Tojol-ab'al
Tojolabal
Mayan
Tojolabal (autonymously Tojol-abʼal, "the true language") is a Mayan language of the Chujean sub-branch within the Q'anjob'alan-Chujean branch, spoken by around 70,000 people in the Las Margaritas and Comitán municipalities of Chiapas, Mexico, near the Guatemalan border. Linguistically, Tojolabal is most closely related to Chuj (cac) of Guatemala — the two are sometimes treated as a Chujean dialect cluster — and more distantly to the Q'anjob'alan languages (Q'anjob'al kjb, Akateko, Jakalteko). The Tojolabal community is known for its strong communal land-tenure tradition (the ejido system) and the political philosophy of the "nosotros" (we — Tojolabal lekilukʼ) which emphasizes collective subjectivity over individual identity. The 1994 Zapatista uprising in Chiapas brought significant attention to Tojolabal as one of the major Mayan languages of the autonomous-municipality region.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Tojolabal
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Mayan
| Meaning | Tojolabal | Tzeltal | Tzotzil | Itzá Maya | Chol | Tabasco Chontal | Classical Maya |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | jaʼ /haʔ/ | jaʼ /haʔ/ | voʼ /voʔ/ | jaʼ /haʔ/ | jaʼ /haʔ/ | jaʼ /haʔ/ | haʼ /haʔ/ |
| Fire | kʼakʼ /kʼakʼ/ | kʼajkʼ /kʼahkʼ/ | kʼokʼ /kʼokʼ/ | kʼakʼ /kʼakʼ/ | kʼajk /kʼahk/ | kʼakʼ /kʼakʼ/ | kʼahkʼ /kʼahkʼ/ |
| Sun | kʼakʼu /kʼakʼu/ | kʼajkʼal /kʼahkʼal/ | kʼakʼal /kʼakʼal/ | kʼin /kʼin/ | kʼiñ /kʼiɲ/ | kʼin /kʼin/ | kʼin /kʼin/ |
| Moon | ixaw /iʃaw/ | u /u/ | u /ʔu/ | uj /uh/ | uw /uw/ | ä /æ/ | uh /uh/ |
| Star | kʼanal /kʼanal/ | ekʼ /ekʼ/ | kʼanal /kʼanal/ | ekʼ /ekʼ/ | ekʼ /ʔekʼ/ | ekʼ /ʔekʼ/ | ekʼ /eːkʼ/ |
| Night | aʼkwal /aʔkʷal/ | ajkʼabal /ahkʼaɓal/ | akʼubal /akʼubal/ | akʼabʼ /akʼaɓ/ | akʼälel /akʼɨlel/ | akʼäb /akʼɨb/ | akʼabʼ /akʼaɓ/ |
| Snow | sakal kʼinal /sakal kʼinal/ | — | taiv /taiv/ | — | — | nieve /ˈnjebe/ | — |
| Wind | ikʼ /ʔikʼ/ | ikʼ /ʔikʼ/ | ikʼ /ʔikʼ/ | ikʼ /ikʼ/ | ikʼ /ikʼ/ | — | ikʼ /ikʼ/ |
| Earth | luʼum /luʔum/ | lum /lum/ | lum /lum/ | luʼum /luʔum/ | lum /lum/ | lum /lum/ | kab /kab/ |
| Stone | ton /ton/ | ton /ton/ | ton /ton/ | tunich /tunitʃ/ | xajlel /ʃahlel/ | jiʼtun /hiʔtun/ | tuun /tuːn/ |
| Mountain | wits /wits/ | wits /wits/ | vits /vits/ | — | wits /wits/ | tzʼik /tsʼik/ | witz /wits/ |
| Sea | niwan paman jaʼ /niwan paman haʔ/ | mar /mar/ | nab /naɓ/ | — | ñajb /ɲahɓ/ | nab /nab/ | kʼahkʼ nab /kʼahkʼ nab/ |
