán/ | na /naʔ/ | kʼab /kʼab/ | ruqʼ /ruqʼ/ |
| Foot | oleaj /oleah/ | ook /oːk/ | nawe /nawe/ | tantún /tantún/ | ñee /ɲeː/ | ok /ok/ | oq /oq/ |
| Heart | omeaats /omeaːts/ | puksiʼikʼal /puksiʔikʼal/ | enentai /enentai/ | naku /naku/ | ladxi /ladʒi/ | oʼtan /oʔtan/ | chʼoolej /tʃʼoːlej/ |
| Bone | olats /olats/ | bʼaak /ɓaːk/ | ukunch /ukuntʃ/ | lukut /lukut/ | dxita /dʒita/ | bak /ɓak/ | bʼaq /ɓaq/ |
| Blood | kieh /kʲeh/ | kʼiʼikʼ /kʼiʔikʼ/ | numpa /numpã/ | kgalhni /qaɬni/ | rini /rini/ | chʼichʼ /tʃʼitʃʼ/ | kikʼ /kikʼ/ |
| Poop | iid /iːd/ | taʼ /taʔ/ | ija /iha/ | — | guiʼ /ɡiʔ/ | tsaʼ /tsaʔ/ | kʼot /kʼot/ |
| Love | amongoch /amoŋotʃ/ | yaakuntej /jaːkunteh/ | anentin /anentin/ | — /—/ | ranaxhii /ɾanaʃiː/ | kʼanbey /kʼanbej/ | rahok /rahok/ |
| Tree | xiül /ʃiɨl/ | cheʼ /tʃeʔ/ | numi /numi/ | kiwi /kiwi/ | yaga /jaɡa/ | teʼ /teʔ/ | cheʼ /tʃeʔ/ |
| Dog | pet /pet/ | peekʼ /peːkʼ/ | yawa /jawa/ | chichi /tʃitʃi/ | biʼcuʼ /biʔkuʔ/ | tsʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ | tzʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ |
| Cat | mixt /miʃt/ | miis /miːs/ | micha /mitʃa/ | mishtu /miʃtu/ | mistuu /mistuː/ | mis /mis/ | mes /mes/ |
| Fish | kiet /kʲet/ | kay /kaj/ | namak /namak/ | skiti /skiti/ | benda /benda/ | chay /tʃaj/ | kar /kar/ |
| Bird | kiek /kʲek/ | chʼíichʼ /tʃʼiːtʃʼ/ | chingki /tʃiŋki/ | spun /spun/ | maniʼ huiiniʼ /maniʔ wiːniʔ/ | mut /mut/ | tzʼik /tsʼik/ |
| Butterfly | miük /miɨk/ | péepen /peːpen/ | shimpiampu /ʃimpiampu/ | — | biguidiʼ /biɡidiʔ/ | pejpen /pehpen/ | peepem /peːpem/ |
| Egg | omb kit /omb kit/ | jeʼ /heʔ/ | nujin /nuhin/ | kálhwat /káɬwat/ | dxita bere /dʒita bere/ | tomut /tomut/ | mol /mol/ |
| Bear | oso /oso/ | oso /oso/ | chayu /tʃaju/ | oso /oso/ | oso /oso/ | oso /oso/ | oos /oːs/ |
| Horse | kawüy /kawɨj/ | tsíimin /tsiːmin/ | kawai /kawai/ | kawayu /kawaju/ | maniʼ /maniʔ/ | kawu /kawu/ | kawaay /kawaːj/ |
| House | nden /nden/ | naj /nah/ | jea /hea/ | chiki /tʃiki/ | lidxi /lidʒi/ | na /na/ | ochoch /otʃotʃ/ |
| Honey | kün /kɨn/ | kaab /kaːb/ | wapasa yumiri /wapasa jumiɾi/ | táxkat /táʃkat/ | dxiña yaga /dʒiɲa jaɡa/ | chab /tʃab/ | xyaʼal kabʼ /ʃjaʔal kaɓ/ |
| Salt | kiniük /kiniɨk/ | taʼab /taʔaɓ/ | wee /weː/ | mátzat /mátsat/ | zidi /zidi/ | atsʼam /atsʼam/ | atzʼam /atsʼam/ |
| Wine | vin /bin/ | vino /bino/ | vino /ˈbino/ | vino /bino/ | vinu /binu/ | vino /bino/ | bʼiin /ɓiːn/ |
| Chocolate | chicolüt /tʃikolɨt/ | chukwaʼ /tʃukwaʔ/ | — | — | dxuladi /dʒuladi/ | — | — |
| Iron | manchiük /mantʃiɨk/ | máaskab /maːskab/ | jiru /hiɾu/ | likán /likán/ | guiibaʼ /ɡiːbaʔ/ | takʼin /takʼin/ | chʼiichʼ /tʃʼiːtʃʼ/ |
