Tzeltal language

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Tzeltal Tzeltal
Spoken in:	Mexico
Region:	Chiapas
Total speakers:	approx. 280,000
Language family:	Mayan Cholan-Tzeltalan Tzeltalan Tzeltal
Language codes
ISO 639-1:	none
ISO 639-2:	`myn`
ISO 639-3:	either: `tzb` – Tzeltal, Bachajón `tzh` – Tzeltal, Oxchuc
Note: This page may contain IPA phonetic symbols in Unicode.

Tzeltal is a Mayan language spoken in the Mexican state of Chiapas. It is most closely related to the Tzotzil language. This living language has about 280,000 speakers in Chiapas, the southernmost state of Mexico, though some researchers would argue that parts Tzeltal territory extend as far southeast as Guatemala. About six different dialects of Tzeltal are usually recognized. Tzotzil is the most closely related language to Tzeltal and together they form a Tzeltalan Proper sub-branch of the Mayan language family. Tzeltal, Tzotzil and Ch'ol are the most widely-spoken languages in Chiapas. Unlike Ch'ol, which features split-ergativity, Tzeltal and Tzotzil are fully morphologically ergative.

Tzeltal-language programming is carried by the CDI's radio station XEVFS, broadcasting from Las Margaritas, Chiapas.