| Mother | nan /nan/ | meʼ /meʔ/ | meʼ /meʔ/ | naʼ /naʔ/ | ñaʼ /ɲaʔ/ | naʼ /naʔ/ | naʼ /naʔ/ |
| Father | tat /tat/ | tat /tat/ | tot /tot/ | tat /tat/ | tat /tat/ | tat /tat/ | yuum /juːm/ |
| Daughter | ʼixukil /ʔiʃukil/ | antsil nichʼan /antsil nitʃʼan/ | tzeb /tseɓ/ | — | ixikʼal /iʃikʼal/ | jixik chʼok /hiʃik tʃʼok/ | — |
| I | keʼn /keʔn/ | joʼon /hoʔon/ | voʼon /voʔon/ | ten /ten/ | joñoñ /hoɲoɲ/ | noʼon /noʔon/ | hiin /hiːn/ |
| You | weʼn /weʔn/ | jaʼat /haʔat/ | voʼot /voʔot/ | tech /tetʃ/ | jatyet /hatʲet/ | neʼet /neʔet/ | hat /hat/ |
| We | keʼntik / keʼntikon /keʔntik / keʔntikon/ | joʼotik / joʼotikon /hoʔotik / hoʔotikon/ | voʼotik / voʼonkutik /voʔotik / voʔonkutik/ | toʼon /toʔon/ | joñonla / joñon lojon /hoɲonla / hoɲon lohon/ | noʼonla /noʔonla/ | — /—/ |
| Name | bʼiʼil /ɓiʔil/ | biil /ɓiːl/ | biil /ɓiːl/ | kʼabaʼ /kʼaɓaʔ/ | kʼabaʼ /kʼaɓaʔ/ | kʼabaʼ /kʼaɓaʔ/ | kʼabaʼ /kʼaˈɓaʔ/ |
| Person | winkil /winkil/ | ants winik /ants winik/ | krixchano /kriʃtʃano/ | — | kixtyañu /kiʃtʲaɲu/ | winik /winik/ | winik /winik/ |
| Head | ʼolom /ʔolom/ | jol /hol/ | jolol /holol/ | — | jol /hol/ | pam /pam/ | jol /hol/ |
| Eye | satej /sateh/ | sit /sit/ | sat /sat/ | ich /itʃ/ | wut /wut/ | wich /witʃ/ | ut /ut/ |
| Ear | chikin /tʃikin/ | chikin /tʃikin/ | chikinil /tʃikinil/ | xikin /ʃikin/ | chikin /tʃikin/ | chikin /tʃikin/ | chikin /tʃikin/ |
| Nose | niʼ /niʔ/ | niʼ /niʔ/ | niʼ /niʔ/ | niʼ /niʔ/ | niʼ /niʔ/ | niʼ /niʔ/ | niʼ /niʔ/ |
| Mouth | tiʼ /tiʔ/ | tiʼ /tiʔ/ | e /e/ | chiʼ /tʃiʔ/ | tiʼ /tiʔ/ | tiʼ /tiʔ/ | tiʼ /tiʔ/ |
| Tooth | ex /eʃ/ | ehal /ehal/ | tanal eal /tanal ʔeal/ | koh /koh/ | ej /eh/ | ej /eh/ | eh /eh/ |
| Tongue | akʼ /akʼ/ | akʼ /akʼ/ | okʼ /ʔokʼ/ | akʼ /akʼ/ | akʼ /aʔkʼ/ | akʼ /akʼ/ | akʼ /akʼ/ |
| Hand | kʼabʼ /kʼaɓ/ | kʼab /kʼab/ | kʼob /kʼoɓ/ | kʼab /kʼab/ | kʼäb /kʼɨɓ/ | kʼäb /kʼɨb/ | kʼab /kʼab/ |
| Foot | ok /ok/ | ok /ok/ | okol /ʔokol/ | — | ok /ok/ | ok /ok/ | ook /oːk/ |
| Heart | altzil /altsil/ | oʼtan /oʔtan/ | oʼon /ʔoʔon/ | pukʼsikʼal /pukʼsikʼal/ | pusʼikʼal /pusʼikʼal/ | pixan /piʃan/ | pixan /piʃan/ |
| Bone | bakel /ɓakel/ | bak /ɓak/ | bak /ɓak/ | bʼak /ɓak/ | bäk /ɓɨk/ | bak /ɓak/ | baak /ɓaːk/ |
| Blood | chikʼel /tʃikʼel/ | chʼichʼ /tʃʼitʃʼ/ | chʼichʼ /tʃʼitʃʼ/ | kʼikʼ /kʼikʼ/ | chʼichʼ /tʃʼitʃʼ/ | chʼichʼ /tʃʼitʃʼ/ | kʼikʼ /kʼikʼ/ |
| Poop | kʼoy /kʼoj/ | tsaʼ /tsaʔ/ | tzoʼ /tsoʔ/ | — | taʼ /taʔ/ | taʼ /taʔ/ | — |
