An Introduction To Mayan Languages

In the context of Latin American Indigenous languages, the term "Mayan" does not refer to a single language, but rather a family of over 30 unique languages spoken throughout Mesoamerica. Contrary to popular misconceptions, Mayan languages are not dialects of one singular Mayan language. Comparable to French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and Romanian, which all belong to the Romance language family, but are distinct from one another.

Among the Indigenous languages of the Americas, the Mayan language family stands out for its resilience, having survived Spanish colonization and centuries of conflict.

In today’s article, we’ll discuss the history of Mayan languages, their cultural and linguistic characteristics, and the role of interpreters in supporting Mayan-speaking communities in the United States.

A Brief History of Mayan Languages

Mayan languages all stem from Proto-Mayan, an ancestral language spoken over 5,000 years ago during the Mayan Empire. Mayan languages were a fundamental element in the development of Mayan civilization, especially during the Classical period, and were used in inscriptions, codices, and cultural, religious, and administrative communications.

Mayan Writing System

From around 300–200 BCE until around the end of the 17th century, the Mayan languages all used a complex hieroglyphic writing system. This system, which consisted of over 800 hieroglyphic and phonetic characters, was one of the only writing systems developed in the pre-Columbian Americas. 

Mayan hieroglyphics have been found on stone monuments (stelae), frescoes, pottery, and cave walls. However, only four codices survived the colonial Spaniards' attempts to erase Mayan writing. 

By imposing their language, culture, and religion, oftentimes brutally, the Spanish drastically altered Mayan culture and languages. Today Mayan and other Latin American languages have all adopted writing systems using the Roman alphabet, although literacy rates in indigenous languages are extremely low owing to lack of educational resources and other factors. 

Mayan Languages Today

The legacy of Mayan languages today remains strong. Many are still widely spoken in Central America, primarily in Guatemala and Mexico in more rural, remote areas where they have been passed down from generation to generation. Among the most widely spoken Mayan languages today are K’iche’, Yucatec, Q’eqchi’, and Mam.

They are still a key part of their communities and are used in daily life, religious ceremonies, and cultural events. However, Mayan language speakers often face discrimination in their countries, and Spanish remains the primary language in schools, governments, and workplaces. In response, younger generations are, whether by choice or by circumstances, not learning their native Mayan languages, putting them at risk of endangerment or extinction.

The Mayan Language Family

Following the Classic Period, the Mayan languages were divided and over 30 distinct languages were formed across six branches. Each language also features multiple dialects, which can differ depending on the region or even on the village.

What makes Mayan languages unique?

Mayan languages, while similar in grammar, are not mutually intelligible. Someone who speaks Yucatec Maya, for example, wouldn’t be able to speak with someone who speaks K’iche’. While there are differences among these languages in each region, they all share unique phonological, grammatical, and syntactic features that set them apart from other Global languages.

Mayan languages are known for their complex verbal morphology, using prefixes, suffixes, and infixes to convey information about a person, tense, number, mood, and aspect. Most Mayan verbs have a lot of inflection and are also divided into transitive and intransitive stems, with some exceptions.

Phonologically, Mayan languages share features like glottalized or ejective consonants, a five-vowel system (/a/, /e/, /i/, /o/, /u/) that uses short and long vowels, and uvular consonants, like the /q/. Syntactically, Mayan languages are considered agglutinative, meaning that they utilize a system of root words that can be modified with prefixes and suffixes to indicate possession or subject and object. 

In Mayan culture, language is an integral part of individual and community identity and is used to transmit oral traditions, stories, and spiritual beliefs. 

Mayan Language Interpretation Services at Maya Bridge 

In the United States, language access is a right. Many Indigenous communities, however, are unable to access services in their native languages. For Mayan migrants, who are generally monolingual and speak lower-diffusion languages, this is particularly true. Having language access can have a direct impact on the outcome of their legal cases and immigration proceedings as well as their access to healthcare treatments and social services. 

Currently, there are far too many instances in healthcare and in immigration proceedings, as well as in community services, where speakers of indigenous languages who have limited proficiency in a colonial language are not offered interpretation services in their native languages. 

Misinterpretation can pose severe risks like incorrect medical diagnoses or unjust legal judgments, both of which can have life-altering consequences. In Kansas, language gaps have been identified as one of the major issues when it comes to providing medical care for patients with limited English proficiency.

Fortunately, several cities have taken steps to improve language access for Mayan language speakers. A health center in Oakland is working to support its growing Mam community by providing them with interpretation services. The expansion of language access services in San Francisco through new legislation is a positive step towards making sure that all individuals receive the support they need in their native languages. Many efforts in Washington, D.C. and Virginia are being made to provide Mayan migrants with better access to services like healthcare and food assistance. 

We offer language services for all Mayan languages at Maya Bridge. Our interpreters not only interpret but eliminate cultural misunderstandings, so that Mayan migrants can receive the essential services they need in the U.S.

Maya Bridge - A Leading Advocate For Latin American Indigenous Language Access In The U.S.

Since 2021, Maya Bridge Language Services has been advocating for increased access for speakers of Mayan and other Latin American and global Indigenous languages here in the United States. Maya Bridge is a mission-driven, niche interpretation agency offering 24/7 on-demand services for over 60 Indigenous languages from Latin America, as well as African, Asian, Pacific Island, Native American, and other Indigenous languages. 

We have worked diligently to mobilize, train, and evaluate a network of hundreds of interpreters both in the U.S. and throughout the world to ensure that speakers of Indigenous languages can fully understand and be understood in important situations like healthcare, legal settings, in disaster and emergency response scenarios, and in receiving access to government programs. 

Contact us to schedule a meeting or call us anytime, day or night, at (801) 753-8568.