| Wheel | arrueda /arweda/ | rueda /rweda/ | — | — | rueeda /ɾweːda/ | — | rueda /rweda/ |
| Silk | seda /seda/ | seda /seda/ | seda /seda/ | seda /seda/ | seda /seda/ | seda /seda/ | seda /seda/ |
| Book | nawiig /nawiːɡ/ | juʼun /huʔun/ | papi /papi/ | libro /libro/ | guiʼchi /ɡiʔtʃi/ | jun /hun/ | hu /hu/ |
| Eat | atsaj /atsah/ | jaant /haːnt/ | yuata /juata/ | wayán /waján/ | ro /ɾo/ | weʼel /weʔel/ | waʼak /waʔak/ |
| Drink | anganeow /aŋaneow/ | ukʼul /ukʼul/ | umarta /umaɾta/ | kgotnún /qotnún/ | ge /ɡe/ | uchʼel /utʃʼel/ | ukʼ /ukʼ/ |
| Sleep | ameay /ameaj/ | wenel /wenel/ | kanarta /kanaɾta/ | lhtata /ɬtata/ | rasi /ɾasi/ | way /waj/ | war /war/ |
| One | nop /nop/ | jun /hun/ | kichik /kitʃik/ | aktum /aktum/ | tobi /tobi/ | jun /hun/ | jun /χun/ |
| Two | ijpx /ihpʃ/ | kaʼ /kaʔ/ | jimiar /himiaɾ/ | aktuy /aktuj/ | chupa /tʃupa/ | cheb /tʃeb/ | wiibʼ /wiːɓ/ |
| Three | areh /aɾeh/ | óox /ʔoːʃ/ | kampatam /kampatam/ | aktutu /aktutu/ | chonna /tʃonːa/ | oxeb /oʃeb/ | oxibʼ /oʃiɓ/ |
| Four | apikiw /apikiw/ | kan /kan/ | aintiuk /aintʲuk/ | aktati /aktati/ | tapa /tapa/ | chaneb /tʃaneb/ | kaahibʼ /kaːhiɓ/ |
| Five | akokiaw /akokʲaw/ | joʼ /hoʔ/ | ewej /eweh/ | kitsis /kitsis/ | gaayuʼ /ɡaːjuʔ/ | joʼeb /hoʔeɓ/ | oobʼ /oːɓ/ |
| Hundred | akoik miow /akoik miow/ | joʼokʼáal /hoʔokʼaːl/ | pachak /patʃak/ | ciento /sjento/ | gayuaa /ɡajuaː/ | joʼ winik /hoʔ winik/ | oʼkʼaal /oʔkʼaːl/ |
| Hello | ngwene /ŋwene/ | baʼax ka waʼalik /baʔaʃ ka waʔalik/ | pujamek /puhamek/ | tlen lhítat /tɬen ɬítat/ | padixhe /padiʃe/ | banti winik /banti winik/ | ma saʼ laachʼool /ma saʔ laːtʃʼoːl/ |
| Thank you | mongoy /moŋoj/ | dios boʼotik /dios boʔotik/ | mai-tikut /majtikut/ | paʼxkatkatsiniyán /paʔʃkatkatsiniján/ | xtiozenu /ʃtjozenu/ | wokol awal /wokol awal/ | bantyox /bantjoʃ/ |
| Good | najneaj /nahneah/ | maʼalob /maʔalob/ | pengker /peŋkeɾ/ | tlan /tɬan/ | nazaaca /nazaːka/ | lek /lek/ | us /us/ |
| New | jayats /hajats/ | túumben /tuːmben/ | yamaram /jamaɾam/ | xasasti /ʃasasti/ | nacubi /nakubi/ | achʼ /atʃʼ/ | akʼ /akʼ/ |
| Red | nakants /nakants/ | chak /tʃak/ | kapantin /kapantin/ | tsutsokgo /tsutsoqo/ | xiñaʼ /ʃiɲaʔ/ | tsajal /tsahal/ | kaq /kaq/ |
| White | raan /ɾaːn/ | sak /sak/ | puju /puhu/ | snapapa /snapapa/ | quichi /kitʃi/ | sak /sak/ | saq /saq/ |
| Black | nambeor /nambeoɾ/ | box /boʃ/ | shuwin /ʃuwin/ | tsitsekge /tsitseqe/ | nayaaseʼ /najaːseʔ/ | ijkʼal /ihkʼal/ | qʼeq /qʼeq/ |
| Green | nateaik /natʲaik/ | yaʼax /jaʔaʃ/ | samek /samek/ | — | naberde /naberde/ | yax /jaʃ/ | rax /raʃ/ |
| Sugar | asucre /asukre/ | asukaar /asukaːr/ | — | — | dxiña /dʒiɲa/ | sakil asukal /sakil asukal/ | asuukr /asuːkɾ/ |
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