Aprender la lengua y la cultura tseltal

Abstract

This article gives a general overview of Mayan languages. The variations between them are briefly illustrated with examples, and a gradual method is suggested for understanding the language and culture of the Tseltal, an indigenous people of southeastern Mexico. Five short sentences, which show the contrast between the way the world is codified and viewed in Tseltal and Spanish, are suggested as a way to begin learning about this lovely language. The article introduces the reader to some key grammatical structures of Tseltal that are common to the great majority of Mayan languages. The second half of the article introduces the reader, by means of a sociolinguistic analysis and a humanistic approach, to the concepts that are translated as “education,” “autonomy” and “identity” in the Tseltal world.