| Love | skʼana /skʼana/ | kʼanbey /kʼanbej/ | kʼanel /kʼanel/ | yakunti /jakunti/ | kʼuxbiñ /kʼuʃbiɲ/ | kʼuxbe /kʼuʃbe/ | yaah /jaːh/ |
| Tree | teʼ /teʔ/ | teʼ /teʔ/ | teʼ /teʔ/ | cheʼ /tʃeʔ/ | teʼ /teʔ/ | teʼ /teʔ/ | cheʼ /tʃeʔ/ |
| Dog | tsʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ | tsʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ | tzʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ | pekʼ /pekʼ/ | tsʼiʼ /tsʼiʔ/ | wichuʼ /witʃuʔ/ | peekʼ /peːkʼ/ |
| Cat | mis /mis/ | mis /mis/ | mis /mis/ | mis /mis/ | mis /mis/ | ajmis /ahmis/ | miis /miːs/ |
| Fish | chay /tʃaj/ | chay /tʃaj/ | choy /tʃoj/ | käy /kɨj/ | chäy /tʃɨj/ | buchʼ /butʃʼ/ | kay /kaj/ |
| Bird | yal chan /jal tʃan/ | mut /mut/ | mut /mut/ | chʼiichʼ /tʃʼiːtʃʼ/ | mut /mut/ | mut /mut/ | mut /mut/ |
| Butterfly | pejpen /pehpen/ | pejpen /pehpen/ | pepen /pepen/ | — | pejpem /pehpem/ | ajpempem /ahpempem/ | — |
| Egg | nolobʼ /noloɓ/ | tomut /tomut/ | tanal /tanal/ | jeʼ /heʔ/ | tumut /tumut/ | säktokʼ /sɨktokʼ/ | — |
| Bear | oso /oso/ | oso /oso/ | oso /oso/ | — | oso /oso/ | oso /ˈoso/ | — |
| Horse | kawu /kawu/ | kawu /kawu/ | kaʼ /kaʔ/ | — | cawayuʼ /kawajuʔ/ | tzimim /tsimim/ | — |
| House | naj /nah/ | na /na/ | na /na/ | nah /nah/ | otyot /otjot/ | otot /otot/ | otoch /otoːtʃ/ |
| Milk | lech /letʃ/ | lech /letʃ/ | lech /letʃ/ | — | chuʼ /tʃuʔ/ | leche /letʃe/ | — |
| Honey | chab /tʃaɓ/ | chab /tʃab/ | ajapom /ahapom/ | — | chab /tʃaɓ/ | chab /tʃaɓ/ | — |
| Salt | atsʼam /atsʼam/ | atsʼam /atsʼam/ | atzʼam /atsʼam/ | tab /tab/ | atsʼam /atsʼam/ | atzʼam /atsʼam/ | — |
| Wine | yaalel tzʼusub /jaːlel tsʼusub/ | vino /bino/ | vino /vino/ | — | vino /ˈbino/ | vino /ˈbino/ | — |
| Rice | ʼaros /ʔaros/ | — | aros /aros/ | — | arus /aɾus/ | arroz /aros/ | — |
| Chocolate | tsʼanubʼal kakaw /tsʼanuɓal kakaw/ | — | chokolate /tʃokolate/ | — | — | — | — |
| Iron | takʼin /takʼin/ | takʼin /takʼin/ | tzatzal takʼin /tsatsal takʼin/ | — | — | palib /palib/ | — |
| Wheel | rweda /rweda/ | — | karos /karos/ | — | — | rueda /rweda/ | — |
| Silk | seda /seda/ | seda /seda/ | xela /ʃela/ | — | seda /seda/ | seda /ˈseda/ | — |
| Book | juʼun /huʔun/ | jun /hun/ | vun /vun/ | Juʼumilxok /huʔumilʃok/ | juñ /huɲ/ | jun /hun/ | huun /huːn/ |
| Eat | waʼel /waʔel/ | weʼel /weʔel/ | veʼel /veʔel/ | jant /hant/ | kʼux /kʼuʃ/ | weʼ /weʔ/ | weʼ /weʔ/ |
| Drink | ukʼ /ukʼ/ | uchʼel /utʃʼel/ | uchʼ /utʃʼ/ | ukʼ /ukʼ/ | ucʼ /utsʼ/ | ukʼe /ukʼe/ | ukʼ /ukʼ/ |
| Sleep | wayel /wajel/ | way /waj/ | vay /vaj/ | wenel /wenel/ | wäyel /wɨjel/ | wäye /wɨje/ | way /waj/ |
