Norman A. McQuown

The Classification of the Mayan Languages

1. The earliest attempt at internal classification of the Mayan languages is that of Otto Stoll.1 Stoll (pp. 45-70) compared vocabularies of the various languages accessible to him. On the basis of such lexical inspection and the observations on shared items resulting therefrom he produced the following scheme (pp. 173-5 and Anhang) (with the languages arranged in the order of their successive splitting off from the main stock): A. Huastec B. 1. Yucatec (= Maya) 2. (Mopan) C. 1. Chontal 2. Tzeltal (= Tzental) 3. Tzotzil 4. Toholabal (= Chaneabal) 5. Chol D. 1. Kekchi (= Quekchi) 2. a. Pokonchi b. a. Pokomam 1. Chorti E. 1. a. Cakchiquel b. Tzutuhil 2. a. Quiche b. Uspantec F. 1. Ixil 2. a. Mam b. Aguacatec A more recent classification, likewise based on inspection of vocabularies, is that

Language-Learning from an Anthropological Point of View

L ANGUAGE, most broadly conceived, may be said to include all the ways of behaving which serve to communicate with other persons and to reaffirm an individuals own integrity. Among these ways of behaving are stance, bodily movement, facial expression, vocal movement, and speech. Of especial interest are the effects of these on objects in the world about us-the products of the manual arts, the products of the vocal arts, and the products of speech. The most important of the latter are writing and written records. Of all the modes of communication, that which involves talk and that which involves frozen talk, or writing, are undoubtedly the most generally influential. Language, more narrowly conceived, is limited to speech and to writing. This article is concerned with certain aspects of speech and of writing and of their interrelations. Of interest will be the process whereby spoken language is learned and the spoken language arts are taught. Likewise of concern will be the process whereby a child, already in command of a goodly amount of spoken language, learns how to transfer what he says to paper and how to get from paper what other speakers have said there.