| One | jun /hun/ | jun /hun/ | jun /hun/ | jun /hun/ | jun /hun/ | un /un/ | jun /hun/ |
| Two | chabʼ /tʃaɓ/ | cheb /tʃeb/ | chib /tʃiɓ/ | kaʼ /kaʔ/ | chaʼ /tʃaʔ/ | chaʼ /tʃaʔ/ | chaʼ /tʃaʔ/ |
| Three | oxe /oʃe/ | oxeb /oʃeb/ | oxib /ʔoʃiɓ/ | ox /oʃ/ | uxpʼejl /uʃpʼehl/ | ux /uʃ/ | ox /oʃ/ |
| Four | chane /tʃane/ | chaneb /tʃaneb/ | chanib /tʃaniɓ/ | kan /kan/ | chämpʼejl /tʃɨmpʼehl/ | chan /tʃan/ | kan /kan/ |
| Five | joʼe /hoʔe/ | joʼeb /hoʔeɓ/ | voʼob /voʔoɓ/ | — | joʼ /hoʔ/ | joʼ /hoʔ/ | hoʼ /hoʔ/ |
| Hundred | joʼ winkeʼ /hoʔ winkeʔ/ | joʼ winik /hoʔ winik/ | joʼvinik /hoʔvinik/ | — | joʼkʼal /hoʔkʼal/ | cien /sjen/ | — |
| Hello | lekilukʼ /lekilukʼ/ | banti winik /banti winik/ | kʼusi avokoluk /kʼusi avokoluk/ | bʼix a tʼan /biʃ a tʼan/ | kabʼ /kaɓ/ | bin a bel /bin a bel/ | bix a beel /biʃ a beːl/ |
| Thank you | yuj /juh/ | wokol awal /wokol awal/ | kolaval /kolaval/ | dios bʼotik /dios botik/ | wokox /wokoʃ/ | dios boʼtik /dios boʔtik/ | nibʼoolal /nibʼoːlal/ |
| Good | lek /lek/ | lek /lek/ | lek /lek/ | malobʼ /malob/ | utsat /utsat/ | tsʼak /tsʼak/ | utz /uts/ |
| New | yajkʼachil /jahkʼatʃil/ | achʼ /atʃʼ/ | achʼ /atʃʼ/ | — | tsijiʼ /tsihiʔ/ | tzijib /tsihib/ | achʼ /atʃʼ/ |
| Red | chak /tʃak/ | tsajal /tsahal/ | tzajal /tsahal/ | chäk /tʃɨk/ | chächäk /tʃɨtʃɨk/ | chäk /tʃɨk/ | chak /tʃak/ |
| White | sak /sak/ | sak /sak/ | sak /sak/ | säk /sək/ | säsäk /sɨsɨk/ | säk /sæk/ | sak /sak/ |
| Black | kʼikʼ /kʼikʼ/ | ijkʼal /ihkʼal/ | ikʼal /ikʼal/ | — | iʼikʼ /iʔikʼ/ | ikʼ /ikʼ/ | — |
| Green | yaʼax /jaʔaʃ/ | yax /jaʃ/ | yaxal /jaʃal/ | yaʼax /jaʔaʃ/ | yäjyäx /jɨhjɨʃ/ | yäx /jɨʃ/ | yax /jaʃ/ |
| Blue | yaʼax /jaʔaʃ/ | yax /jaʃ/ | yox /joʃ/ | — | yäjyäx /jɨhjɨʃ/ | yäx /jɨʃ/ | — |
| Computer | computadora /komputadora/ | komputadora /komputadora/ | komputadora /komputadora/ | — | computadora /komputadoɾa/ | — | — |
| Tea | té /te/ | té /te/ | te /te/ | — | té /te/ | — | — |
| Coffee | kajpe /kahpe/ | kajpel /kahpel/ | kajve /kahve/ | — | kajpe /kahpe/ | — | — |
| Sugar | sakal askal /sakal ʔaskal/ | sakil asukal /sakil asukal/ | asuka /ʔasuka/ | chʼuuk /tʃʼuːk/ | asukal /asukal/ | — | — |
| Orange | naranja /naranha/ | alaxax /alaʃaʃ/ | alaxa /alaʃa/ | — | alaxax /alaʃaʃ/ | aranxax /aranʃaʃ/ | — |
| Ninety-nine | chan tajbʼe sok bʼalun lajune /tʃan tahɓe sok ɓalun lahune/ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
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